Dwarf seahorse

Care at a glance

At just a few centimetres, the dwarf seahorse is one of the smallest seahorse species kept in the hobby, which is exactly why it suits a small, dedicated tank. Unlike larger seahorses, it can't hold its own in a regular reef tank: it's a slow eater that loses out to faster tankmates.

Keep it in its own calm tank with low flow, plenty of holdfasts, and only live food such as baby brine shrimp — it won't recognise dry food. Like other seahorses, it does best in a mature, stable tank and in pairs or small groups.

Good to know

• Hard to wean onto dry food
• Needs a mature, stable tank

Best not combined with

• Six-line wrassePseudocheilinus hexataenia
• Flame hawkfishNeocirrhites armatus
• Falco hawkfishCirrhitichthys falco
• Coral banded shrimpStenopus hispidus

Related species

• Lined seahorseHippocampus erectus
• Marine betta (comet)Calloplesiops altivelis
• Painted frogfishAntennarius pictus
• Volitans lionfishPterois volitans
• Skunk clownfishAmphiprion akallopisos
• Yellow boxfishOstracion cubicum