Seahorse AquacultureMarie BartonUniversity of Alabama2013 DISL

Taxonomy• Family: Syngnathidae• Hippocampus kuda • H. reidi • H. erectus• H. barbouri• H. abdominalis• H. breviceps• H. comes• H. ingens

• Captive-bred seahorses first recorded in 2002

• In past decade, risen from 1% of total seahorse trade to 99% today

Economic importance, market price, locations, country• Conservation

▫ H. capensis in Hawaii▫ Mote marine lab

• Dried seahorses- traditional medicine▫ $100-300/kg

• Live- ornamental fish▫ $100-900/animal

• Australia, NZ, MX, China, Ireland and UK, India, Indonesia, USA, S. Africa, Thailand, Vietnam▫ Developed and developing countries

Life cycle & larval stages

Reproduction in Captivity

•Complex mating process▫Male courts female with

dancing, color change, clicking sounds

•Male carries fertilized eggs for 20-30 days

•Up to 10 broods/yr •200-1000 animals/brood•Monogamous

Production Methods•Hatchery: Broodstock are kept in cages in

calm bay or indoor tanks

•Nursery: 1 day after spawning, fry transferred to tank with biofilter, UV sterilization and ozone▫Stocked 1-2/L

•Growout: 40 days later, transferred to cages or indoor tanks ▫Initial density 500/m³, after growth 200/m³

Production methods

•Large-scale production in Vietnam Hippocampus comes Fry production tank Adult tank

Feeds and feeding• Larvae eat plankton, juveniles and adults

eat small crustaceans, full grown adults need some small fish too

• All prefer live food▫ Expensive▫ Conservation growers commonly grow

plankton for larvae on site • Most commercial aquaculture uses frozen

food▫ Harder to train/wean but if successful, will be

hardier▫ Artemia

• Varied diet important to health▫ Supplements, alternate live and dead/frozen

food

Water chemistry and environmental requirements• Pristine water

▫Salinity: 15-35 ppt▫Ammonia and nitrite: 0 ppm▫Nitrate: <20 ppm▫DO: 6-8 ppm

• Temperature▫20-28°C

• pH▫8-8.3

• Tall tank• Current flow in part• Floating space

Advantages & Disadvantages• High market value, low

production cost• Protected when most

vulnerable by male’s pouch

• Quick growth in some species▫ 3-6 months

• High fecundity▫ 1000 babies/brood

• Fast gestation▫ ~8 broods/yr

• Some species hardy▫ Cage raised

• Disease susceptible• High risk• Must maintain pristine

water conditions if grown indoor

• Poor digestion of food▫ Quick fouling

• If stressed at all, no productivity▫ Easily stressed

• Requires much understanding