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We have an adult h.reidi male, who shares a 100l tank with his 3 h.reidi mates, a conch, a few trochus snails and a few nassarius snails. After a recent birthing, which took place over a 4-day period, we have noticed that his belly is a yellow colour. Is this something to be concerned about, please? Thanks so much.
Dear hobbyist:
Congratulations on your new batch of Hippocampus reidi babies!
Seahorses are truly the chameleons of the sea with a propensity for changing color in response to a wide range of environmental factors, hormonal influences, and behavioral interactions. The mood of the seahorse is often reflected in the coloration it expresses at the moment. For example, when excited, seahorses typically brighten in coloration, reflecting a state of high arousal. They will often lighten in coloration or brighten up when eating, courting, or greeting, betraying their excitement. On the other hand, seahorses typically darken in response to stress, and fear, anxiety and distress are generally accompanied by dark, somber hues.
In your case, it would not be unusual for your Hippocampus reidi stallion to brighten in coloration after giving birth. They normally re-mate shortly after delivering their brood of babies, so the change in coloration likely simply reflects the excitement or arousal of your male in anticipation of mating.
I should also point out that Hippocampus reidi seahorses are famous for their color morphs, and ranging from most common to least common, yellow, orange, and red specimens of H. reidi are often seen in the hobby.
In short, yellow coloration is within the normal repertoire for Hippocampus reidi and the collar change you noticed is therefore very likely nothing for you to be concerned about as long as the seahorse continues to eat and behave normally otherwise.
Best of luck with the newborns!
Happy trails!
Pete Giwojna, Ocean Rider Tech Support
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Ocean Rider, Inc. is an Organic Hawaiian-Based Seahorse Aqua-Farm & Aquarium that Follows Strict Good Farming Practices in Raising Seahorses and Other Aquatic Life.
