Seahorses, along with pipefish, belong to the family Synathidae. Common features include elongated bodies, protruding bony rings and a skinny tubular snout tipped with a tiny toothless mouth; seahorses feed primarily on plankton and tiny benthic animals. 

The dorsal fin on the seahorse's back is its most powerful means of propulsion; fluttering up to 70 times per second. A pair of pectoral fins behind the seahorse's head help with steering and braking. Because of their inability to move quickly, seahorses live a relatively stationary existence, typically inhabiting regions of the reef where there is little or no current.