Sea Horse. What does a seahorse eat in nature?

The seahorse is an unusual animal resembling a small magic horse ranging in size from 1.5 to 30 centimeters. It is related to the needle fish. An inhabitant of salty tropical waters is also found off the coast of Eastern Canada and Great Britain. Some species exist in fresh waters. The sea dweller is of constant interest to children and adults.

Appearance

Seahorse - interesting facts for children about appearance. The movement involves a small fin on the back, oscillating up to 35 times per second. Rowing with two gill fins maintains vertical balance. They are weak swimmers, some dwarf species move at a speed of one and a half meters per hour. The upward and downward spiral movement provides a change in the volume of the swim bladder.

They are able to change color depending on the surrounding plants, therefore they are invisible in aquatic environment. The body is covered with bony armor instead of scales. Like tropical birds, they have a rich color palette with stripes and specks. They are difficult to distinguish from corals.

Observation is carried out by a pair of eyes that can look in opposite directions.

Beautiful representatives of fish breathe with the help of gills, have a swim bladder located throughout the body, which makes it possible to vertically position themselves in the water.

A peculiar tail helps to attach to the fins and make long journeys "on horseback" on other fish.

Behavior

Interesting Seahorse Facts - Behavior. Due to the peculiarities of the digestive system, they need constant nutrition, which enters the body with water. Food is not only plankton, crustaceans, shrimps, larvae, but also small fish. There are no teeth and stomach, absorption occurs through the proboscis. They do not chase prey, but patiently wait for it to come by itself, so a small current is needed for a comfortable life.

Life expectancy is limited to 4-5 years, but they manage to leave a million offspring.

They don't do well in aquariums. The reason is an unusual environment, susceptibility to stress. They need a lot of small living creatures for food: more than 3 thousand crustaceans and shrimps per day. Without food, they quickly die from exhaustion.

The female transfers the eggs from her body to a special bag to the male. Thus, males carry offspring for 1.5 months. This is one of the few species when dad is worn with a child. The number of fry ranges from 1600 to 2, depending on the species. Born cubs immediately go on an independent journey.

The main enemies of the skate are crabs, penguins, rays and other hungry predators. Almost the entire body is made up of bones, scales, and spines. Few want to feast on such prey.

Red Book

For several years, the unique fish has been a symbol of the naval power of the Northern Fleet. It was displayed on the emblem of Zaozersk, a city in the Murmansk region. Then the image of the skate was replaced with a dolphin.

In the coastal waters of Russia, there are 2 species of fish that live in the Black, Azov and Japanese Seas.

The Red Book lists 30 species of animals out of 32. Their habitats are still being polluted, and numerous jellyfish destroy their nutrient plankton. The reason for the mass capture is a beautiful appearance.

One out of a hundred fry is able to grow to maturity. The causes of extinction are related to economic activity of people. Fish are caught by the Chinese, Filipinos, Indonesians for pseudo-medical purposes (of course, these creatures cannot cure anyone) and making souvenirs from dried exhibits.

Seahorse liver and eyes are considered a healthy delicacy and are served in expensive restaurants. Fried skates on sticks offer Chinese cuisine.

The breeding of these creatures is successfully carried out in the zoos of Berlin, Stuttgart, Basel, in the California and the National Aquarium of Baltimore.

Don't crucian, don't perch,
Has a long neck
Who is he? Guess soon!
Well, of course, horse!

Seahorse (from lat. Hippocampus) is a small cute marine fish of an unusual shape from the genus of bony fish (family of sea needles) of the needle-shaped order. Looking at this fish, the chess piece of a horse immediately comes to mind. Long neck - distinguishing feature skate. If you disassemble the horse into parts of the body, then its head resembles a horse, the tail is a monkey, the eyes are from a chameleon, and the outer covers resemble those of insects. The unusual structure of the tail allows the skate to cling to seaweed and corals and hide in them, sensing danger. The ability to mimic (camouflage) makes the seahorse almost invulnerable. The seahorse feeds on plankton. Young skates are quite voracious and can eat for 10 hours in a row, eating up to three thousand crustaceans and shrimps. The vertical position of the seahorse relative to the water is its distinguishing feature.

It is interesting that the seahorse is a caring father and faithful spouse. The heavy burden of motherhood falls on the shoulders of the male. The seahorse independently bears the cub in a special bag, which is located in the lower part of the abdomen of the seahorse. Right there at the time mating games the female introduces eggs. If the female dies, the male remains faithful to the partner for a long time and vice versa, if the male dies, the female remains faithful to the male for up to 4 weeks.

Dimensions

The size of a seahorse varies from two to three centimeters to 30. Thirty centimeters is the size of a giant seahorse. The average size is 10 or 12 centimeters. The smallest representatives - pygmy seahorses have about 13 or even 3 millimeters. With a size of 13 centimeters, the weight of a seahorse is about 10 grams.

A few more photos with seahorses.

The seahorse is a genus of small marine bony fish of the family of marine needles of the needle-shaped order. The number of species of seahorses is about 50. The unusual shape of the body of a horse resembles a chess piece of a horse. Numerous long spikes and tape-like leathery outgrowths located on the body of the seahorse make it invisible among algae and inaccessible to predators. The sizes of seahorses range from 2 to 30 cm, depending on the species to which a particular individual belongs. An interesting feature of the seahorse is that the male bears their offspring.

The taxonomy of the seahorse is very confusing due to the unique ability of these fish to change their appearance - color and even body shape. The closest relatives of seahorses are small fish - sea needles, which have much in common in the structure of the body with skates. However, the body shape and manner of movement in the water of sea "horses" is completely unusual.

The body of seahorses in the water is located unconventionally for fish - vertically or diagonally. The reason for this is the relatively large swim bladder, most of which is located in the upper body of the seahorse. It is impossible to confuse these graceful and colorful fish, similar to jewelry or toys, with any inhabitant of the water element.

The body of a seahorse is not covered with scales, but with bone plates. Barbed armor protects them from danger. The armor is so strong that it is almost impossible to break even a dried dead animal. However, in his shell, he is so light and fast that he literally soars in the water, and his body shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow - from orange to bluish blue, from lemon yellow to fiery red. By the brightness of the colors, it is just right to compare this fish with tropical birds and brightly colored coral reef fish.

These fish live in the seas of tropical and subtropical zones. Their range covers the entire Earth. Seahorses live in shallow waters among seaweed beds or among corals. These are sedentary and generally very inactive fish. Typically, seahorses wrap their tail around a twig of coral or a tuft of seagrass and spend most of their time in this position. But large sea dragons do not know how to attach themselves to vegetation. For short distances they swim holding the body vertically, if they have to leave the "house", then they can swim in an almost horizontal position. They swim slowly. In general, the nature of these fish is surprisingly calm and meek, seahorses do not show aggression towards fellow tribesmen and other fish.

They feed on plankton. They track down the smallest crustaceans, rolling their eyes funny. As soon as the prey approaches the miniature hunter, the seahorse puffs out its cheeks, creating negative pressure in the oral cavity and sucks the crustacean like a vacuum cleaner. Despite their small size, skates are big eaters and can indulge in gluttony up to 10 hours a day.

Seahorses have only three small fins: the dorsal fin helps them swim forward, and the two gill fins maintain vertical balance and serve as a rudder.

In a moment of danger, seahorses can significantly speed up their movement, flapping their fins up to 35 times per second (some scientists even call the number 70). Masterfully they succeed and vertical maneuvers. By changing the volume of the swim bladder, these fish move up and down in a spiral. However, seahorses are not capable of swimming fast - they are considered the record holders for the slowest swimming among known fish. Most of the time, the seahorse hangs motionless in the water, catching its tail on algae, coral, or even the neck of a relative.

Skates can ride "on horseback" on fish. Due to their curved tail, seahorses can travel long distances. They grab the perch's fins and hold on until the fish swims into the algae. And the skates grab their pair with their tail and swim in an embrace.

The eyes of seahorses are large, the vision is quite sharp. Their tail is crocheted to the stomach, and their heads are decorated with horns of various shapes.

The eyes of skates move independently from one another. The organ of vision in a seahorse is similar to the eyes of a chameleon. One eye of these fish can look forward, and the other can see what is happening behind.

Seahorses have the ability to change the color of their body, which allows them to skillfully disguise themselves in thickets and among the bottom landscape. A lurking seahorse is almost impossible to see in ambush unless you look very closely. The ability to disguise is necessary for seahorses both for protection and for successful hunting, because they are active predators.

In the seas washing the shores of Russia, seahorses are represented by only two or three species - the Black Sea seahorse: found in the Black and Seas of Azov, as well as the Japanese seahorse living in the Sea of ​​Japan. Occasionally in the Black Sea you can meet a long-snouted seahorse, common in the seas of the Mediterranean basin. For permanent residence, seahorses choose quieter places; they do not like rough currents and noisy tidal waves.

Seahorses are monogamous fish, they live in married couples, but can periodically change partners. Characteristically, these fish bear eggs, with males and females changing roles. During the mating season, a tubular ovipositor grows in females, and in the male, thickened folds in the tail area form a bag. Before spawning, partners perform a long mating dance.

The female lays the eggs in the male's pouch and he incubates them for about 2 weeks. Newborn fry exit the pouch through a narrow opening. Sea dragons do not have a bag and carry eggs on the tail stalk. The fertility of different species ranges from 5 to 1500 fry. Newborn fish are completely independent and move away from the parent pair.

Among the seahorses there are also very small representatives, a couple of centimeters in size, there are also, in a way, giants up to 30 centimeters long. The smallest species, the pygmy seahorse, is found in the Gulf of Mexico. Its length does not exceed four centimeters. In the Black and Mediterranean Seas, you can find a long-snouted or spotted seahorse, the length of which reaches 12-18 centimeters. The most famous representatives of the species Hippocampus kuda, which lives off the coast of Indonesia. Seahorses of this species, their length is about 14 centimeters, are painted brightly and variegatedly, some are speckled, others are striped. The largest seahorses are found near Australia.

The life expectancy of seahorses is, on average, 3-4 years. The extreme survivability of these fish is known - being taken out of the water, they can live for several hours and return to normal life if they are released into their native element.

Seahorses have few natural enemies - its body is extremely bony and covered with bone formations. Therefore, it is hunted only by a large land crab, which is able to digest such indigestible prey. Seahorses are not dangerous to humans. This is a peaceful harmless fish, besides it is very small.

Man himself is a great danger to seahorses. Today, seahorses are on the verge of extinction - their population is rapidly declining. 30 species of seahorses out of 32 known to science are listed in the Red Book. There are many reasons for this, and one of them is the massive capture of skates off the coast of Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and the Philippines. The exotic appearance of the fish doomed them to people using them as souvenirs and gifts.

A separate point in the decline in the number of seahorse populations is the fact that the taste of these fish is extremely appreciated by gourmets. Liver and caviar of seahorses are considered a delicacy, although they have some laxative properties. A seahorse dish costs up to $800 per serving in some restaurants.

A huge number of seahorses (according to some estimates - up to 80 million horses a year) are used in the countries of the Pacific region of Asia and in Australia for the production of medicines and potions. These medicines are used as pain relievers for coughs and asthma, and also as a remedy for impotence. IN last years This Far Eastern "Viagra" has become popular in Europe. ABOUT healing properties people have known seahorse meat since ancient times. Seahorses have been used to prepare various medicines and potions in many countries.

Keeping seahorses in aquariums is not very easy, they are demanding on food and prone to disease, but it is very interesting to watch them.

Seahorses can sing. During the period of mating games, they perform peculiar dances around their partners and partners and accompany themselves with clicking sounds, the pace of which can change.

Based on anatomical, molecular and genetic studies, the seahorse has been identified as a highly modified pipefish. Fossilized remains of seahorses are quite rare. The most studied fossils of the species Hippocampus guttulatus (synonym - H. ramulosus) from the formations of the Marecchia River (Italian province of Rimini). These findings are dated to the Lower Pliocene (about 3 million years ago). The earliest seahorse fossils are considered to be two Middle Miocene needle-like species Hippocampus sarmaticus and Hippocampus slovenicus found in Slovenia. Their age is estimated at 13 million years. According to the molecular clock method, the species of seahorses and needlefish split in the Late Oligocene. There is a theory that this genus appeared in response to the emergence of large areas of shallow water, which was caused by tectonic events. The appearance of vast shallows led to the spread of algae, and, as a result, the animals living in this environment.

David Juhash

Not many creations of the Creator look so implausible and beautiful at the same time. This fish swims slowly in an upright position, curling its tail forward to capture algae while its watchful eyes help it search for food and avoid danger.

Sea Horses are among the popular pets that are kept in aquariums. If an aquarium with these fish is installed in any public place, they immediately attract the attention of visitors. People flock to watch these exquisite fish soaring in the aquarium. Sometimes seahorses meet and connect with their tails. Then, just as elegantly, they unwind their tails and calmly disperse in different directions.

Seahorses tend to live along the shore, among seaweed and other plants. They have only one mating partner. The distance they travel does not exceed a few meters. The body length of a seahorse ranges from 4 to 30 cm, and it continues to grow throughout the three years of its life.

Evolution cannot explain the origin of the seahorse's reproductive functions. The whole childbearing process is too "unorthodox."

Exist different kinds seahorses: dwarf (Atlantic species, smaller than other species), brown, living in Europe, large brown or blackish, living in the Pacific Ocean, and medium (in size), living in the waters of Australia.

Unique creation

Sea Horse- such a unique being that it is indeed very difficult to accept (as evolutionists want it to be) that he is the product of undirected evolutionary forces. Examine the seahorse closely, and you will see that all the features of its design testify to the miracle of creation by God the Creator.

From above, the body of the seahorse is covered with a bony shell that protects it from dangers. This shell is so hard that you can't crush a dry, dead horse with your hands. Its strong skeleton makes the seahorse unattractive to predators, so this fish is usually left untouched.

The female seahorse is completely immersed in this protective shell. The body of the male is also enclosed in it, with the exception of the lower part of the body. The carapace is often covered with numerous bone rings.

The uniqueness of the seahorse among fish lies in the fact that its head is located at right angles to the body. When swimming, her body remains upright. The seahorse's head can move up or down, but cannot turn sideways. The inability to move the head in different directions in other creatures would probably cause problems, but the Creator in His wisdom designed the seahorse in such a way that its eyes move and rotate independently of each other, while simultaneously observing what is happening in various directions From him.

Uses fins to swim vertically. It dives and rises, changing the volume of gas inside its swim bladder. If the swim bladder is damaged and even a small amount of gas is lost, then the seahorse sinks to the bottom and lies helplessly until death.

If it is a product of evolution, then we must ask the question: how did this creature manage to survive while its swim bladder evolved? The very idea of ​​the gradual evolution of the complex swim bladder of a seahorse through trial and error is simply unimaginable. Undoubtedly, it is more reasonable to believe that this being was created by the Great Creator.

Male gives birth to babies!

Perhaps the most incredible (if not strange) feature of the seahorse is that the male gives birth to the young. About it unusual phenomenon scientists became aware only in the last century.

At the very base of the abdomen of the male seahorse (where there is no protective shell) there is a large leathery pocket and a slit-like opening. And when the female lays her eggs right in this pocket, the male fertilizes them.

The female lays eggs in the pocket until it is completely full (it can contain more than 600 eggs). The inner lining of the pocket becomes like a sponge, filled with blood vessels that play a role in nourishing the eggs. This is an unusual feature of the male seahorse! When the egg laying is completed, the future father sails away with his inflated pocket, being a kind of living stroller for the cubs.

After one or two months, the male gives birth to tiny babies - an exact copy of adults. A miniature addition to the family is squeezed out through the hole until the bag is completely empty. Sometimes the male experiences very strong labor pains in order to push the last cub out. The birth of cute babies is an amazing sight, but for a male, the process of childbirth is very exhausting. Seahorses born are not called "sea stallions", but simply "babies".

Evolution cannot explain the origin of reproductive functions seahorse. The whole childbearing process is too "unorthodox." Indeed, the structure of the seahorse appears to be a mystery if you try to explain it as the result of evolution. As one expert said a few years ago: “In relation to evolution, the seahorse is in the same category as . Since it is a mystery that confuses and destroys all theories trying to explain the origin of this fish! Recognize the Divine Creator and everything is explained".

Problems in the theory of evolution related to fossils

IN seahorse the intention of the Creator is clearly and clearly manifested. But the fossil record presents another problem for those who believe in evolution. To defend the idea that sea ​​horse is the product of evolution over millions of years, proponents of this theory need fossils showing gradual development lower form animal life into a more complex form of a seahorse. But, much to the dismay of evolutionists, "no fossilized seahorses have been found".

As with many creatures that fill the seas, skies and land, there is no link for the seahorse that can connect it with any other form of life. Like all major types of living creatures, the complex seahorse was created suddenly, as the book of Genesis tells us.

Seahorse (lat. Hippocampus) is a small sea fish of the sea needle family. This fish swims slowly in an upright position, curling its tail forward to capture algae while its watchful eyes help it search for food and avoid danger.

Seahorses are among the popular pets that are kept in aquariums. If an aquarium with these fish is installed in any public place, they immediately attract the attention of visitors. People flock to watch these exquisite fish soaring in the aquarium. Sometimes seahorses meet and connect with their tails. Then, just as elegantly, they unwind their tails and calmly disperse in different directions.

These small marine fish tend to live along the shore, among seaweed and other plants. They have only one mating partner. The distance they travel does not exceed a few meters. The body length of a seahorse ranges from 4 to 30 cm, and it continues to grow throughout the 4 years of its life.

The genus of seahorses is represented by 32 species: the pygmy seahorse (Atlantic species, smaller than other species), the brown seahorse that lives in Europe, the large brown or blackish seahorse that lives in the Pacific Ocean, and the medium (in size) seahorse that lives in Australian waters.

The seahorse is a unique creature.

From above, the body of the seahorse is covered with a bony shell that protects it from dangers. This shell is so hard that you can't crush a dry, dead horse with your hands. Its strong skeleton makes the seahorse unattractive to predators, so this fish is usually not touched by anyone except for a large land crab, which can digest it.

The female seahorse is completely immersed in this protective shell. The body of the male is also enclosed in it, with the exception of the lower part of the body. The carapace is often covered with numerous bone rings.

The uniqueness of the seahorse among fish lies in the fact that its head is located at right angles to the body. When a seahorse swims, its body remains upright. The seahorse's head can move up or down, but cannot turn sideways. The inability to move the head in different directions in other creatures would probably cause problems, but the Creator in His wisdom designed the seahorse in such a way that its eyes move and rotate independently of each other, while simultaneously observing what is happening in different directions from it.

The seahorse uses its fins to swim vertically. It dives and rises, changing the volume of gas inside its swim bladder. If the swim bladder is damaged and even a small amount of gas is lost, then the seahorse sinks to the bottom and lies helplessly until death.

Male gives birth to babies!

Perhaps the most incredible (if not strange) feature of the seahorse is that the male gives birth to the young. Scientists became aware of this unusual phenomenon only in the last century.

At the very base of the abdomen of the male seahorse (where there is no protective shell) there is a large leathery pocket and a slit-like opening.

During the mating season, the male swims up to the female, both fish cling to each other, and at this moment the male opens his pocket wide, and the female throws several eggs into it. After some time, this ceremony is repeated, and again the “newlywed” bag is replenished with several eggs, which are fertilized at the moment they get there.

The female lays eggs in the pocket until it is completely full (it can contain more than 600 eggs). The inner lining of the pocket becomes like a sponge, filled with blood vessels that play a role in nourishing the eggs. This is an unusual feature of the male seahorse! When the egg laying is completed, the future father sails away with his inflated pocket, being a kind of living stroller for the cubs.

After one or two months, the male gives birth to tiny babies - an exact copy of adults. A miniature addition to the family is squeezed out through the hole until the bag is completely empty. Sometimes the male experiences very strong labor pains in order to push the last cub out. The birth of cute babies is an amazing sight, but for a male, the process of childbirth is very exhausting. Seahorses born are not called "sea stallions", but simply "babies".

Today, seahorses are on the verge of extinction - their population is rapidly declining. 30 species of skate fish out of 32 known to science are listed in the Red Book. There are many reasons for this, one of them is the massive capture of skates off the coast of Thailand, Malaysia, Australia and the Philippines. The exotic appearance of the fish doomed them to people using them as souvenirs and gifts. For the sake of beauty, their tail is artificially arched in such a way as to give the body the shape of the letter S. In fact, such types of fish do not exist in nature - this is a whim of man. Saves skates from extinction only great fertility: some species give birth to more than a thousand babies at a time. A separate point in the destruction of the seahorse population is the fact that the taste of these fish is appreciated by gourmets. According to them, the liver and eyes of seahorses are quite tasty, although they have laxative properties. The dish is served with a fig leaf and costs as much as $800 per serving at the most expensive seaside restaurants.

(Photo from http://mote.org)

Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animals
Type: Chordates
Superclass: Fish
Class: Bony fish
Subclass: Ray-finned fish
Detachment: Acicular
Family: Needle
Genus

Unless you live near a warm ocean or a water park, you may not have seen seahorses or sea dragons to see just how amazing these tiny creatures are. Long, elongated, like those of a horse, their heads give them an almost mythical image. In reality, they are not immortal, and besides, many die during the storm. Sea "horses" hide with the help of excellent camouflage, long spikes and ribbon-like outgrowths make them invisible in their natural underwater environment.

The size of seahorses is from 2 to 20 centimeters. Seahorses like leafy sea dragons and sea needles carry their offspring in special bags where the female spawns. The burden of maternal care falls on. With such entertaining and interesting facts as well as amazing pictures of seahorses we invite you to familiarize yourself.

Seahorses (Hippocampus) - gentle and beautiful creatures got their names from the ancient Greek "hippo", which means "horse" and "campos" - "sea monsters". The genus Hippocampus includes 54 marine fish species.
The spotted seahorse in the photo is 15 centimeters long and lives up to four years.

Spectacular rainbow seahorse in Hamburg, Germany.

Leafy sea dragons at the Georgia Aquarium. Sea "monsters" live off the southern coast of Australia and are masters of disguise. Seemingly harmless, the sea dragon is a real predator - it feeds on small fish and shrimps.

The weedy sea dragon is endangered. With small tubular snouts, relatives of seahorses suck in tiny prey, sometimes various debris gets there.

Leafy sea dragons at Birch Aquarium, San Diego, California. They can grow up to 35 cm in length. When the males are ready to mate, their leafy tails turn bright yellow.

The Black Sea seahorse is a rare sight in shallow waters, Romania.

Leafy sea dragon in an aquarium, Atlanta. In nature, they live in the tropical coastal waters of Southern and Western Australia.

spiny seahorse(Hippocampus histrix) gets its name from the spikes that stick out of it. Usually lives in - from 3 to 80 meters. One of the largest seahorse species and can grow up to 17 cm.

Seahorse at the Oregon Aquarium. Sea Horses are not good swimmers. The other is the only type of fish when males carry unborn offspring on themselves.

Weed sea dragon near seagrass, Sydney, Australia. Brown algae and reefs serve as good camouflage for them and protection from predators.

At first glance, pregnant seahorses, but they are not. bellied seahorses(Hippocampus abdominalis) separate view and one of the largest, can reach a length of 35 cm.

The spiny seahorse, like most of its brethren, is threatened with extinction. The human appetite for exotic fish is on the rise, which is why skates have been listed as protected by the Convention on international trade endangered species of wild fauna and flora.

Leafy sea dragons, like their relatives, weedy dragons are very caring fathers. They bear offspring on themselves. Born fry immediately become independent.

Pipefish another distant relative of seahorses. This creature has a longer, straighter body with tiny mouths.

Another one of the seahorse relatives at the Wilhelm Zoo, Germany.

Macro photo of a gray and yellow seahorse at the Zurich Zoo. While eating or interacting with other relatives, these fish make a "clicking" sound.

Say love between them ...

Leafy sea dragons dance at the Dallas Aquarium. The only working fins are on the chest and back, so sea dragons are not very fast - 150 meters per hour. Individuals were observed that spent up to 68 hours in one place.

A pygmy seahorse camouflages itself against soft coral near Cebu, Philippines. Pygmies reach maximum length 2.4 cm. Living area from southern Japan to northern Australia in reef areas at a depth of 10-40 meters.

Sea needle - Solenostomus paradoxus - off the coast of Thailand. Close relatives of seahorses come in a variety of colors and sizes, ranging from 2.5 to 50 cm.

Excellent disguise.

Weed Sea Dragons close-up. Left: Shelly Beach weed dragon, Australia; right: eggs on male dragons.

Morning mating dances of seahorses.

The skinny body of a weedy dragon "flies" through the water. Body sea ​​dragon and its color develops based on the environment, food.

The skinny and toothless marine needle has a snake-like body.

Seahorses are voracious. The absence of a stomach and teeth makes them constantly eat. In this regard, they consume up to 50 shrimp per day.

Before mating, the courtship ritual of seahorses lasts several days. Few couples stay together for life, most stay together only during the mating season.

Nature miracle.

The perfection of nature.

Close-up

Friendly family.

Schultz's needlefish - Corythoichthys schultzi - in Egypt.

Different types of seahorses and dragons.

Seahorses are the slowest marine fish.

Only 1% of fry grow to adults.

Seahorses are masters of camouflage.

The pygmy pipit is one of the smallest vertebrates in the world against the backdrop of soft corals.

Stunning shot: a kiss of lovers.

The beauty of a leafy sea dragon.

The needle family includes: seahorses, seapikes, leafy and weedy sea dragons.

Spiny seahorse.

The proud loneliness of a seahorse.

Close-up.

Curiosity.

The seahorse looks more like a chess piece of a horse or a gargoyle from a Gothic cathedral than a fish. Unlike other fish, it swims vertically, moves its eyes freely, as if it does not have a tail in the usual sense of the word, but it has a neck unusual for underwater inhabitants ... In addition, the males of these strange fish themselves bear offspring - how can one not be curious about this phenomenon?

let me introduce myself

Seahorses (Hippocampus) are small fish the average size which, depending on the species, ranges from 1.5 to 30 centimeters. They are found in tropical and subtropical seas, and inhabit warm shallow waters - thickets of algae and. Life expectancy up to 4-5 years.

evolutionary passport

The seahorse is a member of the needlefish family. A typical needlefish is also quite unusual and has an elongated body, long tail without fin and tubular stigma. If you put this fish vertically, bend its head and twist its tail in a spiral, you would get sea ​​Horse. Scientists believe that this happened 25 million years ago, when skates separated into a separate genus. Most likely, this was a response to the occurrence of large areas of shallow water, which was caused by tectonic events of the past.

How does a seahorse swim?

The swim bladder of the fish is located along the entire body and is divided by a septum that separates the head from the rest of the body. At the same time, the head bladder is larger than the abdominal one, which provides the skate with a vertical position when swimming. The skate also moves in the water column, mainly vertically: by changing the volume of gas inside the swimming one, it sinks or rises.

The horse uses a long, flexible and finless tail as an anchor: with it it clings to ledges of corals or algae, it can also hug a girlfriend, but it is completely unsuitable for rowing. This role is partly taken over by a mobile dorsal fin, as well as paired pectoral fins, which, despite the name, are located on the sides of the body.

This carelessness of the seahorse is caused by its unwillingness to compete with someone in speed or swim against the current, because it avoids strong underwater currents and prefers familiar terrain to everything else. So most of the time the seahorse spends clinging to the coral or algae with its tail and carefully examining everything around.

What's on the menu?

Skates don’t particularly need to hunt: you sit in one place, and slowly swims past and asks for lunch yourself. The tubular mouth of the skate, so unlike the flapping fish mouth, works like a pipette: by moving the gill covers, the fish creates a thrust that can suck in a careless crustacean from a distance of up to 4 centimeters. IN oral cavity the caught prey is filtered and sent to the throat, and the water drawn in with it is discharged through the gills. In general, their skate can be called a voracious predator: it is able to eat for 10 hours a day, eating up to 3600 crustaceans and shrimps.

Chameleon of the underwater kingdom

The horse does not know how to flee and is not poisonous, but it has a whole arsenal of tricks hidden away. To begin with, there are chromatophore cells in the skin of the fish, thanks to which they are so diversely colored and can change their color depending on the background. It is not easy to see an almost motionless fish of a bizarre shape: either it is hiding in the thickets, or slowly drifting under the very nose of a predator, like a fragment of algae.

The seahorse's unusual eyes help to keep track of the situation: they do not seem "fishy" at all, since they can move independently of each other. So one eye can keep an eye on potential prey, while the other eye can keep itself from becoming prey. But, on the other hand, there are not so many people who want to eat a seahorse in the sea.

Bone plates and spikes protruding from under the skin of a small fish make it not very tasty (and this is not counting the internal skeleton). Under this pile of thorns, there is quite a bit of edible food - after all, the skate does not need developed muscles (it hardly swims), nor a supply of fat (food is always available in abundance). Nevertheless, there are gourmets and skates - rays, large crabs and some other predators.

love-carrot

The only thing that can make a seahorse show agility and even dancing abilities is mating games. Male seahorses outwardly differ little from females - except that they are slightly larger, and there is a special organ on the abdomen - a brood chamber, somewhat similar to a kangaroo bag. During the breeding season, the walls of this pocket swell, it becomes clearly visible and attracts the attention of females.

Having come close, the fish intertwine their tails and slowly walk up and down the sea “lawns”. In the process of courtship, the male can even change his color to match the body color of his girlfriend. Then the pair begin to click, tossing their heads and touching the spikes on the body with bone crowns. Finally, the female lays the eggs in the male's pocket, where they are immediately fertilized. Some types of skates put an end to their relationship on this, others remain together all their lives ...

Sea "foals"

The "pregnant" extreme father takes care of the offspring from two weeks to two months. The vascular tissue of the brood chamber actually performs the function of the placenta, supplying the eggs with oxygen and nutrients. And in total, the “fish daddy” can carry more than a thousand babies in his pocket. The fry are born with a characteristic body shape and are ready for independent life, but they are still able to straighten up, clearly demonstrating a direct relationship with the common needlefish. The male continues to take care of the offspring even after birth: in case of danger, at his signal, the fry hide the brood pouch.

What threatens the seahorse?

Recently, exotic fish has been subjected to intensive fishing, and almost all species of skates known today are listed in the international Red Book in the status of "vulnerable" and "threatened". They are used in folk medicine in Asia, sold to lovers of unusual aquarium creatures, or served as a delicacy for $800 a serving. In addition, their populations are affected by pollution of the seas and the destruction of coral reefs due to global warming.

The Black Sea seahorse is the indigenous inhabitant of the Black Sea, having formed into a separate species about 20 million years ago. Nature rewarded him with an original appearance, and in the course of evolution, unique abilities and skills appeared that were inaccessible to other inhabitants of the underwater world. Human actions have put skates on the brink of extinction, forcing biologists to add them to the Red Book.

Description

In biological encyclopedias, the Black Sea seahorse is named Hippocampus guttulatus (long-snouted seahorse) and belongs to the class of ray-finned fish. Its upper part is similar to a chess "horse", and the elongated tubular mouth-pump (one third of the length of the head) only enhances the resemblance. The head is located perpendicular to the body and can move up / down, which other types of fish are not able to do. The eyes work independently of each other, and the viewing angle reaches 300 degrees.

The body of the seahorse is elongated and slightly flattened laterally and is constantly in an upright position due to a double air bladder, the upper section of which is smaller than the lower one. It ends with a long and flexible tail without a blade-fin, capable of curling into a ring. They skates cling to algae, hiding from danger or attacking prey from an ambush.

Sea Horse
Photo: http://zapcity.fr

For protective purposes, the body of the seahorse is covered with horny plates, spikes of various lengths and growths, which serve as an additional means of camouflage in thickets of algae. The shell is of high strength and does not lose its properties even after drying. Having a brownish-yellow color with small white dots, they are able to change color, adjusting to the environment.

Seahorses swim vertically and not very fast, making up to 70 “strokes” per second with their dorsal fin, helping themselves with oscillatory movements of the body and tail. Under the head there are two more small fins, corresponding in their functions to the pectoral fins of fish of "standard" forms.

Male seahorses are usually larger and grow up to 20-21 centimeters, females up to 17-18. The usual life expectancy does not exceed 4-5 years.

Habitat and food

The seahorse lives in the waters of the Black, Azov and mediterranean sea, off the eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean, from the Netherlands to the African coast. It chooses places with a depth of up to 20 meters, with the obligatory presence of underwater vegetation, where it spends about 90% of its life, setting up ambushes and hiding from predators. Prefers water without strong currents.

They mostly live in small groups of 3-5 individuals, almost never gathering in large numbers. But they can also create couples for life, especially when living in artificial conditions aquariums. At the same time, if one of the partners dies, the second mourns very much, which is noticeable by the change in behavior, and may also die.

"Seed pair" of seahorses
Photo: https://c2.staticflickr.com

The seahorse feeds with the help of a mouth-pump, drawing food along with water at great speed, from distances up to 4 centimeters. He eats small bottom inhabitants of the sea, crustaceans, fish fry, plankton, which he catches from ambush in algae. It is worth noting the appetite of animals that “lunch” at least 5 times a day and are able to do this up to 10 hours a day.

An interesting fact: in seahorses, males, not females, bear and give birth to offspring.

Spawning

Unlike most animals, males are responsible for the reproduction of seahorses, who bear and “feed” the eggs, give birth to offspring. At the same time, females carefully choose the future father, and their mating dances can last 3 days. At this time, the skates swim in shallow water (up to 4 meters), swim together, periodically rising to the surface, exchange songs from click sounds, and even “kiss”, touching their pump mouths.

Seahorse in the waters of the Black Sea
Photo: wikimedia.org

When the prelude ends, the female lays eggs (depending on size, from 10 to 650 eggs). For this, an egg pouch-pocket is provided in the lower part of the male abdominal cavity, penetrated circulatory system to supply oxygen to the developing larvae. After filling (sometimes the pipit accepts eggs from several females), its seam closes and overgrows, and the “father” carries out internal fertilization of the eggs.

The gestation of eggs takes about 4-5 weeks. All this time, the seahorse is in shallow water, without leaving a square meter of its “personal” area, where it hunts and hides. This is his territory, where even “frivolous” females leave to provide the “nursing father” with enough food.

After the formation of fry, completely ready for independent life, difficult childbirth begins - the male can wriggle up to 2 days, trying to open the birth bag. Sometimes it ends with his death. If everything went well, the little skates crawl out of the pocket and rise to the surface for a breath of air (to fill the air bubble), then return to the "daddy". For some time they live next to him, hiding in a "bag" in case of danger, but soon they swim away and never return.

Use of seahorses

Seahorses are used by man in several areas, one of which is aesthetic in nature. Vacationers willingly buy these original species of animals for souvenirs. Black Sea coast, or try to "domesticate" them by planting them in an aquarium. In the second case, death is also almost inevitable, since skates do not tolerate changes well, especially if their “half” is left in the sea.

Sea Horse

Another area in which seahorses are widely used is ethnoscience especially among the peoples of Asia. According to traditional healers, drugs from animals help in the treatment of baldness, skin diseases, atherosclerosis, cough and asthma. Especially popular means in the treatment of impotence and disorders of sexual functions. The ability to bind harmful carcinogens and toxic substances in the human body is also noted, which helps in the prevention of cancer.

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01/11/2017 at 21:34 Moscow time 5 631

The seahorse is a fish that is unique in nature and has an interesting body shape.

At first glance, it is very similar to one of the most recognizable chess pieces.

There are more than 50 species of these creatures in the world, but only thirty-two species have been studied in detail.

In addition, anthropologists have made sensational conclusions based on the found prehistoric fossilized remains, they say that in the past it is a specifically modified needle fish.

An interesting ability of these marine life thing is the male becomes the breeder. The process itself will be discussed in detail a little later.

Appearance

The appearance and body structure of this species of fish are able to adapt to any environment. Once in the territory that strongly betrays her appearance, she immediately changes the appearance of her color in a few minutes like a chameleon and merges with the underwater environment.

His body is endowed with many spikes of various sizes, ribbon-like leathery outgrowths that are on his body, are also able to hide him in the depths of the sea from the eyes of a predator and potential victims.

There are at least two popular types of these wonderful creatures. The dwarf skate has a body length not exceeding 2.5 cm. It lives in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Malayan species of skates is quite larger than its aforementioned counterpart, its body length can reach up to 25 centimeters.

The small mobility of this fish is provided by its eyes, which have a remarkable ability. Eyeballs are able to move independently of each other, thereby increasing horizons.

Range and habitat

This species is distributed in places with a subtropical climate from the coast of Indonesia to Australia. It also lives along the Atlantic coast of Europe, North America and Africa. Little-studied species live in the waters Pacific Ocean closer to the US coast.

Habitat

Overgrown sea shallow water perfect place residence for this fish. It also actively inhabits swampy or sandy water areas.

Lifestyle

This fish leads a predominantly solitary and sedentary lifestyle, so as not to drift during high tide and low tide, it clings to algae or corals with its flexible and powerful tail.

It is worth noting that most of their lives they are in shallow water, in a slight current with a water temperature of at least +25. The current carries a huge amount of plankton necessary for food. Movement in water is carried out with the help of a vertebral fin, which performs more than 30 strokes in one second.

Nutrition

His diet is very meager, the daily menu includes:

• plankton;
• small fish
• crustaceans;
• shrimps;

He himself becomes a victim of enemies very rarely, as he is a master of disguises. Thanks to this, the victim, not noticing the danger, approaches him herself, having a tubular snout, the skate is able to suck it in at a distance of three centimeters.

Enemies

Due to its anatomical structure of the skeleton, not every enemy is able to digest its many small, but very strong bones.

Land crab - is the single most dangerous and ruthless enemy for this species of fish.

reproduction

The reverse distribution of roles between male and female makes this species even more mysterious. The breeding season in tropical warm waters can take place all year round, while in cold waters - in spring and summer.

During mating season the male makes sounds resembling finger snaps so that her eyes fall on him. After a while, the female reciprocates and approaches him. Taking this opportunity, we want to invite you to listen to our huge collection of sounds from the category:.

In a special pocket, located under the male's tail, the female throws in a huge amount of fertilized eggs, providing him with further care for future offspring, and she herself disappears away to mate with other males.

The term for the development of caviar may be different, this is due to the temperature of the water. In warm water, it is no more than 14 days, and in cold water, 28 days. To feed the fry, the male releases a special liquid into his bag.

When the offspring matures, the male releases the fry already able to swim into the wild. Their number depends on the species, the minimum of them can be 50, the maximum is more than 1000 individuals.

Many people wonder: why is the seahorse in an upright position? We decided to investigate and answer this interesting question. .

The reason is as follows; the stabilizing swim bladder of this fish is located along the entire body and is divided by a septum separating the upper part of the body from the rest.

As a result, the head bladder is larger than the abdominal one, it is this arrangement of the bladder that provides the fish with a vertical position.

Red Book

Irreparable damage to the taxon is caused by fishing trawls, which destroy the seabed along with the natural habitat of the marine organism.

Currently, all types of skates are listed in the Red Book and are strictly protected by law. Reasons for this abound, for example; while you are reading this post, illegal fishing for this exotic creature is underway off the coast of Malaysia. In these countries, it is a delicacy and is very popular among tourists..

Lifespan

IN wild nature this interesting view fish can exist no more than 7 years.

Related species

To date, the closest relative of our hero is the stickleback fish.

1. Some species of marine organisms are threatened with extinction.
2. Floats in an upright position.
3. Souvenirs depicting this fish are actively purchased by tourists in East Asia.
4. The liver and eyes of this fish are considered a delicacy; in fish restaurants, a serving of this dish can cost up to $1,000.
5. The male himself is engaged in the withdrawal of offspring.

The 16th-century French naturalist Guillaume Rondele, one of the first to publish a fundamental work on marine fish, described the seahorse as a cross between insects and primitive coelenterates. It is not surprising, because this creature is striking in its unusual appearance. But modern scientists have come to the conclusion that seahorses are still fish. Indeed, they breathe through gills, have a swim bladder that allows them to control their buoyancy, and are able to spawn. But the seahorse is a very special fish, and the more a person studies it, the more interesting facts he learns:

The seahorse is a fish, but it does not have scales. The bodies of these creatures are covered with rigid plates that form a kind of exoskeleton. This makes them unattractive prey for a number of predators. By the way, they also have an internal skeleton.

Seahorses come in different sizes: tiny as pine nut, and big as a banana. The largest representatives of this tribe belong to the species Hippocampus abdominalis, also known as the pot-bellied seahorse. They can reach 35 cm and live in the waters of South Australia and New Zealand. The smallest of known species called a seahorse Satomi(Hippocampus satomiae), it was described by biologists in 2008. Its size is only one and a half centimeters, and the place of residence is the waters of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Today, there are about 54 species of seahorses around the world, although there is no consensus on their number yet. The identification of these animals is a very difficult task, because individuals of the same species can vary greatly in appearance. In addition, researchers continue to find new species.

Seahorses swim well. The pygmy seahorse holds the record for slowness, developing "fantastic" speed: 1.5 meters per hour. It is not surprising that skates spend most of their time standing "at anchor", that is, catching their flexible tail on something motionless.

But seahorses are avid hitchhikers. They can move long distances by clinging to floating algae and debris. This allows you to save energy, but during a storm, travelers are constantly at risk of being washed ashore along with their unreliable boats.

Seahorses move with the help of a small fin on their back, which flutters up to 35 times per second. The pectoral fins, which are even smaller in size, are located closer to the back of the head and serve purely for steering. These fish are very maneuverable: they can easily move up, down, forward and backward.

Seahorses have no teeth and no stomach. Food passes through their digestive system so quickly that they have to eat almost continuously. These creatures are able to eat more 3000 microscopic crustaceans per day. Left without food, they can quickly die from exhaustion.

The graceful muzzles of these animals, thanks to which they got their name, act like a vacuum cleaner pipe. When prey swims nearby, the seahorse sucks it up sharply. If the prey is too large, the seahorse's mouth may expand slightly.

The eyes of seahorses operate independently of each other, allowing them to monitor the space around them without moving or betraying their presence. This means they can look forward and backward at the same time! This feature is very useful because these animals hunt by sight. And they are excellent.

These underwater inhabitants are specialists in disguise. Some species can change their body color to blend in with environment, while others are already born indistinguishable from a sprig of coral or a fragment of algae.

Seahorses can communicate with each other by making clicking or smacking sounds. Most often this occurs during meals and courtship.

Seahorses have a complex and lengthy courtship ritual. The male can seek the location of the female for several days. As if dancing, they copy each other's movements for several hours or intertwine their tails. Already established couples can "dance" every day, strengthening the bond with each other. Those types of skates that are able to change color use this opportunity during mating games.

Some types of seahorses are monogamous, while others only stay together during the mating season.

The most amazing feature of these animals is their unique way of reproduction. The female spawns like an ordinary fish, but the eggs are placed in a special bag located on the front of the male's body. He fertilizes her and bears in his rounded belly. Dad's gestation period varies from 14 days to 4 weeks. The number of eggs can range from 50-150 for small species and up to 1500 for larger ones. Childbirth is accompanied by contractions and can last up to 12 hours.

Newborn seahorses look like miniature copies of their parents, do not need their help and immediately go on an independent journey. For the first weeks of their life, they drift aimlessly along with plankton and are vulnerable to many predators. Fewer than one in a hundred escape the fate of being prey and reach maturity.

For many people, the seahorse is associated with south seas and hot countries, but these are not such pampered animals. They are found not only in the tropics, but also off the coast of Great Britain and Eastern Canada. Even in the Black and Azov Seas, where the water is not salty enough for most tropical fish, you can meet one of the species of seahorse.

The average lifespan of a seahorse is between 4 - 6 years. However, many species are endangered due to overfishing. In particular, more than 20 million skates are caught annually for the needs of traditional Chinese medicine. Other factors that negatively affect their numbers are ocean pollution and the degradation of coral reefs.

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The unusual appearance of the seahorse makes it a popular inhabitant of aquariums. Its bizarre vertical shape and unusual mode of movement attract attention. But before you get such a pet, you should know the rules of care, the features of its behavior and coexistence with other inhabitants.

Habitat

Seahorses live in warm tropical and subtropical waters. Found off the coast of England. Some species live in the Black and Azov Seas.

Prefer salty and clean water, quiet calm backwaters. It is the sea waves and pitching that pose a great danger to such fish.

Description

This is a bony fish from the marine needle family.. Possesses vertical structure body, from 2 to 30 cm in height. Their body is covered with a hard bony shell. In females, the shell is solid, while in males, the shell is only on top, the lower part is not protected.

His head does not turn and is rigidly connected to the body, but his eyes can rotate 360 ​​°, and separately from each other, like a chameleon. And like chameleons they can change body color adapting to the environment.

This helps them hide from predators or when hunting for plankton. They spend their whole lives almost motionless, catching algae or corals with their tail.

Did you know? The seahorse has practically no natural enemies. Their body is so rigid that no one has the strength to gnaw through a fish. They are hunted only by large land crabs that are able to digest it.

These fish have the simplest structure of the digestive system, they do not have a stomach and teeth, so they always eat. They lie in wait for their prey and suck up water along with plankton.

Before you start settling fish in an aquarium, you need to prepare a habitat for them:

• Aquarium preparation. It is best to prepare a new one, with a wall height of 50-60 cm and a volume of 60-70 liters per individual.

• Aquarium decor. Quartz sand or special soil for reef aquariums is used as a substrate. Both live and artificial brown are planted in it. Decorative stones, driftwood, artificial racks are placed. All this will allow animals to cling to their tails and hunt. It is worth considering quiet places, grottoes, where the skates can rest.
• Water preparation. Water should be clean, filtered, salty. The water temperature all year round should be 23-24°C. Therefore, in summer it is worth taking care of cooling, and in winter - about heating the aquarium.
• Lighting. Skates do not tolerate bright light. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust this issue if you plan to combine ordinary reef fish, corals and skates.

• Filtration. The water in the aquarium should be clean and not very fast current, 10 revolutions of the total volume of water per hour is sufficient. A good set for such an aquarium will be a skimmer and a pump. The skimmer will filter the water, collect sewage and feces, saturate the water with oxygen, and the pump will create an optimum flow rate.

Important! The aquarium should not contain any potentially dangerous items for skates that could injure or harm them. Including stinging corals and anemones.

The aquarium is now ready to move in.

Skates are monogamous, the loss of a partner often ends in death for them, so they should be bought and populated in pairs.

Feeding

The process of feeding skates is different from feeding other fish.

Captive-bred fish will happily accept frozen Mysis, while sea-caught skates will refuse them and will eat only live food. Since the extraction of live food is associated with some troubles, it is worth accustoming skates to thawed and dry food.

The skate can eat dry fish food, pounded to the desired state. Over time, a colony of living creatures and mysids can form in the aquarium, on which skates will hunt with pleasure.

Also, do not feed the fish exclusively with brine shrimp - they lack important substances, as well as low nutritional value.

The food should always be fresh, and feeding daily. One individual eats 6-7 shrimps at one meal. They are fed three to four times a day.

There are two ways to feed:

1. From hands. Feed is given with the help of hands or a rubber douche. The method is slow, it will take 15-20 minutes to slowly feed one portion, but it is suitable as fun.

2. Feeders. Seashells, stones with notches, glass saucers and containers are suitable as a feeder. Feed is placed in these feeders, the fish swim up and eat at a convenient time for them.

First, you need to feed the fish - with the help of a syringe, lower the shrimp several times into the feeder and the skates will figure out where and when to swim for food.

Install several sticks near the feeder - the skates will cling to them with their tails while eating.

Compatibility with other inhabitants

Due to its leisurely behavior, the seahorse will not be able to get along with every aquarium inhabitant. They are slow, prone to stress, hard to accept changes.

It is often even recommended to keep a separate aquarium just for skates. There is quite a lot of truth in this advice, but with proper planning, it is quite possible to organize a well-functioning system from different types fish, coral, shellfish.

Skates coexist well with:

• fish- blenny Synchiropus, scorpionfish, some cardinal fish and royal Gramm, small gobies. The main factor that makes it possible to determine a good neighbor is its low activity. Highly active fish will irritate the skates, suppress them, and take away food.

Important! First, you need to plant skates in an empty aquarium, and only after a few days, in small batches of selected neighbors.

Dangerous neighbors:

• fish- any large, active fish will irritate the skates and take away food from them;
• invertebrates- large crayfish, they can attack skates and inflict wounds on them with their claws, sea anemones are able to sting with stinging cells;
• corals- almost all corals are bad neighbors, many species have stinging stinging cells, others require intense lighting. There are several types of corals that can be hooked, but if there is no complete certainty that this is the right coral, then it is better not to risk it and replace the living one with an artificial one.

Breeding

Breeding fish at home is an interesting activity, but it may not always work out. It is necessary to create ideal conditions for each individual species.

Skates form pairs for a long time, it is not uncommon for one pair to hold on to each other all their lives. This is due to the peculiarities of their reproduction - males and females must achieve synchronism in their readiness to "become parents".

These fish reproduce differently than other animals. The key difference is that the male carries the fry. He has a special bag in his stomach where the female lays her eggs. Therefore, attention is sought not by the male, but by the female.

The beginning of the mating season of the fish is determined by the lunar cycle and the beginning of the ebb tide. It was then, with a strong current, that the fry are carried into the sea. The courtship begins with a courtship dance that begins at dawn.

It is started by the female, moving vertically in the water column, followed by the male. Gradually, the dance becomes more complicated, the animals begin to click. Synchronization is important in this dance, this is the secret of successful pairing of skates.

The female has an ovipositor and the male has a pouch where the female lays her eggs. In the bag, the eggs are fertilized, and the male bears them. The number of eggs depends on the type of animal and ranges from 60 to 1500.

Did you know? During mating games, skates not only dance, but also exchange« kisses» - touch« lips».

Pregnancy lasts 50-60 days, after which the male pushes the fry out of the bag. This is where care for the offspring ends, and the kids begin an independent life. Childbirth is quite difficult, they can last several days, and the risk of death of the male is high.

The percentage of survival of fry is quite small, out of a hundred born alive, 4-5 remain.

Diseases

Little is known about the diseases of these fish. They are affected by viral diseases, some protozoal and bacterial aeromonosis.

Infection can occur both from sick animals and contaminated decor that have fallen into the aquarium, and spontaneously, under the influence of stress.

A sick fish is removed from the main aquarium to a quarantine one. It should not contain living creatures and plants, only plastic algae and stones in which a sick animal can hide. The light in such an aquarium should be subdued, weaker than the main one.

Antibiotics ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol are used to treat bacteria.

As a preventive measure, you can take the following measures:

• quarantine all newly arrived skates for several days;
• when transplanting skates, treat them with anti-stress drugs;
• regularly inspect each fish, and if you notice spots, bubbles, whitening of body parts, wounds, other violations, immediately send it to quarantine;
• All decor must be cleaned and disinfected during installation.

In the absence of disease and good prevention, the average horse lives 3-4 years.

How to distinguish between female and male

It is not always easy to distinguish between a male and a female visually.

Their main features are:

• the female is completely covered with a bone shell, the lower part of the male is free;
• the male in the lower part of the body has a clearly visible bag in which he bears eggs.

The seahorse is a very curious pet. It is pleasant to watch him, it is interesting to feed him.

Many unusual and interesting creatures live in the depths of the sea, among which seahorses deserve special attention.

Seahorses, or scientifically hippocampuses, are small bony fish of the sea piper family. Today there are about 30 species that differ in size and appearance. "Growth" ranges from 2 to 30 centimeters, and the colors are very diverse.

The skates do not have scales, but they are protected by a hard bone shell. Only a land crab can bite through and digest such “clothes”, therefore skates usually do not arouse interest in underwater predators, and they hide in such a way that any needle in a haystack will envy.

Another one interesting feature skates in the eyes: like a chameleon, they can move independently of each other.

How is the fish in the water? No, it's not about them.

Unlike other inhabitants of the sea, skates swim in an upright position, this is possible due to the presence of a large longitudinal swim bladder. By the way, they are very inept swimmers. A small dorsal fin makes fairly fast movements, but this does not give much speed, and the pectoral fins serve mainly as rudders. Most of the time, the skate hangs motionless in the water, catching the algae with its tail.

Every day is stress

Seahorses live in tropical and subtropical seas and prefer clear, calm waters. The greatest danger for them is a strong pitching, which can sometimes lead to complete exhaustion. Seahorses are generally very susceptible to stress. In an unfamiliar environment, they do not get along well, even if there is enough food, in addition, the loss of a partner can be the cause of death.

There is not much food

The seahorse has a primitive digestive system, there are no teeth or a stomach, therefore, in order not to die of hunger, the creature has to constantly eat. According to the way of feeding, skates are predators. When it's time to eat (almost always), they cling to algae with their tails and, like vacuum cleaners, suck up the surrounding water, which contains plankton.

Unusual family

Family relations among skates are also very peculiar. The second half is always chosen by the female. When she sees a suitable candidate, she invites him to dance. Several times the steam rises to the surface and falls again. The main task of the male is to be hardy and keep up with his girlfriend. If he slows down, the capricious lady will immediately find herself another gentleman, but if the test is passed, the couple proceeds to mate.

Seahorses are monogamous, meaning they choose a mate for life and even sometimes swim with their tails tied together. The male bears the offspring, and by the way, these are the only creatures on the planet who have a “male pregnancy”.

The mating dance can last about 8 hours. In the process, the female lays the eggs in a special bag on the male's abdomen. It is there that miniature seahorses will form for the next 50 days.

From 5 to 1500 cubs will be born, only 1 out of 100 will live to adulthood. It seems not enough, but this figure is actually one of the highest among fish.

Why are seahorses dying out?

Seahorses are small peaceful fish that have suffered greatly because of their bright and unusual appearance. People catch them for various purposes: for making gifts, souvenirs, or for preparing an expensive exotic dish that costs about $ 800 per serving. In Asia, dried seahorses are used to make medicines. 30 species out of 32 existing are listed in the Red Book.