Abstract We examined the effects of different live food¡Bwater quality and environmental factor on the survival rate and growth of newborn Hippocampus kuda, in the laboratory, Three experiments were conducted: (1) effects of food organisms using three species i.e., Schmackeria dubia¡BArtemia sp. and Brachionus sp.; (2) effects of adding algae water to aquaria, and(3) effects of side-illumination and habitat. The survival rate and growth rate, were used to assess the responses of seahorses. The results showed that the growth of seahorses fed with copepod is the best, 28 days old seahorses are 127 ¡Ó 8mg (mean of three replicates ¡Ó 1se) in wet weight¡B32.38 ¡Ó 0.79mm in body length and the survival rate is 92.0 ¡Ó 0%. Copepod + artemia group are 69 ¡Ó 5mg¡B27.23 ¡Ó 0.35mm and 90.7 ¡Ó 5.8%. Rotifer + Copepod group are 86 ¡Ó 8mg¡B28.36 ¡Ó 1.04mm and 88.0 ¡Ó 4.0%. Rotifer + artemia group are 26 ¡Ó 1mg¡B19.77 ¡Ó 0.31mm and 68.0 ¡Ó 0%. Artemia group are 45 ¡Ó 2mg¡B23.29 ¡Ó 0.41mm and 38.7 ¡Ó 3.5%. The lowest survival rate occurs in the rotifer group and the no-feed group, all seahorses were dead on the sixteenth day and the thirteenth day, respectively. Copepods were used as food organisms in side-illumination ¡Balgae and habitat experimental designs. The difference were all signify- cant between the side-illumination and no side-illumination group¡G97.3 ¡Ó 1.3%¡B68.0 ¡Ó 6.9%( p=0.014, ANOVA, Fisher¡¦s PLSD)¡A126 ¡Ó 3mg¡B101 ¡Ó 5mg(p=0.013) and 32.51 ¡Ó 0.30mm¡B29.32 ¡Ó 0.75mm(p=0.017)¡C The body length was significant difference between algae fed and no-algae group: 25.40 ¡Ó 0.63mm¡B23.23 ¡Ó 0.44 mm(p= 0.047). The survival rate¡Bbody weight and body length were all no significant difference between habitat and no habitat group. To sum up, the living food is a major factor affecting survival and growth. And the side-illumination method can increase both. So the suitable living food and aquaculture engineer designs have great potential to raise more seahorses.