Effect of Direct Transfer to Different Salinities on Early Juvenile Pot‐ b ellied Seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis, Survival in Culture Conditions

Abstract In Tasmania, commercial seahorse culture takes place in tank systems in which approximately 75% of the water is exchanged daily from the Tamar River estuary. The aim of this study was to examine the effect on survival of early juvenile pot‐bellied seahorses, Hippocampus abdominalis, directly transferred and cultured for 9 d in salinities of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 32 g/L. Direct transfer of seahorses to 5 g/L salinity resulted in 100% mortality within 7 d. After 9 d, an improvement in survival was recorded in seahorses cultured in 10 and 15 g/L compared to those cultured in 25 and 32 g/L salinities. This study is the first to report on the tolerance of H. abdominalis in captivity at salinities as low as 10 g/L in early life stages without compromising survival.