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
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