“Seahorses are strange, beautiful, oddities of nature. But the very things that make them so fascinating to humans now threatens to lead them to extinction.” - ABC News
As many aquarium hobbyists know, seahorses and related species have different needs than other marine fish. This fact sheet was created to assist anyone that is interested in keeping these fascinating fish. The content herein is meant to be a guideline for new seahorse keepers based upon the experience of several hundred seahorse hobbyists, Syngnathidae researchers, and commercial breeders.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Although we discuss wild caught (WC) as well as captive bred (CB) seahorse s, we strongly advise buying CB seahorses. Captive breeding prevents decimation of wild populations and supports responsible and innovative breeding programs for those interested in becoming seahorse breeders. In addition, captive bred seahorses are much easier to keep, having been trained to accept frozen food, pre-adapted to aquarium conditions, and much less likely to carry or spread disease. Their survivability in captivity is significantly higher than that of wild caught seahorses. In the end, it is more cost effective and rewarding for the beginning hobbyist to purchase CB seahorses. WE RECOMMEND THAT ALL BEGINNING KEEPERS PURCHASE ONLY CAPTIVE BRED SEAHORSES.
PURCHASING HEALTHY SEAHORSES
If you are buying from a local fish store (LFS), observe the seahorses carefully before you purchase. If you are buying from an e-tailer, be sure they have a reputation for supplying quality animals and a guarantee of live arrival and survival for 5-7 days. Even the smallest sign of disease or injury can result in a mortality, as seahorses are extremely sensitive and often succumb to pathogens not common to other marine ornamental fish. To make matters worse, treatments are quite different and have fewer efficacies. The following are some questions to ask of your local fish store or e-tailer, particularly if you are purchasing WC animals. If you are able to observe the seahorses onsite, the following guidelines can help you with picking out the best animals that are most likely to survive. Even with a careful eye, WC seahorses can look outwardly healthy, only to die within a few days of purchase. Though there are no guarantees when purchasing WC seahorses, this may help to minimize mortalities:
Photographer: Karen Barber