SeaHorses

Seahorses are no more vulnerable to the “normal” fish diseases, given that they have proper water quality and nutrition. I have only seen one mild case of white spot, and that may have been a secondary infection to mycobacterium. Seahorses are fish - they breathe with gills and swim with tiny delicate fins. Bony plates cover their bodies and serve as protective armor. Seahorses are strange, beautiful creatures that actually are considered to be fish, although they have an exoskeleton and a prehensile tail. Seahorses are monogamous (the males carry and give birth to the young), will breed in captivity and have a general life expectancy of two years, although I have personally had a seahorse live for over four years.

Seahorses are monogamous , and mate around the time of the full moon . Seahorses are already at risk around the world, partly because they are exploited for aquarium fishes. The following notes are intended only for very experienced marine aquarists. Seahorses are fished for the aquarium and curio trades, and are used in traditional Southeast Asian and Chinese medicines for respiratory problems and impotence. There are two Mediterranean species of seahorses (Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus ramulosus) and they had not been comprehensively assessed in Italian waters.

Seahorses are a type of bony fish, which classifies them in the animal kingdom, phylum Chordata, and class, Osteichthyes. Seahorses are part of the family Syngnathidae, which also includes pipefish and sea dragons (Boschung 530 and Moore 1). Seahorses are a saltwater vertebrate fish belonging to the order Perciformes , family Syngnathidae , meaning “with jaw”, genus Hippocampus , literally “horse of the sea”. The family includes seadragons, pipefishes, and pipehorses, and has existed for at least 40 million years [Ireland ]. Seahorses are amongst the most endearing of all sea creatures. It might have something to do with their small size and gentle appearance, or perhaps it’s because male seahorses carry and deliver the babies.

Seahorses are exploited for use as traditional medicines, aquarium fishes, curios (souvenirs), and tonic foods. Traditional Chinese medicine is the largest direct market for seahorses, but they are also used in other traditional medicines.� Preserved seahorse specimens are incorporated into jewelry, key chains, paper weights, and other crafts. Seahorses are one of the more specialized marine fish to keep. They�re tank requirements are a bit different then those of most other marine fish and should be met for optimal life. Seahorses are slow feeders, and in an aquarium with fast, aggressive feeders, the seahorses will be edged out during feeding. For this reason, there are a limited number of tankmates that can be kept successfully with seahorses.

Seahorses are big business. The world trade in seahorses is conservatively estimated at more than 20 million fish a year. Seahorses are difficult to feed and plagued by disease in captivity. Other species cannot be cultivated at all. Seahorses are frequently monogamous, though several species (H. In monogamous pairs, the male and female will greet one another with courtship displays in the morning, and in the evening to reinforce their pair bond.

Seahorses are caught by subsistence fishers by hand, scoop net or small seine. They are also a by-catch shrimp trawlers and other forms of net fishing. Seahorses are elongate with rigid body armor and swim upright. Pectoral fins on the sides and a small dorsal fin on the back of a seahorse’s body wave rapidly to move the seahorse through the water. Seahorses are born as miniature adults, and during their initial phases mortality rates are high [32 ].

Seahorses are unusual in that it is the male who becomes pregnant, carrying the developing young in his brood pouch. Seahorses are in trouble all over the world. Every species is teetering on the verge of possible extinction. Seahorses are veritable sages at masquerading as inanimate objects in their environment. Their deceptive instruments include a wide variety of strategies to remain hidden in the open.

Seahorses are exploited for traditional medicines and as aquarium fishes, and their habitats are among the most threatened marine environments. According to Project Seahorse of McGill University in Montreal, in the last five years many seahorse populations have declined by 50 percent. Seahorses are also totally monogamous. Unfortunately, seahorses are threatened by habitat loss and overfishing. Seahorses are much more likely to contract disease or host parasites in even a slightly weakened state, and it is very difficult to treat seahorses successfully once they become ill.

Seahorses are extremely difficult to maintain in home aquariums and most hobbyists end up replacing their lost seahorses frequently, thus perpetuating the trade. Seahorses are often swept away in tides or currents and preyed upon by crabs, fish, and humans. It is for these reasons that we at the Calvert Marine Museum are breeding seahorses and rearing the young. Seahorses are usually spotted in tropical, subtropical and temperate ocean waters although some species have been found that have penetrated into the northern regions. The genus Dorichthys has even been discovered in brackish water and even fresh waters.

Seahorses are also extremely popular in the aquarium trade and as tourist curios. Seahorses are also used in traditional medicines in Indonesia, the Philippines, and India, and at least eight seahorse medicines are now sold in North America. Seahorses are slow feeders, and in an aquarium with fast, aggressive feeders, the seahorses will be edged out in the competition for food. Special care should be given to ensure that all individuals obtain enough food at feeding times.

Seahorses are used to cure among other things impotence, urinary incontinence, wheezing and old age debilitation. Seahorses are being exploited for Chinese medicines and aphrodisiacs, tourist trinkets, aquarium fishes, and are being impacted by degradation of reef and coastal habitats. Seahorses are born independent and ready to survive on their own—although survival is a tricky business.

Seahorses are unique among fish in that they completely lack this fin. Instead the tail is prehensile , like a monkey’s or opossum’s, and used to anchor the animal by wrapping it around weeds or coral. Seahorses are classified in the genus Hippocampus , and most Pipefish are classified as Syngnathinae or Doryrhamphinae . The average size in an aquarium of most Seahorses is approximately five inches, and most Pipefish reach a length of eight inches. Seahorses are monogamous creatures, keeping one partner for life. If their mate dies or is taken away, the seahorse that is left behind sometimes never mates again.

Females may wander as far as 100 square yards, centering around, but reducing feeding competition with their oft-pregnant partner who confines himself to a single square yard (Vincent 1996). Because prey is abundant in areas with good water exchange, they tend to colonize only edges of suitable habitats (Breder 1942). Females release eggs into a pouch on the males� abdomen. He fertilizes them and nourishes them with a special fluid secretion when the eggs attach themselves to the spongy pouch wall. Female pipefish court the males. If the courting is successful, she deposits up to 225 eggs in brood pouches on the underside of the male�s body.

Females produce the eggs, but when the male is potent, she uses her repositor, a tubelike organ, to pump the eggs into the male’s pouch. The daily courtship dance helps to synchronize the mating cycles of the partners.

Wild animals and plants are under attack on many fronts. Rhinoceros horn is treasured for Yemeni dagger handles, deer musk used to be much sought after for Western perfumes, Buddhists sell turtles for the devout to release at temples, seahorses and newts are bought as pets. Wild seahorses were highlighted due to their declining numbers in their natural habitats. There are about 50 known species of seahorses, and they all fall into the genus Hippocampus . Wild populations are declining.

Wild caught seahorses will usually only go after foods they recognize, i.e. Captive raised seahorses should eat frozen foods, mysis shrimp, and may even go after other foods once trained. Wild caught (WC) seahorses can be very expensive to feed. If you are considering buying a wild caught seahorse, please visit the WC vs CB page.

Finally, his distended body contracts and labors as he expels tiny seahorses one by one. Males of some species give birth to a few dozen, but others bear more than 100, and one Caribbean male astonished researchers as his half-tablespoon pouch held more than 1,500 babies. Finally, and oddest of all, seahorses are the only known animal where the male gets pregnant. As they intertwine their tails to mate, the female extends a tube, called the ovipositor, into the male’s “brood pouch” and deposits eggs. Finally, customer support from a knowledgeable staff who is familiar with the specimen.

Adult seahorses do have a few natural predators, despite the bony plating which covers their body. Crabs can be a menace and they are also consumed by wading shorebirds. Adult seahorses will grow to become in size, between two inches and about one foot. Dwarf Seahorses grow to a maximum of 1.5 inches. Adults pair-bond and greet on daily basis in the laboratory (Ref. The male carries the eggs in a brood pouch which is found under the tail (Ref.

Medicinal purposes for seahorses include using them as “cures” for asthma, arteriosclerosis, incontinence and impotence, thyroid disorders, skin ailments, broken bones and heart disease. Some areas even use seahorses as an aid in childbirth. Medicated foods for suspected internal parasites are available at most local pet stores. Choose one with mebendazole and feed this to the seahorses’ intended live food shortly before you offer them to the seahorses.

Frozen foods used are mysis shrimp, Euphausia pacifica, and adult Artemia. Institutions report feeding frozen mysis to adults 1-3 times per day (most feed 2-3 times). Frozen foods such as Mysids shrimps are now available in almost every marine fish supplier in the country. Captive bred seahorses can be maintained for life on a diet of only frozen, enriched mysids shrimps.

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