Preliminary observations on breeding and rearing the seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis (Teleostei : Syngnathidae) in captivity

A small-scale preliminary investigation into the breeding and rearing of the seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis Leeson, 1827 in New Zealand was conducted using 12 wild broodstock. These broodstock were maintained in a hatchery for breeding and the breeding behaviours exhibited by these were observed and described. Over a period of 6 months a total of 12 broods of juveniles were produced. These were then raised on a diet consisting mainly of enriched Artemia for a period of 1 year. After this period juveniles had reached a mean +/- 1 SE total length of 110.73 +/- 0.13 mm, mean +/- 1 SE wet weight of 3.07 +/- 0.23 g, and were reproductively mature. The mean +/- 1 SE survival per brood after 1 year was 10.57 +/- 3.49%.