Seahorses Do It Differently

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The reproductive process for the seahorse is different than any other animal. In fact, very different. First the male and female do a dance that actually synchronizes the two so that the male prepares to receive the eggs. This dance goes on for several days where they meet and intertwine their tails and swim around together sometimes even gripping the same strand of sea grass as they twirl. The female deposits about 1500 eggs in the pouch of the male. He blows water through a egg pouch in his stomach which opens and expands and this tells the female that he is ready for her to put her ovipositor which is a organ used to lay eggs. The eggs are carried for 9 to 45 days and then the seahorses come out very small but fully developed. The male is done and may mate again in a few hours or days.