Before finding their ideal partner, seahorses undergo a long courting process. For several days, the pair tries to synchronize their movements through dance. At this time, they “flirt” with one another by swimming side by side and holding tails. Once they’re certain of their partners, they enter into a courtship dance ritual that can last for as long as eight hours.

As things settle down, the seahorses tend to remain monogamous. Every waking day, they greet their life partner with a special dance. Often, the excitement is enough to change their natural colors. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit is how the male seahorse takes on the burden of childbirth rather than the female. Through their dancing, they present their pouch to the female to insert her eggs within him. He will then carry these eggs for two to four weeks before giving birth to their spawn.

This amazing tale of the seahorse’s courtship ritual is just one of many factoids about the aquatic equine’s life you can pick up from the Singapore Oceanarium’s biodiversity program “Animal Spotlight: Seahorses.” In this program, eight guests gain close-up access to Singapore’s marine life and biodiversity through behind-the-scenes encounters led by animal care specialists. Its latest addition is the Seahorse Support Area, where visitors can observe feeding sessions and learn about seahorse care, breeding, and specialised husbandry practices.

Aside from its interactive learning experiences, the Singapore Oceanarium is also an ideal spot to just marvel over its seemingly larger-than-life aquarium. A major highlight is the Open Ocean area, an 18-million-liter habitat serving as home for various sea creatures. No matter where you bring your eyes, you’ll find interesting critters swimming about.