RAISING SEA HORSES

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30042, 29 January 1963, Page 15

RAISING SEA HORSES

Second Attempt Fails “The Press" Special Service WELLINGTON, Jan. 28. The second attempt by Mrs G. M. Davie, of Lower Hutt, to raise sea horses in captivity has failed. Last September Mrs Davie accepted the offer of a pair of sea horses from the Napier Aquarium Club and to her delight 64 little sea horses were bom. But by New Year’s Eve, these all had died.

Mrs Davie was then offered more baby sea horses and she was hopeful that many would survive, but, in spite of the care and concern given them, they have now all died. It is thought that only one sea horse has ever been raised in captivity in New Zealand. Last year, a New Plymouth woman bred about 200 sea horses, only one of which survived. This was claimed to be the first raised in captivity in the Dominion. The sea horses had to be kept in aerated water, to create a tidal effect The water had to be filtered to keep it clean. Mrs Davie believed, at first that it was something to do with the marine tides that prevented sea horses from being raised successfully in captivity, but she now feels that it is something to do with a special type of sea food which must be given them right from birth.

After reading of Mrs Davie’s struggle to accomplish this unusual feat, a man in Australia has written offering her some helpful advice. Mrs Davie has also received information from a tropical fish breeder in America. Mrs Davie has now received more adults and she intends to keep trying until she can raise one small sea horse to adulthood.