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¹ NIRDEP-National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, 300 Mamaia Blvd., RO-900581, Constanta, Romania
² “Ovidius” University Constanta, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Dept. of Biostatistics, 1 University Alley, Campus B, Constanta, Romania
³ “Ovidius” University Constanta, Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Biochemistry, 1 University Alley, Campus B, Constanta, Romania; Academy of Romanian Scientists, 54 Splaiul Independentei 050094, Bucharest, Romania DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v15_2_26 Viewed : 3819 - Downloaded : 3080 This paper aims to point-out the effects of applying different live feed diets to the long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus Cuvier, 1829) of the Romanian Black Sea coast. The response of seahorses to Brachionus plicatilis-based, Artemia salina-based and combined diet is analysed, from the development, ethologic and biochemical point of view. Three experimental tanks were set in laboratory conditions, for a 10 day period. The different batches of seahorses collected from the natural environment were placed in the three tanks, after previous acclimation. Subsequently, one batch (Tank A) was fed exclusively with B. plicatilis, one with A. salina (Tank B), and one with a 50%/50% combined mixture of the two invertebrates (Tank C). The results obtained indicated a linear length and weight increase of H. guttulatus in all three feeding regimes, the final length (+10 days) being higher than the +5 days length and initial length. The biochemical composition of the three batches showed some variations. From the ethologic point of view, differences in the behavior of H. guttulatus in the three tanks were observed. Future research is required, focusing mainly on extending the experimental period (more than 30 days), separating males and females and diversifying the prey fed to seahorses. Keywords : long-snouted seahorse, Brachionus plicatilis, Artemia salina, biochemical composition, behavior