Exploring the reefs of Bali for seahorses!!

14 Oct Exploring the reefs of Bali for seahorses!!

When I first started diving I was only interested in seeing the big fish, like sharks, manta rays and dolphins, which there are plenty of around Bali. This changed when I started my dive master course and dived a lot on the beautiful coral reefs around Bali.

During one of my first dives in Bali my dive instructor showed me my first Pygmy seahorse and from that moment on I didn’t only love big fish anymore but starting to love looking for small critters and especially for seahorses.

The dive sites around Bali, such as the famous USAT liberty wreck in Tulamben, Padangbai and Amed, are full with different species of seahorses. There are 47 different species of seahorses and 14 of those were discovered in the last eight years, including Pontoh’s pygmy seahorse, which was officially named in 2008. Pygmy seahorses are some of the smallest seahorse species in the world, typically measuring less than 1 inch in height. They are so small that the first pygmy seahorse known to science was discovered only when a host gorgonian was being examined in a laboratory in 2000. And scientists are sure there are more seahorses out there that haven’t been discovered yet.T They can be found in temperate and tropical waters, like we have all around Bali. So not only can you find the Pygmy’s seahorses, you can find a lot of different seahorses like the thorny seahorse and the common seahorse.

A few things you should know about seahorses.

Seahorses range in size from under 1 inch, to 14 inches long. Seahorses are fish, after many discussions over the years; scientists decided that seahorses are fish. The reasons are, seahorses use gills and to control their buoyancy the use a swim bladder.

Seahorses are fish, but they are not great swimmers. Seahorses stay in one area most off the times for days, holding on to coral or seaweed. Their fins beat up to 50 times a second. Like a helicopter they can move up, down, forward or backward. Their diet mainly exists out of plankton and small crustaceans. They constantly eat because they have no stomach, so food passes through their bodies very quickly. Most seahorses mate for life, the male and female have a daily courtship routine where they dance and entwine their tales and sometimes even may change colors. Male seahorses get pregnant, the female inserts the eggs and the male looks after them.

Become a better diver.

After reading these fascinating facts about seahorses I’m sure you can’t wait to start your search for these amazing creatures and maybe even discover a new species yourself!! So book a trip with Joe’s Gone diving and start exploring!! Seahorses however are small and sometimes found in deeper waters. So why not combine your search for seahorse with a PADI peak performance buoyancy specialty or PADI deep dive specialty at Joe’s Gone Diving. During the peak performance buoyancy course you will learn how to control your buoyancy even better, which will make you more capable of floating in front of a fan or above a sandy bottom looking for seahorses without stirring up the sandy bottom and kicking in to the coral reef. The deep dive course will allow you to go deeper in search for the beautiful gorgonian fan where the Pygmy’s hang out.

So what are you waiting for Book Now.