A Detailed Guide to Seahorse Farming Techniques and Breeding Methods
AbstractTemperature: regulate light and control water temperature. In summer, cover with bamboo blinds and open for ventilation at night; in winter, cover with plastic film at night to keep warm and uncover during the day to let sunlight in. Water quality: frequent water changes are needed; seahorses are relatively sensitive to changes in various factors such as oxygen content and relative density in the water. Density: it is not advisable to mix large and small individuals; they need to be stocked in separate ponds and in batches according to body size, and the stocking density must be constantly adjusted. Feed: feed a mixture of live bait and fresh dead bait; from fry to adult fish, small shrimp or artificially bred mysid shrimp can be used.
The seahorse, with a body length of 5-30 cm, nonetheless holds value far beyond that length, and it gets its name because its head resembles a horse. Because seahorses have such high value, many people also want to farm them. So what is the more cost-effective way to farm seahorses? Today, let the editor take everyone through an introduction to seahorse farming.
Seahorse Farming Techniques
1. The male fish has a brood pouch on the ventral surface of its tail and also has the task of caring for the eggs and fry. After the female fish reaches sexual maturity, during its spawning period the cloaca slightly expands and forms a genital papilla. Seahorses can breed in every month except January and February. Sexually mature seahorses mostly show estrous behavior in the morning, with the female chasing the male, and during this period the body surface changes from black to yellowish white.
2. Compared with the female, the male behaves more passively. After the female has chased for a certain time, the male's brood pouch opens, and it releases transparent semen; the brood pouch also connects with the female's anal papilla, and the female lays eggs into the large male's brood pouch. After about 20-plus days, the fertilized eggs produce fry that are discharged from the brood pouch, and newly born seahorse fry can live independently. About 200-1,000 seahorse fry are produced at one time. The seahorse can be said to be a peculiar and precious marine organism, generally living in shallow sea areas.
Seahorse Breeding Methods
1. The reproductive habits of seahorses are very special. For example, the male has a brood pouch on the ventral surface of its tail, the male cares for the eggs and fry, and the female's cloaca forms a genital papilla during its spawning period. The female uses this papilla protrusion to send mature eggs one by one into the male's brood pouch.
2. While receiving the small eggs, the male releases semen, which fertilizes the eggs. The fertilized eggs then develop inside the brood pouch and hatch into small seahorses, called sea fry. A male about to give birth will tightly curl its tail around seaweed, just like being ill, bowing and raising itself alternately. Each time it raises itself, it generally forces the small opening of the brood pouch to open and sprays out one or several small seahorses. Importantly, it is the male seahorse that nourishes the next generation.
The above is all the detailed seahorse farming experience. The seahorse is also a precious traditional Chinese medicine with relatively high economic value, with many effects such as strengthening the body, tonifying the kidney and enhancing yang, relaxing muscles and activating collaterals, reducing inflammation and relieving pain, and calming the nerves and soothing the mind. Therefore, farming seahorses is very worth trying.