Abstract:Seahorse aquaculture is challenged by insufficient feeding supply and lack of knowledge of nutritional requirements, resulting in low survival rate and poor economical profitability. We report here an integrated eco-aquaculture system in which the seahorse and its natural prey were co-cultured with red alga Garcilaria lichevoids in cement ponds. Urea (10 g/m3)and chicken manure (50 g/m3) were used to fertilize the water. Seahorse juveniles were stocked at 200 ind./m3after 5~7 days. After 4 weeks, red alga was transplanted into these ponds to regulate water quality and light, and provide holdfast. The density of red alga was controlled between 0.5 and 2 kg/m3. The introduction of alga provides habitats for small crustacean. Within the macroalgal clusters, small crustacean was over 450 individuals per 100 g of fresh alga. After breeding of 146-day period, seahorse survival rates were 70.8% and 42.5%, and body lengths of seahorse were 11.13 cm and 10.04 cm in integrated eco-aquaculture system and monoculture, respectively. This system incorporated traditional Chinese aquaculture technique of cultivating live feed by fertilizing the water. Results from the experiments suggest that the integrated system is technically feasible, suitable and exemplary.
