Seahorses Sticklebacks and Relatives: Gasterosteiformes

Sticklebacks, seahorses, and their relatives live in coral reefs, sea grass meadows, kelp forests, tide pools, bays, lagoons, and estuaries (EHS-chew-air-eez), areas where a river meets the sea. Many species hide among rocks and crevices in reefs or blend in with coral or sea grass. Others live over sandy or muddy bottoms. The young of many species live in open water and settle closer to the bottom as adults. Some species live in lakes, coastal rivers, creeks, marshes, and protected coastal inlets.