For the first time, saving baby seahorses in captivity is possible with the simple discovery that washing their food with low dose formalin prevents mass mortality. The new research, made by Shela Mae A. Buen-Ursua at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) Aquaculture Department, paves the way for the mass breeding of juvenile tiger tail seahorses - the seeds for restocking depleted populations in the wild. "Ultraviolet sterilization of water and formalin treatment of natural feed results in higher survival of newborn seahorses, which is crucial for stable mass production of seahorse juveniles," she told Malaya Business Insight. SEAFEC's stock enhancement program is partly funded by the Government of Japan-Trust Fund under Dr. Teruo Azuma as Program Manager.

Icamina, P. M. (2011, August 26). SEAFDEC boosts survival of dwindling seahorse stocks. Malaya Business Insight, pp. A9, A10.