Seahorse Roundup with Beth Privett of Seahorse Corral

Dr. Roy Yanong on Pet Life Radio

Among the most iconic of all marine species in the aquarium hobby are the seahorses. From tiny dwarf species to large majestically camouflaged seadragons, children and adults alike have been fascinated by their appearance and behaviors.   My guest today, Beth Privett, owner of Seahorse Corral in Florida, is a highly-regarded seahorse breeder, who was inspired to breed them to reduce wild collection and to make them more accessible to home hobbyists worldwide. Join us as we “roundup” the latest information on captive bred seahorses with Beth Privett!


BIO:

Beth Privett was inspired to become a fish farmer after years of sailing and fishing all over the world alerted her to conservation concerns.  She founded Seahorse Corral six years ago in a small room in back of her house and currently raises and ships beautiful color varieties of the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) and the dwarf seahorse (H. zosterae) all over the world. The business has grown gradually as she mastered the art of raising seahorse babies. Through selection and with a lot of patience she has increased the company’s production and the overall percentage of the more marketable colored seahorses on her farm. Although raising H. erectus fry is hard, she says it is nothing compared to the difficulty of managing a website and organizing the paperwork necessary to export seahorses, which are protected under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulations. Beth loves to spread her enthusiasm of seahorses to hobbyists and local aquarium societies and currently considers Florida her home. Beth is a native of Emsworth, England.