Macro

Tigertail Seahorse

Hippocampus comes

IUCN status: Vulnerable

A small seahorse with a banded tail, one of the macro highlights of the Andaman pinnacles. Found holding onto sea fans and structure. IUCN lists it Vulnerable, largely due to the dried-seahorse and aquarium trade.

Max size
19cm
Habitat
Clings to gorgonians, sponges and rubble on reef slopes; often on pinnacles like Richelieu Rock

Best places to dive with Tigertail Seahorse

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Dauin
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Seahorses cling to seagrass and debris on the Dauin sanctuary sites; regularly found by guides but small and well camouflaged.

Koh Chang
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Seahorses are found on the reefs and wreck but are small and easily missed; a spotter helps.

Koh Lipe
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

A macro highlight at Stonehenge and Koh Talang; found among soft coral and rubble.

Phi Phi & Koh Lanta
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Tigertail seahorses cling to soft corals and rubble at Koh Haa and the sheltered reefs; a macro highlight but easy to miss without a guide.

Similan Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryrare
Februaryrare
Marchrare
Aprilrare
Mayrare
Junerare
Julyrare
Augustrare
Septemberrare
Octoberrare
Novemberrare
Decemberrare

A macro find rather than a reliable sighting — depends on a sharp-eyed guide, mainly at Richelieu Rock and similar sites. Present in the open season only.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.