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Showing posts with label Seahorse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seahorse. Show all posts

Black Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)

The Black Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is quite possibly the most popular Seahorse to be kept in an saltwater aquarium. They are extremely hardy and very lively making them fun to watch. Even though they are called the Black Seahorse this species actually has the ability to change their coloration to match their surroundings. This makes them a master of disguise making it hard for potential predators to spot them.

Also known as the Lined Seahorse or the Northern Seahorse, they can grow to about 8" in maximum length. An aquarium of at least 30 gallons is recommended with the following water conditions, dKH 8-12, 68-78° F, pH 8.0-8.4, and sg 1.021-1.025. The Black Seahorse can be kept in pairs or even in small groups if you have a large enough aquarium. They also do well with Pipefish, Firefish and some smaller Gobies. This species of Seahorse are carnivores that can be fed frozen Mysis Shrimp and amphipods that are found in live rock.

If you have been lucky enough to see these Seahorses mate you know what a treat it is. The male Seahorse will preform a series of dances while he is changing colors. The male and female will then take each others tails and dance to the top of the aquarium. At this point the female Black Seahorse deposits her eggs into the male's pouch where they will stay for a couple weeks. The male can give birth to up to 300 babies at once! I highly recommend getting a pair of these if you want to witness the magic. A mated pair will even say their good mornings to each other by doing a little dance for one another. You can watch part of this bizarre mating ritual below...



Tiger Tail Seahorse (Hippocampus comes)

The Tiger Tail Seahorse or Hippocampus comes is often found in pairs, sometimes tails entwined, around coral reefs in the tropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. This species of Seahorse is related to the Pipefish and Leafy Sea Dragon and are normally yellow and black with the traditional dorsal fins they use to propel themselves. Pectoral fins that are located behind their eyes help them steer in one direction or another. Tiger Tail Seahorse can grow to about 18 cm in maximum length and can live to about 3 years old.
Able to survive in brackish and saltwater this Seahorse will feed on small invertebrates, which it literally sucks though its tubular snout. If you have this type of Seahorse in an aquarium setting and manage to get them to breed, make sure to separate the males after birth or they will eat their own young. The strangest part about this is the fact that the males actually carry the eggs during the pregnancy that lasts as long as four weeks! Check out a this Tiger Tail Seahorse underwater in the video below...

If you have any tips or facts about the Tiger Tail Seahorse please leave them below in the comments...

Leafy Sea Dragon (Phycodurus eques)

The Leafy Sea Dragon or Phycodurus eques is one unusual looking seahorse. Leafy Sea Dragons have leaf like projections that come out of nearly its entire body. These not only serve as camouflage, but are also used to help the Leafy Sea Dragon maneuver around. In the water these creatures can be almost impossible to see and are often thought to be a drifting piece of seaweed to the untrained eye. Leafy Sea Dragons normally grows to no more than 35cm in overall length. They feeds on crustaceans including plankton and mysids. Even though it doesn't have any teeth, it still manages to eat shrimp and other smaller fish as well. The Leafy Sea Dragon is normally found off the Southern and Western coast of Australia. There is even a festival called the Leafy Sea Dragon Festival that is celebrated in Southern Australia. During reproduction the male of this species carries the eggs fixed to the underside of his tail. This brood patch, consisting of cups of blood-rich tissue each holding one egg. The bright pink eggs become embedded in the cups of this brood patch. They receiving oxygen via the cups blood vessels. To check out the Leafy Sea Dragon in action have a look at the video below...






Big Belly Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis)

The Big Belly Seahorse or Hippocampus abdominalis is one of the largest Seahorses in the world. It can grow to 35cm (14in) in length and gets its name from its rather large stomach! Believe it or not, each eye of the Big Belly Seahorse moves separately which makes it much easier to find food and avoid potential predators. This Seahorse is monogamist, which means they stay with the same mating partner for life. In fact, every morning the the female travels to her mate and they entwine tails and 'dance' together for six to 10 minutes, they even change color during this strange ritual. When mating the female will actually deposit the eggs in the male. The male Big Belly Seahorse can then have more than 700 babies at once! This Seahorse feeds on shrimp and small crustaceans. When it is not swimming it will wrap its tail around seaweed and simply wait for its lunch to come by.  You can check out the Big Belly Seahorse swimming in the video below.

The Chinese believe that this creature can help cure such ailments as asthma, impotence, high cholesterol, goitre, kidney disorders, and even severe acne! The Big Belly Seahorse is often confused with the Pot Bellied Seahorse. One characteristic that sets them apart is the fact that the Big Belly Seahorse has a slightly shorter snout. If you have any information about the Big Belly Seahorse that you would like to add please do so in the comments below...

Pygmy Seahorse

The Pygmy Seahorse or Hippocampus bargibanti is one of the smallest of the over 40 different species of Seahorses. This tiny creature will only grow to about 2-1/2cm in length over its lifetime and is only found on Gorgonian corals. The Pygmy Seahorse blends right into the Gorgonian corals to the point where it is very hard to even tell the difference between the coral and the Seahorse. In fact, this Seahorse is so camouflaged that it was only discovered upon close inspection of a Gorgonian coral during an experiment. These fish are found at depths of less than 40 meters in the Western Pacific Ocean from southern Japan to Australia. Little more is know about the Pygmy Seahorse, but if you have additional information please leave us a comment.

Pacific Seahorse

Some people might not realize it, but the Pacific Seahorse or Hippocampus ingens is actually a fish! The Pacific Seahorse is the largest of the over 30 species of Seahorses, it can grow to over 1' in length! These fish feed on organisms on the bottom including mysids and plankton. The Pacific Seahorse doesn't have any teeth or a stomach so they are fairly picky eaters. They are used as aquarium fish, but are threatened in many parts of the world due to destruction of habitat. Colors range from black, brown, maroon, red, orange yellow to olive green.  You can check out some amazing footage of a Seahorse giving birth in the video below.



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