Exclusive Seahorse Footage
from Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program
Birth
Witness a male seahorse go into labor and give birth! Although there are a lot of amazing dads in the animal kingdom, male seahorses are the only animals in which the male actually becomes pregnant and gives birth! He receives eggs from the female into his brood pouch, and then they are fertilized and incubated for several weeks until he goes into labor. Some pipefish have brood
Courtship
Seahorses are considered monogamous, which means they maintain a male/female bond with another seahorse until death or separation. They become very fond of each other, embracing and wrapping their tails, swimming in circles around each other, and notifying the other that they are ready to mate by changing colors and rearing their heads, and the male will even show off his brood pouch!
Feeding
Believe it or not, seahorses are considered predators, and they rely on their eye sight to find and catch their prey. Tiny zooplankton and crustaceans make up their diet, including copepods, amphipods and shrimp. They slowly stalk their prey by sneaking closer and closer and planning their attack until, "pop"! They suck it in with one quick motion, which is actually created by their coronet on top of their head!