Effect of tank colour on Artemia ingestion, growth and survival in cultured early juvenile pot-bellied seahorses ( Hippocampus abdominalis)

Abstract

The effect of the background (tank) colour on feeding activity, growth and survival of early juvenile seahorses Hippocampus abdominalis was investigated in two experiments. In experiment one, two sets of background colour (Set 1: Clear, white, red, blue, black; Set 2: Clear, white, yellow, orange, green) were used to quantify short-term Artemia ingestion in 42-day-old fish, and 7-day-old fish (Set 1 only). No statistical difference was observed between data. In the second experiment 3-day-old seahorses were cultured over 6 weeks in one of six coloured tanks (clear, white, yellow, red, blue, black) in a temperature and photoperiod controlled recirculation system to determine the effect of the background colour on growth, survival and conditioning to tank colour. At the end of the experiment there were no significant differences between any of the parameters tested. Early juvenile seahorses under the described experimental conditions were able to feed, grow and survive in a similar manner in any of the tank colours tested. Seahorses did not appear to display any conditioning to the tank colour in which they were cultured.