Join us for a special tour inside Mote Aquarium’s Seahorse Conservation
Laboratory, where you’ll learn about the threats to seahorses in the wild and Mote’s efforts to breed them for conservation.

Seahorses face numerous risks in the sea, where vast numbers are taken for traditional medicines, caught and dried for the souvenir trade and collected for aquariums. To conserve these fascinating fish, Mote Aquarium raises seahorses that are later displayed in more than 40 aquariums, zoos, and science institutions around the country, reducing the need to take animals from the wild.

One out of 1,000 baby seahorses survives in the sea. At Mote, as many as 70 percent survive — an astounding rate for a species that gives birth every 28 days or so and produces hundreds of fragile fry, or young. This high survival rate results from excellent care at Mote, including special feeding techniques and careful attention to water quality.

Visit the Lab on a tour conducted by Mote’s Seahorse Conservation Laboratory Supervisor who is one of the country’s most accomplished seahorse aquarists.

Learn about seahorse biology, breeding, coloration, camouflage and diet. See how we are able to successfully ship live animals across the country.

If You Go

• When: Offered at 11 a.m. most Thursdays
• Tour Length: 45 minutes
• Group Size: Tours are limited to six or fewer participants and are not recommended for children younger than age 10.
• Cost: $25 per person.
• Reservations: Required at least one day in advance. Call group sales at 941-388-4441, ext. 348, or e-mail groupsales@mote.org.
• Note: Seahorse Conservation Lab Tours do not include general admission to Mote Aquarium. 

Mote Aquarium Admission Details
Adults (13 & older): $19
Seniors (65 & older): $18
Youth (age 4-12): $14
Children (age 0-3): Free
Mote Members: Free

• Visitor Information