Hey folks, I've had some folks asking me lately if it's worth spending the money on a certain color seahorse, when they're just paying for the coloring.
I've said it before, but here it is again: In general, no.
Just because you buy a seahorse that is a certain color does not guarantee that they will remain that color. Could they? Yes. But the odds are highly unlikely that they will remain that way forever, and much more likely that the seahorse will adopt colors that allow it blend into it's environment. Now you could buy a $300.00 bright red seahorse and put him in a tank where the walls have been painted red and there is only red rocks, hitching posts, macroalgae, etc.. and then sure, there's a chance he'd stay red, but it's still just a chance. I know some sites "guarantee" the color to stay, but from what i've read and been told, that simply is not a guarantee that anyone should be making, since most seahorses will not permanently stay one color.
Seahorses, depending on breeding and the environment they were raised in tend to stick to a certain "base" coloration pattern. Their colors might change in response to environmental or social factors, but in general that is a short term coloration and they will tend to go back to their "base" colors after the need for that coloration has passed.
Examples:
One pair I got from Ocean Rider (H. Erectus "sunbursts") came to me with the female being a bright orange, and the male being a rusty orange. within a week, the female moved to a dark brown with white saddles pattern, and the male to a tan coloring. When courting, the male will turn almost white from head to tail, but in general they remained the brown and tan 95% of the time. Then last week I caught them courting and they were both very orange.... Now they're back to brown and tan.
I also found a recent shift in one of my other femals, an H. Erectus "Mustang". From day one she's also been keeping to the dark brown with white saddle markings. Every once in a while she'd show up in a lighter tan, but it was a rare thing. Two nights ago, I'm feeding my herd and I see what HAS to be a new seahorse.. but I didn't put any in the tank soooo..... it turns out that it was this female we're talking about, but she was a bright vivid yellow. I've had her for almost two years and never seen anything but the browns from her, so It really took me by surprise.
Last example... Another female I have came to me bright yellow. After a few months she went through a few phases of browns/blacks, but then came back to the bright yellow. She's been yellow for over a year now, and definately the longest I've seen any of my horses stay the same exact color.
so again, is it possible for a seahorse to keep to just one color? yes. but is it likely, and is it worth spending ridiculous amounts of money for? I'd say no. But if you want to shell out a lot of money and take a chance, who knows, you may just win the lottery.
I've said it before, but here it is again: In general, no.
Just because you buy a seahorse that is a certain color does not guarantee that they will remain that color. Could they? Yes. But the odds are highly unlikely that they will remain that way forever, and much more likely that the seahorse will adopt colors that allow it blend into it's environment. Now you could buy a $300.00 bright red seahorse and put him in a tank where the walls have been painted red and there is only red rocks, hitching posts, macroalgae, etc.. and then sure, there's a chance he'd stay red, but it's still just a chance. I know some sites "guarantee" the color to stay, but from what i've read and been told, that simply is not a guarantee that anyone should be making, since most seahorses will not permanently stay one color.
Seahorses, depending on breeding and the environment they were raised in tend to stick to a certain "base" coloration pattern. Their colors might change in response to environmental or social factors, but in general that is a short term coloration and they will tend to go back to their "base" colors after the need for that coloration has passed.
Examples:
One pair I got from Ocean Rider (H. Erectus "sunbursts") came to me with the female being a bright orange, and the male being a rusty orange. within a week, the female moved to a dark brown with white saddles pattern, and the male to a tan coloring. When courting, the male will turn almost white from head to tail, but in general they remained the brown and tan 95% of the time. Then last week I caught them courting and they were both very orange.... Now they're back to brown and tan.
I also found a recent shift in one of my other femals, an H. Erectus "Mustang". From day one she's also been keeping to the dark brown with white saddle markings. Every once in a while she'd show up in a lighter tan, but it was a rare thing. Two nights ago, I'm feeding my herd and I see what HAS to be a new seahorse.. but I didn't put any in the tank soooo..... it turns out that it was this female we're talking about, but she was a bright vivid yellow. I've had her for almost two years and never seen anything but the browns from her, so It really took me by surprise.
Last example... Another female I have came to me bright yellow. After a few months she went through a few phases of browns/blacks, but then came back to the bright yellow. She's been yellow for over a year now, and definately the longest I've seen any of my horses stay the same exact color.
so again, is it possible for a seahorse to keep to just one color? yes. but is it likely, and is it worth spending ridiculous amounts of money for? I'd say no. But if you want to shell out a lot of money and take a chance, who knows, you may just win the lottery.
