Comparison Table 1:

Summary of breeding strategies

Fish
Seahorse
Breeding Method
Live brooder
(oviparous)
Description of the
Male and female
method used
align.
Female
deposits
eggs into males
pouch
via
ovipositor.
Milt contained in
pouch
fertilises
eggs, pouch seals.
Male carries young
and gives birth.
Parental protection
Offspring number
Survival strategy

Success
Genetic Diversity
Energy Costs

Yes, male carries fry in

pouch gives birth.
200 offspring
(average)
Born live able to feed,
hide in plant foliage.

LOW
NONE
HIGH Male carries
young and gives birth.

Frontosa Cichlid
Mouth brooder

Koi Carp
Egg scatterer

Display performed to
female, male digs pit
both circle pit and
each other.
Male sprays milt in
pit.
Female lays eggs,
female picks up eggs
in mouth, hatch and
grow by three weeks
until fry no longer fit
in mouth.
Yes, female carries in
mouth (ovaphile)
50 on average

Male nudges female

around the abdomen
this encourages eggs
to be released via
vent.
Female lets down
eggs
in
various
locations.
Milt sprayed by male
fertilisation
takes
place eggs.
Fertilised eggs hatch.
None, hatch within
three days.
1,000 + eggs

Parental protection by
female, kept in mouth.

Random scattering of
eggs
to
evade
predation. Eggs are
adhesive.
LOW
YES (multiple fathers)
LOW

HIGH
NONE
HIGH Female cannot
eat whilst eggs are
hatching.

Comparison Table 2:
Fish
Wild/Natural
Advantages

Disadvantages

Captive
Advantages

Disadvantages

Seahorse
Female can
reproduce if male
dies.
They have a
continuous
breeding cycle.
Temperature
changes effect
breeding.
Low diversity.
Offspring easily
eaten by prey.
Low survival rates
no protection as
young left to fend
for themselves.
Courtship same as
wild.
More fry survive as
the aquarium is
species specific
also fry can be
moved to a nursery
aquarium to
increase survival
rate to an optimum.
Environment must
be exactly that of
the wild otherwise
they will not breed.
Due to capacity of
aquarium female
will have mate with
the selected male
and should any
birth defects arise
from this copulation
then there is a high
chance fry will not
survive.

Frontosa Cichlid

Koi Carp

Fry transported to
feeding ground by
mother.
Parental protection
High egg survival
rate.
Quick hatching
time.
Limited number of
offspring that fit in
mouth.
If female eaten all
fry die too.
Low diversity.

Courtship same as
wild
More fry survive as
the aquarium is
species specific
also fry can be
moved to a nursery
aquarium to
increase survival
rate to an optimum.
Due to capacity of
aquarium female
will have mate with
the selected male
and should any
birth defects arise
from this copulation
then there is a high
chance fry will not
survive.

Successful regime
in place.
High survival rate
and genetic
diversity is met as
the selected males
still fertilise the
eggs.

Low energy costs

in parental care.
Genetic diversity
multiple fathers.

Low survival rates.

Parental
cannibalism.
Fry eaten by
predators

Issues may arise

with selective
breeding if only one
male used to
fertilise eggs, could
result in poor
genetic diversity.

Inter Species Comparison Table 3:

Fish
Wild environment
Advantages

Disadvantages

Seahorse versus
Frontosa Cichlid
Female can reproduce if
male dies.
Large
number
of
offspring produced 200
compared
with
frontosas 50.
They have a continuous
breeding
cycle
compared with frontosa.
Low energy costs in
parental protection once
fry are born, frontosa
parental
protection
continues until fry are
five weeks old.
Fry born live and free to
fend for themselves.

Low success rate of fry

survival compared to
the
frontosa,
the
seahorse affords no
parental protection after
birth.

Frontosa Cichlid versus

Koi Carp
Fry moved to feeding
ground by mother, Koi
carp leave eggs to hatch
and fend for themselves.
High level of parental
protection,
Mother
carries eggs in her
mouth and young fry, no
parental care provided
by Koi Carp.
High egg survival rate
compare with Koi Carp
as most of their eggs are
preyed upon.
High success rate of fry
as they are protected by
mother for five weeks.
Quick hatching time.

As they grow limited

number of offspring that
fit in mouth.
If female IS eaten all fry
die too.
Low genetic diversity
compared with Koi Carp
as only one frontosa pair
involved in reproduction.

Koi Carp versus

Seahorse
Low energy costs in
parental care compare
with the male seahorse
that protects fry until
they are born. Koi carp
expend no energy in
rearing eggs and can
carry on breeding unlike
seahorse that has to
wait until gestation is
complete.
High degree of genetic
diversity as more than
one male fertilises the
eggs, only one pair
involved in seahorse
reproduction.
Eggs scattered to evade
predation and increase
survival rate, if male
seahorse preyed upon
all fry die.
Low success rates of
eggs hence the quantity
spawned.
Parental cannibalism of
eggs and also fry eaten
by predators, unlike
seahorse
the
eggs
actually form and are
born live.