Seahorses are among the most traded and most threatened fish in the aquarium and traditional medicine markets. Their welfare in captivity is extremely difficult to maintain, and wild populations are declining globally.
Seahorse welfare in the aquarium hobby is among the most problematic of any fish species. Their requirement for live food, very specific water flow and temperature conditions, and aversion to competition from other fish species make aquarium survival unlikely for casual hobbyists. Traditional medicine demand drives harvest of vast numbers for drying — a death from desiccation. Wild-caught individuals experience the standard supply-chain traumas plus impaired feeding adaptation that causes starvation in tanks. Captive-bred individuals from specialist sources offer significantly better welfare outcomes.