THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
Government News
Rare seahorse artificially reproduced in VN
VGP – The Nha Trang Oceanography Institute has succeeded in artificial reproduction of a precious and rare species of seahorses which is listed in the Red Books of Việt Nam and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
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Hippocampus spinosissimus |
This has been the first successful research on reproduction of bristled seahorses Hippocampus spinosissimus. Previously, Việt Nam succeeding in rearing black seahorses (Hippocampus kuda) and striped seahorses (Hippocampus comes).
Engineer Hồ Thị Hoa from the Breeding Technology Division said bristled seahorses were chosen for study because of its diverse colors and of domestic demands for ornamental fish. The population of this species has appeared to fall sharply in recent years.
Thousands of bristled seahorses were born and more than 1,000 strong creatures are reared. According to Ms. Hoa, the survival of 50% is relatively high as bristled seahorses are very difficult to be raised, pair and reproduce.
In Europe and America, bristled seahorses are reared as ornamental pets. A pair of 12-cm-long creatures costs VND 100,000. They are also considered a precious medicine in China, Japan and Taiwan.
By Ngọc Vân