Larval rearing of seahorse Hippocampus kuda under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Seahorse belongs to a single genus Hippocampus of the family Syngnathidae. This family also includes pipefishes and pipehorses. There are about 30-40 species of seahorses under the genus Hippocampus. They constitute a fascinating group of fishes with their unusual body shape apart from their peculiar mode of reproduction with the males incubating the fertilised eggs in a brood pouch on the abdomen. They are tropical and sub tropical in distribution and are exploited around the world for use in medicines, as ornamental fishes, curios and to a very limited extent as food. Most of them are marine, inhabiting coral reefs and sea grass beds though some occur in coastal mangroves.