Interactions
Fellow Sea Creatures
Seahorses
live in areas that are well populated with other organisms of
the oceans. They can be found swimming along with tropical fish
or hiding from their predators. Seahorses have quite a few
predators ranging from
crabs, penguins, as well as some larger fish such as
tuna, sea-perch,
cod, and trumpeter fish. Seahorses are even preyed upon by
skates,
rays,
sharks. In order for seahorse to avoid their prey, they must
use their camouflage and their speed. Seahorse aren't just prey
either, they are also predators. Hippocampus kelloggis
prey upon small crustaceans, so they would be consider secondary
consumers, while they can also be primary consumers since they
prey upon zooplankton.
Humans
While seahorse have a chance to
escape from their predators, they seem to be
having difficulties escaping from humans since they are
becoming endangered. Great seahorses are being caught in
all different locations and are being sold as
decorations, jewelry, pets for aquariums, and even being
sold for medicinal uses. Hippocampus kelloggis
are popular aquarium pets due to being so versatile and
their ability to withstand stress better than other
species
of seahorse. In traditional Chinese medicines, seahorses
are being used for much different reasons than what is
found in the United States.
There are about 90 different
medicines in China that are being sold with seahorse as
one of the primary ingredients. If you want to learn
more about how Hippocampus kelloggis are
being used in medicine today, click on the link at the
bottom of the page.
Continue to Medicinal Uses