The Breeder’s Registry© Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations from aquarist unless noted otherwise (see comments). Information may be reproduced providing the Breeder’s Registry is cited.

Breeder ID: HIPHIS-1104999-BEATRI-001

Date received: 11/4/99

Identification: Hippocampus histrix (Kaup, 1853)

Geographic origin: Indo-Pacific

Taxonomy: (After I.C.Z.N)

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Syngnathiformes

Family: Syngnathidae

Genus: Hippocampus

Species: histrix

Time in captivity – male (yr): 2.5 – 3

Size (mm): 150

Time in captivity – female (yr): 2.5 – 3

Size (mm): 100

Physical differences: Males are beige – brown.  Females are yellow – white.

Adult diet: Frozen Mysis, Artemia, and krill (if accepted) twice per day.

Pre-spawning activity: Not  indicated

Frequency of spawning:  Year round ,but March through October (Northern hemisphere) seems a better time (system temperature is warmer, 27 C). every 3 weeks

Egg description:  not indicated

Approximate quantity: ~30

Size: 1 – 2 mm

Incubation period:  21 days

Spawning tank size (liter): 110 – 230  (30 – 60 gallons)

Sides of tank covered? beige  or green

Lighting & photoperiod: 110 liter tank  – 40 watts  10 – 12 hours per day (shortest during summer). 230 liter tank 100 watts. Photoperiod is the same as smaller tank

Filtration: 750 liter per hour filtration rate (central system. There are other tanks besides those listed)

Additives and dosages:  Bio-Tip and Mira-Tp vitamins by HW added weekly. Seawater from natural salt of Red Sea ( ~ 30 grams per liter) . Changes 10 – 20% of system volume weekly.

Water temperature (F): 78.8 – 80.6  up to 86 during summer months

Specific gravity:1.020 – 1.021

pH: 8.0 – 8.55

Nitrate: none detected to 25 ppm

Hardness:  9 – 12 dKH

First food offered: Day 1 to week 3- Mixture of dry food and newly hatched artemias

Second foods offered: Week 3 to month 2 : hatched artemias and introduction of “cyclopes” = very little frozen food (I think these are copepods) newly hatched Artemia

Third food offered: Month 2 to month 5- Frozen adult Artemias (but only small specimen)

Fourth food offered: Month 5 to 1 year- Frozen and/or live  Artemias and introduction of mysids (small specimen). After 1 year Artemias and mysids of all sizes.

Note: DO NOT FEED mysids before 5 months, unless the seahorses are a large species with large mouths!

Long term survival: 95%  (2.5 to 3 years)

Development description: Color change during third and fourth month.

Original description: First described by J. J. Kaup in 1853 in Arch. Naturgeschichte v. 19 (no. 1), based on specimens collected near Japan. Most recently validated by Gomon, 1997.

Word origin: Hippocampus (Greek), a fabulous sea monster. hipp, -e, -o, =us, (Greek) a horse. camp, =us,(Greek) , a sea monster. It is unclear what the genus histrix is referring to, although this is not an uncommon “species” identifier.

About this report: Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations. Taxonomy, Synonomy, Original description , Word origin and Suggested reading are provided by member(s) of The Breeder’s Registry staff. Information is presented under the belief that it is accurate. If you have information in addition to, or contrary to that presented you are encouraged to contact the Breeder’s Registry. Permission is granted for “one-time” personal use. Reproduction as distributed or accessible media is prohibited without prior written permission. All rights reserved. 1999