Seahorses

[carter1055]

While looking at a tank with 3 or 4 seahorses, I saw one of the sea horses expel a cloudy fluid from the top of its head. It looked for all the world like the Tin Man on the Wizard of Oz blowing steam out of his funnel hat.I was starteled, I had never seen this before. As I was begining to doupt what I had seen, another customer walked up to the tank as the seahorse did it again. I looked at this fellow and asked: Did you just see somthing strange?
He said, yep. I asked what did you see?
He said, you first. I told him that if he would tell me I would not call his sanity into question.
He said, I just saw that seahorse blow somthing out of its head. With a second witness I am satisfied that I am not crazy like the store owner suspected when I asked about it. So I put this to you; Has anyone else observed this behavior? Does anyone know what it is about?

[zep]

Hey Carter,

I have a display tank at work that I set up stocked with captive raised sea horses. They often blow this smoke out while eating. The sea horses eat by sucking in very strongly and the smoke you see is the water that came in with the food being expelled. It looks milky because there are particles and juices from the food mixed in the water.

[carter1055]

Thanks Zep. It's good to know that I havn't lost my mind.

[rshimek]

Hi, I am moving this thread to the Marine Fish forum where other, more knowledgeable folks than I may comment on it.