Captive breeding of <i>Hippocampus reidi</i> Ginsburg, 1933 (Longsnout Seahorse) in Sri Lanka under artificial conditions

Abstract

Seahorse trade has become a multi- billion dollar industry across the globe today leaving the wild populations in an endangered situation. Developing a successful captive breeding protocol is thus, necessary for their conservation while creating high income generating opportunities. Hippocampus reidi (Longsnout seahorse) has recently drawn the attention as one of the potential species for non-conventional aquaculture in the world. The aim of the study was to develop a captive breeding protocol for breeding of H. reidi under artificial environmental conditions. Thirty pairs of H. reidi were selected as the broodstock; males and females with average body heights of 16.6 ± 0.4 cm and 15.6 ± 0.2 cm, and average body weights of 20 ± 0.8 g and 18 ± 0.5 g, respectively. This study describes the morphometric identification of the species, broodstock management, rearing of fry and developing different colours for global market. A broodstock feeding regime was developed with a mixed diet of mysid shrimps and estuarine copepods, where the feeding regime at fry stages comprised of enriched brine shrimp nauplii and estuarine copepods. Marketable size was reached at 5-6 months. Survival rate at the marketable size was 65 ± 5% which is comparable to international standards. The results revealed that the successful breeding of H. reidi is possible under artificial conditions in Sri Lanka.

Keywords

• captive breeding, feeding regime, hippocampus reidi, longsnout seahorse, survival rate