Seahorse can be grown in brackishwater

Seahorse, hitherto known to thrive in seawater, can feel at home in brackishwater ( a blend of sea and freshwater), too.

This was found in a study done by researcher Grace Garcia of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC AQD) in Tigbauan, Iloilo, situated 24 kilometers west of Iloilo City.

Her research is titled "Tolerance of seahorse Hippocampus kuda (Bleeker) juveniles to various salinities".

In the study, she transferred nine week-old hatchery-bred seahorse juveniles from ambient seawater salinities to different salinity levels ranging from 0 parts per thousand to 85 ppt.

After four and 18 days of exposure, no adverse effect in growth, survival, and total body water was seen at 15 ppt and 20 ppt, respectively.

"Thus, hatchery-bred H. kuda can be grown in brackishwater environment," Garcia concluded.

Seahorses are popular aquarium fish and highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine. However, their number in the wild has declined owing to intense harvesting and habitat degradation.

SEAFDEC AQD aims to improve production of seahorse juveniles in the hatcheries in lieu of harvesting them in the wild. – RAF