Conservation effort: The babies are part of a captive breeding programme at the Oceanarium in Bournemouth, Dorset, after eight rare male and female adults arrived in JuneA group of miniscule baby seahorses have been born - measuring just 3mm each.
The little creatures were born at an aquarium and discovered by a keeper today when he noticed something floating at the top of the tank.
Upon further inspection he could see there were 15 perfectly formed, miniature seahorses. Their tiny stature is swamped by the smallest of items, even the tip of a pencil.
But despite being so small the fry are a good sign, as the Lined Seahorse - Hippocampus erectus in Latin - is just one step away from being endangered.
Tiny: A baby seahorse is dwarfed by the tip of a pencilThe babies are part of a captive breeding programme at the Oceanarium in Bournemouth, Dorset, after eight rare male and female adults arrived in June.
The babies are being fed on a plankton called Artemia, otherwise known as ‘sea-monkeys’. In about 10 months time the fry will have grown to their maximum size of five inches in length.
They don't stay babies for long: In about 10 months time the fry will have grown to their maximum size of five inches in lengthGary Hicks, aquarist at the Oceanarium, said: 'I walked past the tank and saw a lot of small black dots at the top.
'If you didn’t know what to look for they could be mistaken for small bits of plankton. 'But when you get closer you can see perfect little seahorses.
'We only had the adults in about a month ago so we didn’t know they were pregnant, but luckily we have enough food here for them.'
source: dailymail
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