🐠 Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
A Large, Striking Seahorse Considered the Best Choice for First-Time Keepers • Widely Captive-Bred and Already Raised on Frozen Mysis • Social, Best Kept in Pairs or Small Groups
 
📋 The Lined Seahorse, also known as the Northern Seahorse, is considered by experienced seahorse keepers to be the single most recommended species for anyone new to keeping seahorses, hardy, resilient, and widely available as captive-bred stock. Coloration ranges through shades of black, grey, and brown, and can shift depending on mood, health, and surroundings.
It comes from a wide range across the Western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia down through the Gulf of Mexico to Brazil, inhabiting shallow seagrass beds and coastal waters, retreating to deeper water during colder months. Every Lined Seahorse we ship is feeding well.
A reassuring fact for anyone considering their first seahorse: captive-bred Lined Seahorses are already accustomed to frozen mysis shrimp from birth, unlike many wild-caught seahorses that require live food indefinitely. This species is also more social than many of its relatives, doing best kept in a mated pair or small group of its own kind rather than alone. This species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, largely due to pressure from the aquarium trade and traditional medicine collection, which is exactly why we favour captive-bred specimens specifically. It's considered reef safe with caution, and does best alongside slow, peaceful tankmates such as gobies and firefish, fast or aggressive fish will simply outcompete it for food. It reaches up to 19cm, so a 115L tank, taller rather than wider, suits it well.
 
💡 Highlights
🎨 Black, Grey and Brown Coloration: Shifts with mood, health, and environment
🌟 The Best Beginner Seahorse: Widely recommended as the most forgiving species to start with
🐣 Well Established on Frozen Foods: Captive-bred stock readily accepts frozen mysis shrimp
👥 Social: Does best kept in pairs or small groups
⚠️ IUCN Vulnerable: We favour captive-bred specimens specifically