What is happening in the seahorse tank today?
Are the seahorses courting? Have they been fed recently? Is there any plankton swimming about in the tank? Can you spot any pipefish or other animals in the tank?
Highlights
Check out highlights from our webcams
Discussion topics
Reproduction strategies
In the seahorse family it is the dads who carry the babies! Can you tell the difference between the male and female seahorses? It is easy if they are courting - the males blow up their bellies with seawater to show off to the females. Female seahorses produce hundreds of eggs at regular intervals which they deposit into the pouch of their favoured mate. The male seahorse protects them in his pouch until they are born. In what different ways do other marine animals reproduce?
Videos:
- Find out about seahorse reproduction
- Sea stars can reproduce by splitting in half!
- Sea hares produce egg masses that look like instant noodles!
- In this Touchpool-cam highlight a Triplefin is nest building
What do seahorses eat?
Look at their long snouts and their big swivelling eyes. Seahorses are adapted to catching and eating zooplankton. They need to be fed frequently as they do not have a long gut. At the NZ Marine Studies Centre we try to feed them on fresh zooplankton every day. Can you see the seahorses hunting and catching their prey?
Videos:
- Watch this space for a video about seahorses feeding on plankton
Links
- What was happening when we weren't looking?
See more clips of our animals in action and other short films about marine life and research. - Fishy news
Find out what's been happening in the marine world. - Educational resources
Check out the marine ID guides, educational activities, and worksheets - all free for you to download.