Seahorses: what they look like, what they eat and how they reproduce. Interesting Seahorse Facts Seahorse Habitat

The message about the seahorse can be used in preparation for the lesson. The story about the seahorse for children can be supplemented with interesting facts.

Seahorse Report

Seahorses belong to the class of bony fish. In total there are about 50 species. Sizes of seahorses can be from 2 to 30 cm, depending on the species. A typical seahorse can live up to 5 years.

Their body shape is similar to a chess piece of a horse. Numerous long spikes and ribbon-like leathery outgrowths located on the body of the seahorse make it invisible among algae and inaccessible to predators.

The habitat of seahorses is tropical and subtropical seas.

Seahorse description

The head of these fish looks like a horse, but there are no scales. Their body is covered with hard bony plates. With its tail bent forward, the monkey-like seahorse clings to the stalks of sea grass. The eyes of the seahorse rotate in any direction, and if one eye looks to the right, the other at this time may stare at something to the left. This is very convenient for the skate, as it can simultaneously inspect the algae from all sides in search of food and follow the enemies, who themselves are not averse to having lunch with them.

The seahorse does not like to swim and spends most of its life clinging to algae with its tail. It swims slowly and only in search of food, during the wedding and escaping from enemies.

It is interesting to watch how the seahorse swims. A large swim bladder located in the head of the skate helps it to maintain an upright position. It does not move horizontally, but jerks up and down, moving diagonally in the direction of the target.

What do seahorses eat?

Seahorses lead a benthic lifestyle, feeding on plankton and small invertebrates.

seahorse breeding

Also, these animals have an unusual way of reproduction. When the eggs reach the right stage, the females begin to compete with each other for male attention. Having achieved location, the female lays part of the eggs in a special bag, which is located on the male's abdomen. There, the eggs are fertilized. The male carries the eggs until the young are born. They can be from 2 to 1000 individuals. If many cubs are born, their father may even die. During the breeding season, the fry hatch every 4 weeks. Immediately after birth, they are left to their own devices.

Interesting facts about seahorses

The horse is very bony, so it is only hunted by the large land crab, which can digest it.
The eyes of seahorses are similar to those of chameleons and can move independently of each other;
The seahorse is a master of disguise. Their scales can become "invisible" - merge with the environment;
Their mouth works like a vacuum cleaner - they suck up plankton to eat.

We hope that the above information about the seahorse has helped you. And you can leave your report about the seahorse through the comment form.

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. Spiraling up and down 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 the 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 swim 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, numerous jellyfish destroy the 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 associated with the economic activities 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.

Hello, my dear young readers and wise parents! New topic in the "Projects" section! ShkolaLa helps prepare a message about the seahorse. Whatever grade of elementary school you are in, a report about this inhabitant of the sea will be an indispensable highlight in the lesson of the world around. Read on and you'll understand why.

Lesson plan:

What kind of animal is a seahorse?

This aquatic inhabitant with an outstanding appearance by no means looks like a fish. But in fact, it belongs to the needle-shaped fish family. Most of all, he looks like a chess piece, which is why he was probably so nicknamed.

The body is crocheted, the back is a hump, the abdomen is forward. Yes, and his head is that of a horse, and his mouth extended into a tube resembles a muzzle, and when he moves, he leans on a tail twisted into a ring.

Why not a horse in miniature!

This fish is also called a dragon, since many species really resemble this fairy-tale character with their wings spread out to the sides, except that there are not three heads, but only one!

In total, there are up to 50 species of seahorses, the size of which can be up to 30 centimeters. But the smallest of them is dwarf, it is only 2 centimeters tall. Almost 30 species are listed in the Red Book.

It is interesting! Research scientists have proven that the closest relative of the seahorse is the needlefish, from which it separated as much as 23 million years ago! Today, numerous long spikes have been preserved from the progenitor of the fish.

Where can you see a seahorse? It lives in the tropics and subtropics. His home is thickets of algae and coral reefs of the Black Sea, the Atlantic, the Pacific Ocean, the coast of Australia, the Japanese Yellow Sea and the Russian Sea of Azov.

It is interesting! Seahorses are great at playing hide-and-seek and master the art of camouflage to perfection. They have special cells - chromatophores, which color the horse under its environment. At the same time, you can see the water chameleon only by the nose sticking out of the algae.

Most often, miniature horses are brown, yellowish or green, but those that live among corals are red and purple. Like a Christmas tree toy, such horses hang in the depths of the sea, clinging to the plants with their tail.

How do seahorses swim?

It is difficult to call a seahorse a fish also because it does not swim like everyone else. His body is located vertically in the water. The swim bladder, which runs along the body, helps him maintain balance. It is divided into two parts: the head is larger than the abdominal, so the skate swims upright.

By changing the volume of gas in the bubble, the fish runs, rising up, and also plunging to the depth. If something happens to a skate's bubble, he has no choice but to lie still until he dies.

It is interesting! Dwarf representatives are the slowest fish in the world. They move, as they say, "a teaspoon per hour" - only one and a half meters in 60 minutes.

The tail of the fish is very flexible and without fins, the seahorse uses it like an anchor, clinging to corals and plants. By the way, he can hug his girlfriend with them.

But it cannot row with its tail. To do this, there is a movable fin on the back and a pair of pectoral fins.

Given this structure, the seahorse swimmer is no good, and he strives to compete, spending most of his time in a hovering state, staring around.

What's on the Seahorse's Menu?

The water horse feeds on plankton - small crustaceans, which it hunts down, actively rotating its eyes. The tiny mouth of the fish is located at the end of the muzzle-tube.

As soon as the food approaches the little hunter, he puffs out his cheeks and, like a vacuum cleaner, strongly sucks the crustaceans.

It is interesting! These fish have no teeth or stomach. Their digestive organs are a direct-flow engine that constantly needs to be refueled.

Tiny horses can hang around waiting for food for up to 10 hours, they don’t even need to hunt much, sit in one place, and dinner floats by. Moreover, as we have already understood, he is no swimmer. So a lazy glutton eats up to 3.5 thousand crustaceans per day.

pregnant dads

Yes, we were not mistaken! This is just the only case when pregnancy is not a woman's business. In seahorses, males carry offspring! For this, the male has a bag on his abdomen that looks like a kangaroo, where eggs are laid.

Of these, after 40 days, up to 1,500 miniature seahorses appear.

It is interesting! The seahorse is the only fish that has a neck.

But a frivolous mother all these days visits a friend only in the morning, carelessly sailing away after five minutes of a date until the next day on her own business. Or maybe just forget about it!

Even after birth, dad takes care of the offspring: at the first danger, he gives them a signal, and they instantly hide securely in his bag.

Do seahorses have enemies?

Although the body of a seahorse is covered with a hard bony shell and spikes, and the fish is too tough for most, it can be a dinner for crabs or rays.

However, the biggest danger for him is a person. The unique appearance of the fish and its beneficial properties have become the reasons for the massive catch.

Seahorses are caught for souvenirs, for preparing expensive oriental dishes and for medical purposes.

It is interesting! When searching for food, as well as for vigilance, these fish manage to look with both eyes at the same time in different directions. And their organs of vision can look like this: one forward, and the other to control what is happening behind.

They try to keep exotic seahorses in aquariums, but they do not adapt well to the artificial environment. If nothing threatens the fish, then it can live up to 5 years.

So briefly we talked about an amazing creature with the body of a horse, a kangaroo bag, the rotating eyes of a chameleon and the tenacious tail of a monkey.

I hope you will interest the whole class with your story. And for clarity, print out photos of these exotic fish or, if possible, show them this video. Let the guys see that they are really unique.

See you soon on the ShkolaLa blog and in the Projects section

Success in your studies!

Evgenia Klimkovich

Avid aquarists like to breed a wide variety of exotic fish and bright, unusual animals that attract with their non-standard, bizarre proportions and interesting, sometimes playful behavior. And none, and even can not be compared with the brightest inhabitants of sea waters - seahorses.

The seahorse is one of the most outlandish representatives of the aquarium world. Despite their bizarre forms, all seahorses are included in the subgroup of bony marine fish, the needle-shaped order.

It is interesting! There are only one males on the planet who themselves bear their future offspring - seahorses.

Taking a closer look, you yourself will notice the striking resemblance of these small bony fish with a chess piece. And how a seahorse moves interestingly in the water, bends all over and very proudly carries its superbly folded head!

Despite the apparent difficulty, keeping a seahorse is practically the same as keeping any other inhabitants of the aquarium world. But, before acquiring one or several individuals, many factors should be taken into account, without which the life of this bright and interesting "sea needle" may not be as long as we would like.

Seahorses: interesting facts

The existence of the seahorse was known for a thousand years before our era. In ancient Roman mythology, it is told that the god of water streams and the sea, Neptune, whenever he went to check his possessions, harnessed a “sea needle”, very similar to a horse, to the chariot. Therefore, for sure, Lord Neptune cannot be huge if he moved on small thirty-centimeter skates. But, seriously, it is very rare in nature today to find marine needle-shaped ones that would reach a length of 30 cm. Basically, “horses” barely reach twelve centimeters.

In our time, the existence of the fossilized remains of the ancestors of the seahorse is already known. In the course of a study at the genetic level, scientists have identified the similarity of a seahorse with a needle fish.

What are seahorses

Today, marine aquarists breed seahorses that range in length from 12 millimeters to twenty centimeters. However, most of all, aquarists prefer to care for hippocampus erectus, those. standard seahorses.

Seahorses were specially named so, since the head, chest, neck are completely similar to horse parts of the body. At the same time, they differ from fish in a different physique. The horse's head of these individuals is set in a completely different way than that of fish - in relation to the body, it is located at ninety degrees. What is even more interesting, these marine fish have eyes looking in different directions.

And also these small, cute little sea creatures swim not horizontally, but vertically and have scales all over their body, strong armor - bone colorful, iridescent plates. The shell of these marine needle-shaped specimens is "steel" that it cannot be pierced.

I would also like to mention an interesting property of a twisted, long tail of a sea fish in the form of a spiral. If seahorses feel that a predator is nearby, they very quickly run away to shelter, algae, which they skillfully cling to with their spiral tail and manage to hide.

It is interesting! Feeling that danger is imminent, seahorse fish cling to corals or algae with their long tails and remain motionless for a long time, hanging upside down.

Despite such a cute appearance, seahorses are classified as predatory fish, as they feed on shrimp and marine crustaceans.

The seahorse has the ability to camouflage itself. They mimic like chameleons, taking on the color of the place where they stop. Basically, these marine fish like to hide where there are more saturated, bright colors in order to avoid encountering predators. And with the help of bright colors, the male attracts the attention of the female, which he really liked. To please the female, he can even “put on” her color.

Seahorses, despite their numbers, are considered rare fish, so their thirty subspecies are listed in the Red Book. The problem is that year after year, the world's oceans turn into a universal polluted, garbage "dump", because of which corals and algae die en masse, and these photosynthetic organisms are vital for seahorses.

And yet, the seahorse itself has long been a valuable animal. The Chinese fish these fish en masse, as they believe that they treat any disease. In many European countries, dead seahorses automatically become raw materials for the manufacture of various souvenirs.

Keeping seahorses at home

Sea bony horses are unusual, bright, funny and very beautiful creatures. Maybe, feeling their beauty and grandeur, they are very “naughty” when they fall into captivity. And to make these fish feel good, even experienced aquarists should try very hard. For them, a natural habitat must be created so that the animals feel there in the same way as in sea water. It is very important to monitor the temperature regime of aquariums. Seahorses will feel comfortable in cool water with a temperature of twenty-three to twenty-five degrees Celsius, but no more. In a hot period, be sure to install a split system above the aquarium, you can simply turn on the fan. From hot air, these little creatures can suffocate even in warm water.

Before placing purchased skates in an aquarium with ordinary water, check its quality: it should not contain phosphates or ammonia. The maximum concentration of nitrates in water is allowed at ten ppm. Also, don't forget to install your favorite seahorse algae and corals in the aquarium. Surface grottoes made of artificial material will also look beautiful.

So, you have taken care of the seahorse house. It will also be important for them to take care of nutrition, because these beautiful inhabitants of the sea love to eat meat and exotic meat often and a lot. On the day, the seahorse should eat at least four to five times, getting the meat of shrimp and crustaceans. To do this, you can buy frozen invertebrate molluscs and crustaceans. Seahorses love Mysis shrimp and will happily eat moths and even daphnia.

All seahorses suffer from limited gas exchange due to poor performance of the gills. That is why the constant filtration of water and the supply of oxygen is a vital process for seahorses.
Seahorses do not have stomachs, so they need a lot of food to keep themselves healthy and maintain their energy balance.
Seahorses do not have scales, which is why they easily succumb to any infection, especially bacterial ones. An ecosystem moderator in an enclosed space should frequently inspect the seahorse's torso, which may be damaged.
Seahorses have interesting mouths - proboscis, with the help of which these creatures suck in caught prey at such a speed that they can swallow a dozen spineless mollusks at a time.

seahorse breeding

Seahorses are skillful gentlemen! They begin their courtship with a courtship dance, which they demonstrate to the female. If everything worked out, the fish touch each other, wrap themselves around and look closely. This is how seahorses get to know each other. After numerous "hugs", the female begins to throw a large army of caviar into the male's purse with the help of her sexual nipple. Transparent fry of the seahorse are born after 30 days in an amount of from twenty to two hundred individuals. The fry are born - males!

It is interesting! In nature, there is a subspecies of males of an outstanding seahorse, capable of carrying over a thousand fry.

It is noteworthy that it is very difficult for a male seahorse to give offspring, after giving birth, after a day or even two, he rests for a long time at the bottom of the reservoir. And only the male, not the female, takes care of her babies for a long time, which, in case of imminent danger, can again hide in their father's brood pouch.

Seahorse Aquarium Neighbors

Seahorses are unpretentious and mysterious animals. They can easily get along with other fish and invertebrates. For them, only small fish, very slow and cautious, are suitable as neighbors. Such neighbors for skates can be fish - gobies and blennies. Among the invertebrates, one can single out the snail - an excellent aquarium cleaner, as well as not stinging corals.

It is also possible to place live stones in aquariums with sea needles, the main thing is that they are completely healthy and are not pathogens.

Where to buy a seahorse

In any online store of aquariums and pet stores, there are live pictures and photos of different types of seahorses that will help you choose the most ideal option.

It is here or in any pet store in your city that you can buy a seahorse at the best prices. In the future, many pet stores offer significant discounts for their regular customers, ranging from 10% or more when ordering a batch of seahorses.

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 South 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 species 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) is a separate species 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 growing, because skates have been included in the list of fish under the protection of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

Leaf sea dragons, like their relatives, weed 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, because 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 a maximum length of 2.4 cm. The zone of residence is 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.

Weedy 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. The body of the 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.