Hippocampus kuda (Gilded hippocampus)

Hippocampus Kuda fish is a fish belonging to the Syngnathidae family. This family brings together known fish for their tail in the shape of a caudal fin, as well as for their elongated body and their hoof -shaped head. The Kuda hippocampus fish is also known as the Licker fish, due to the single horn that is on its head.

The Kuda hippocampus fish is from the coastal waters of Southeast Asia, and it is particularly common in the waters around Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. It is a small fish, generally measuring between 15 and 25 cm in length. Kuda hippocampus fish has a grayish color on top, which turns white on the belly. Its tail is bright yellow, with black spots along its spine.

Kuda hippocampus fish is a lonely animal, which generally lives alone in rocks of rocks or in underwater cavities. Kuda hippocampus fish is mainly feeding on small crustaceans and molluscs, which it captures thanks to its mouth in the shape of a tube, which allows it to suck its prey. Kuda hippocampus fish is a viviparous animal, which means that eggs develop in the body of the female until they are ready to hatch.

Kuda hippocampus fish is a threatened animal, notably due to the destruction of its natural habitat, as well as human overexploitation for aquarophilia. Many conservation programs have been set up to try to preserve this species, but their success is still uncertain. Due to its rarity, Kuda hippocampus fish is generally very expensive in the aquarophilia trade.

It is the females that must compete to obtain the favors of the males. It is the male who is responsible for gestation. After a long and noisy nuptial parade, the female introduces her laying in a pocket located on the male abdomen. The male then fertilizes the eggs while they are nestled in the spongy fabric of the wall of the pocket. It produces a special liquid that allows the embryos to be supplied during their development. At the end of gestation, he expels young people who are already able to swim freely. Gestation is usually 14 to 28 days depending on the water temperature. The number of young people can go up to 50 depending on the species.