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(Entire Manual as PDF, 180k)
With Chapters Contributed by
Members of the Syngnathid Discussion Group
Editor:
Colin D. Bull, PhD1
Aquarium Research Coordinator
Project Seahorse and John G. Shedd Aquarium
Partnership for Marine Conservation.
Assistant Editor:
Jeffrey S Mitchell2
Senior Aquarist
John G. Shedd Aquarium
Michael Mulligan (John G. Shedd Aquarium)
Seahorses and seadragons are marine fishes found globally which belong to the family Syngnathidae. Seahorses are becoming
very popular within the public aquarium and the hobbyist communities. Historically seahorses were considered very difficult
to maintain in a captive environment. Continued efforts by hobbyist and professional aquarium staff have resulted in the
development of techniques that now enable aquarists to maintain and in some cases to reproduce seahorse species
successfully. However, there are still difficulties with seahorse husbandry, and we are still a long way from understanding
how to close the life-cycle for most seahorse species.
More and more public aquaria are utilizing financial and physical resources by displaying these unique animals. Several
major seahorse exhibits are currently running in the United States or are planned for the future. The John G. Shedd Aquarium
in Chicago, Illinois; the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland; and Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas are just a few of
the facilities already displaying seahorses and communicating critical conservation messages to their visitors. In Europe the
National Marine Aquarium in the United Kingdom holds the largest number of seahorse species and smaller displays are
commonplace.
There are now over 1,100 zoos and aquaria worldwide with over 800 million visitors annually. In North America alone, there
are over 185 zoos, aquaria, oceanariums, and wildlife parks with an annual attendance over 130 million. The American Zoo and
Aquarium Association (AZA) and its European counterpart (EAZA) represent most of the North American and European facilities.
These organizations support membership excellence in conservation, education, science, and recreation. They manage Species
Survival and European Endangered Programs through their conservation and science departments. Other programs under the guidance
of AZA and EAZA include Taxon Advisory Groups (TAGS), Scientific Advisory Groups (SAGS), and Conservation Action Partnerships
(CAPS).
The AZA Marine Fish Taxon Advisory Group (MFTAG) and the European Fish and Aquatic Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group (FAITAG)
have been established to obtain data, analyze techniques, and develop and disseminate policies and information on the
collection and husbandry of marine fishes. These groups will promote the conservation of marine fishes through the support
of a regional collection plan, in-situ research, and public education programs.
In 1997 a new strategic plan for the MFTAG called for the development of a Regional Collection Plan (RCP) focusing on
elasmobranches and syngnathids. In Europe a similar initiative is being termed an Aquatic Sustainability Programme (ASP). The
goal of these programs is to allocate available space so that the maximum effect in terms of cooperative animal management and
conservation can be obtained. Specialist groups have been formed whose primary goal is the development of the seahorse RCP
and ASP.
Fortunately for the participants of the seahorse groups there was some background information available that allowed the
group to advance their husbandry skills. A Project Seahorse workshop focusing on seahorse husbandry, management, and
conservation was held at the John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Illinois, on December 7-9, 1998. Thirty-five participants
representing 29 institutions and 9 countries attended. Participants came from diverse professional backgrounds including
directors, nutritionists, veterinarians, researchers, and husbandry staff.
Suggested outputs from the workshop included the following:
- Construction of a communication network
- Creation of working groups to focus efforts
- Identification of research priorities
- Creation of guidelines
- Launching of educational programs
- To address the need for better communication and to coordinate outputs, the Syngnathid Discussion Group (SDG)
was established with 30 members communicating via e-mail. Over the past two years, this forum has grown and there
are currently 155 individuals participating.
- Five working groups were created, each having very specific goals.
- Seahorse Aquaria Communication Working Group (SAC). This group will maintain the e-mail discussion group and
improve dissemination of information through other means, if necessary.
- Seahorse Aquaria Education Working Group (SAE). This group will assist with taxonomy, standardize messages
on exhibits and seahorse conservation at participating aquaria, and develop materials to support conservation
initiatives.
- Seahorse Aquaria Field Conservation Working Group (SAFC). This group will develop and test field survey
protocol, evaluate in-situ conservation programs, provide assistance with logistics by disseminating information
from ongoing survey work, and assist with coordination of field surveys by public aquaria.
- Seahorse Aquaria Research Working Group (SAR). This group will suggest and develop research projects, evaluate
proposals, support research, and provide a peer review facility prior to submission of manuscripts and articles for
publication.
- Seahorse Aquaria Husbandry Working Group (SAH). This group will develop husbandry manuals for seahorse species
in captivity, and will be broken into smaller subgroups to focus on physical parameters, biology, diet and nutrition,
health issues, record keeping, and taxonomy.
The MFTAG has identified the following species as priority for action in North America: Hippocampus abdominalis, H.
comes, H. erectus, H. ingens, H. kuda, H. reidi, and H. zosterae. Two species of seadragons will also be included:
Phyllopteryx taeniolatus and Phycodurus eques. The European FAITAG has identified four priority species on which to
focus their efforts: H. barbouri, H. capensis, H. guttulatus, and H. hippocampus.
Population management of seahorses in zoos, aquaria and independent organizations are critical to the goals of North America,
and European conservation strategies. Well-managed populations are a priority as are research, record keeping, and
education.
The goals for population management are twofold:
- To provide purebred species lines to zoo and aquaria partners for conservation research and education
purposes, to assist collection planning, and reduce taxonomic confusion.
- To maintain minimum genetic diversity within each captive population, improving the health and fitness
of the captive strains.
The appointed North American and European chairs of the seahorse specialist groups will oversee these
captive-breeding programs. Steps in this process will include establishing species coordinators, securing
institutional participation, providing founder individuals of known provenance, and establishing lines of
communications and standardized record keeping.
- Creation of guidelines is being addressed by this publication with continued updates and more technical
publications envisioned.
- Coordination of educational messages and facts through improved communication and sharing of information
ultimately leading to increased educational components and appeal of educational program to institutions.
By working together as a community and by channeling resources into appropriate actions, it is hoped that zoos
and aquaria can play an important role in assisting with seahorse conservation.
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