Did you know that seahorses are pretty romantic fish? They are monogamous, and choose only one mate for life. This isn’t because of any deep love, as we think of it, however. Seahorses live in pretty low densities, and searching for a mate by swimming openly is dangerous because it makes them susceptible to predators. By choosing a single mate that sticks by their side, they increase their chances of reproducing multiple times and spreading their genes!
Once they find one another, a seahorse pair will greet each other every morning with a unique dance that often involves changing color. This helps them recognize one another, confirm that both have still stuck around, and sync their reproductive cycles.
Learn more cool facts about seahorses (and see more beautiful photos) in our slideshow!
Photo Credits:
1) Hippocampus histrix - Bettina Balnis/Guylian Seahorses of the World 2010, Courtesy Project Seahorse
2) Hippocampus histrix - Herwig Helsen/Guylian Seahorses of the World 2010. Courtesy of Project Seahorse.
