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Seahorses |
Biege shown, colors may vary.
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Seahorses are magical fishes found in coral, seagrass and mangrove communities in temporate and tropical regions. These animals are one of very few species which are monogamous and it is important for the pairs to form daily morning greeting dances to help maintain their pair bond; their complex social behaviors and low numbers make finding a new mate difficult when one of the pair has been lost. They swim very slowly and have small home ranges which contribute to the difficulty in finding a new mate. The male seahorse accepts the eggs of the female into his brood pouch and thus he is the one that becomes pregnant. The gestation period is variable depending on the species, but generally lasts 2-3 weeks during which the pair continues to perform their daily morning greeting dances.
Human activities are threatening seahorse populations. Heavy exploitation for pseudo-medical and ammusement purposes is endagering their existence; as well as, abuses and pollution of their natural environments. Unfortunately, seahorse populations are decreasing, but you can help:
- Do not buy dried seahorses
- Do not but herbal medicines which contain ground seahorses
- Do not attempt to raise seahorses in your home aquarium because they are difficult to maintain and often die even in experienced hands
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