Light brown, green, yellow or black with dark with white speckles and darker dots along its knobby body. The seahorse's head is at a right angle to the rest of its body. This fish swims upright using its dorsal fin for movement. Their elongated head resembles that of a horse.

The dwarf seahorse is the third smallest seahorse species on the world. It also holds a Guinness World Record of the world's slowest fish, with a top speed of about 5 feet per hour.