Effects of UV-treated sea water, chlorinated sea water, and formalin-treated copepods on survival and growth of newborn seahorses, Hippocampus comes

Seed production of the seahorse Hippocampus comes was examined using different types of sea water (UV-treated, chlorinated, sand-filtered), and formalin-treated copepod Pseudodiaptomous sp. as a food organism. Growth and survival of newborn seahorses (8.9±0.0 mm stretched height, 0.004 g) were monitored until day 30 after birth. Growth (stretched height and weight) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in UV-treated sea water (41.4±0.5 mm, 0.23±0.00 g) than in chlorinated (33.8±1.4 mm, 0.16±0.00 g) or sand-filtered (32.8±0.1 mm, 0.16±0.00 g) sea water. Survival was significantly higher in UV-treated (65.6±1.1%) and chlorinated (62.2±4.0%) sea water than in sand-filtered sea water (41.1±1.1%). Survival of seahorses fed 30 ppm formalin-treated copepods (95.3±1.8%) was significantly higher (p