Seahorse Eating Habits
Using their long snout the seahorse is able to consume their food with ease. They are slow feeders though so it can take them a great deal of time each day to eat. Large amounts of food are consumed daily. Brine shrimp seems to be very plentiful in some areas and that is what they will heavily feed upon.
They often feed on small crustaceans that are found floating on top of the water. Myside shrimp are a very common form of food for the seahorse. They are also known to consume invertebrates and larval fish that are native to their particular habit. Most of the time the seahorse will have no problem finding enough food in the wild.
They will also find food at the bottom of the areas they live in since these living creatures are found in shallow bodies of water. They have a great form of camouflage that will blend in with their surroundings. This allows them to patiently wait around for the prey to come along. Then they will ambush it and there is little chance of it escaping.
What you may find interesting is that the seahorse doesn’t have a stomach. That is why they seem to eat all the time. The process of digestion happens very rapidly for them. They also don’t have any teeth. They swallow all their food whole so it can’t be very big.
In captivity many seahorses live on frozen foods. They are specially made to ensure they are going to be healthy. Some of these foods also have antibiotics in them. Feeding them to the seahorses on a regular basis can help to clear up and bacteria or infections they are prone to. As a result your pets will live longer and be healthier overall.
Should you decide to feed them live food you need to keep a few things in mind. First, they do eat slowly so make sure they have enough to continue eating even in your absence. Second, if you give them fish to eat make sure the fish aren’t a species that will eat each other as that will deprive the seahorses of enough food to survive on.
Feeding stations are believed to be the best way to provide enough food for seahorses that are kept in captivity. The idea is very basic and it will help to stay on schedule with the needs of your seahorse. With a feeding tray the currents in the water won’t create a problem for them.
Instead they will be able to find the food they need and they will get it often. You don’t want food to become lodged under various elements in an aquarium. Not only does this deprive the seahorses of food, it can start to decay. When that occurs you will find that the water isn’t top quality.
Try to feed your seahorses at the same time of each day. You will find that they are going to quickly pick up on this routine! They may be eagerly waiting at the feeding station in the minutes before you get there.
Seahorses can be conditioned too by tapping on the aquarium and then feeding them. They will realize what is going to happen next in the days ahead as you tap lightly on the glass. They need to be feed often and enough. Make sure you find out from experts just how much your seahorses need to eat at any given point. Adults need to eat more than the young. Males that are carrying eggs need more food than they previously consumed. Never guess at what they need as that can hinder their overall survival in captivity.
