LIONFISH: Delightful to Look at, Dangerous to Touch!

When thinking of a dangerous sea creature, what do you think of? Maybe a Great White Shark with sharp teeth, or a jellyfish with its stinger. But did you know that the lionfish is considered to be one of the most venomous fish in the sea?! The spikes that you can see on lionfish are called pectoral rays, and they are all extremely venomous.

Since lionfish are an invasive species, they multiply very quickly, and have huge appetites! Lucky for them, they are the predators, and are never prey--not even sharks want to eat these guys!

Kare 11 News caught up with a group of local high school students from Stillwater, MN who are spending their summer saving Little Cayman Island from these unwanted invaders. The instructor and organizer, Randy Christman, told the students they needed to stand on their heads under water in order to successfully catch the Lionfish. 
Check out the full story!

Lionfish usually hide during the daytime and remain motionless, and are awake during the night to feed. They catch their prey by trapping it into a corner, but they don't bother chewing their food--they swallow it whole! Their favorite foods on the menu? Small fish, shrimps, and crabs. Lionfish can live to be 16 years old when living in the wild.

So what happens if you get stung by one of these beautiful, but dangerous, creatures? Stay calm, but treat it right away. The best way to treat the sting is to heat the affected area. Although lionfish are fun to look at, it's probably best to observe them safely through the aquarium tank!

Dwarfs No Longer Smallest Sea Horse

Dwarf Sea Horses are the smallest Sea Horse in the world, but are they the tiniest creatures swimming around Sea Horse Kingdom at SEA LIFE Minnesota? More information about the newest addition to the Sea Horse family will be revealed later this week.


Our amazing Sea-STAR of the week is the Dwarf Seahorse, the slowest moving fish in the world, with a top speed of only 5 feet per hour! Don't let their cute size and slow speed fool you, they are actually very intelligent. Our Dwarf Seahorses are kept in small aquariums and fed with delicious brine shrimp, although they also like to feed on copepods and other shrimp larvae. Dwarf Seahorses must be fed continuously throughout the day because of their small size.  


Guests and staff alike enjoy watching them as they float around and link to different plants with their long tails. They spend a majority of their time dancing around the tank and courting the opposite sex.

STAY TUNED to SEA LIFE Minnesota's Blog and Facebook page for a tiny surprise about the newest addition to Sea Horse Kingdom.

Caiman Crocs: Now on Exhibit!

VET worked hard crafting "Welcome Home" signs for
SEA LIFE Minnesota's newest creatures. 

A couple months ago, two Caiman Crocs arrived at SEA LIFE Minnesota... Today, the two sisters joined the rest of their Amazonian friends in the Aquarium's newest exhibit: Mysteries of the Rainforest! Not only did the surrounding animals express interest in the duo, but a local special-needs group, VET, also stopped by to greet the Caiman!

The Caiman Crocs made it home just in time for Mysteries of the Rainforest's grand opening - TODAY! SEA LIFE Minnesota is thrilled to welcome many exciting animals to the new exhibit. Some favorites include: Poison Dart Frogs, Tortoises, and Piranha!


Though, the Caiman Crocs are now proving to be a favorite among both staff and guests. The two sisters love to play in the water and entertaining guests by hiding among the floating vegetation.

There was no better way to welcome these two home then to provide them with their very own welcome party ...well, nothing better than lowering our ticket prices! (of course) This weekend only (March 16-18, 2012), visit SEA LIFE Minnesota & see our new Mysteries of the Rainforest exhibit and pay only $9.99/child and $11.99/adult (ticket prices do not include tax).

The new price will only be valid online throughout this weekend (from now until Sunday, March 18, 2012). Click here to visit our website and purchase your discounted tickets for this weekend!

Stop by to see our brand new Caiman Crocs, as well as all the Mysteries of the Rainforest!

www.sealifeus.com

Kevin Love Releases New Octopus

Yesterday was an exciting day for the 10,000 sea creatures of SEA LIFE Minnesota, because a local celebrity joined them under the sea.


Kevin Love, from the Minnesota Timberwolves, visited the Aquarium to help release his new pal K-Love, a Vulgaris Octopus. The basketball all-star assisted Aquarium staff with releasing his 8-legged namesake into his new home, which will be near the Aquarium's Harbor exhibit. 


Kevin and K-Love have more in common than one may think.  Both the octopus, K-Love, and Kevin Love have excellent grabbing ability – one to grab boards, the other mainly grabs food. An octopus is also one of the smartest animals in the sea, while Kevin is surely one of the smartest on the court. Lastly, both Kevin and K-Love will be making Minnesota proud for many years to come.


After Kevin welcomed K-Love to his new home, he treated Hope Kids (a group of children facing life-threatening illnesses) to a private meet & greet and ice cream - what a great guy!

SEA LIFE Open December 25

The aquarium will be open to all looking for some fun and adventure on December 25. SEA LIFE is all about bringing families together to learn and explore, no matter what their traditions may be. Hours are shortened, from Noon -5P.M. but  those looking for a warmer endeavor to escape from the chill of late December, will be able to enter the aquarium for only $5.99 when they present  this coupon.

Thank You to our American Heroes

This December, SEA LIFE Minnesota is giving thanks to the American Heroes who do so much for our country. From now until the end of December, all Military Personnel, Veterans, and first responders, including: Police Officers, Firefighters, Paramedics, and EMT will receive free admission into the aquarium.  Their immediate families will receive 50% off admission.

SEA LIFE Minnesota wants to ensure that our American Heroes, who are home for the holidays, have the opportunity for some family fun and adventure. With over 10,000 sea creatures to explore and experience, what better way to spend a day in December!

To receive the discount just show identification of your occupation at the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium box office. 

           

We salute your sacrifice and are grateful for the opportunity to give something back. Thank you Heroes.

And for those Iraq War Soldiers, welcome home.

For more information, please visit: www.sealifeus.com

Another Kardashian Abandons Minnesota

Following in Kim’s Foot Steps: 

Swim Kardashian is leaving SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium to 

head south and take Texas

After a short 34 week relationship with Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, Swim Kardashian, a Giant Green Sea Turtle, is following in her “sisters” foot steps by leaving Minnesota for good. It turns out Swim didn’t want to settle down here either. She is heading south to SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium in Texas. There are several sea turtles at SEA LIFE Minnesota and Swim is looking forward to living the single life at SEA LIFE Grapevine.  

Swim Kardashian arrived at SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium in March 2011 and received her name for being one of the new “Celebrity turtles” here at the aquarium. Swim has a condition called a “bubble butt” because air gets under the shell and gathers by her butt. A weight patch is added to her shell to help her to swim properly.

Swim also gained some weight when she started here in March, so now she is working on slimming down with a salad diet to prepare herself for being the hot new turtle in Texas.

Coziest Spot in Rainbow Reef

Rainbow Reef is the first stop within SEA LIFE Minnesota's famous, 300ft long tunnel. Not only is it the home of many tropical fish, but it is also the location of a heart warming sight you will not want to miss!

A Nurse Shark and a variety of Bamboo sharks curl up
against the exhibit's rocky overhang.

This tropical paradise houses some of the warmest water in the aquarium - nearly 82 degrees! Water that warm, in addition to cozy, coral surroundings, can only mean one thing: naps!

And that's exactly what the shark's of Rainbow Reef do! The next time you begin your journey through the Aquarium's 300ft long ocean tunnel, look up towards the overhanging rocks! You'll be sure to find White Spotted Bamboo Sharks, Brown Banded Bamboo Sharks, and our newly added, Juivinile Nurse Shark all cuddling against the tunnel's glass and exhibit rocks.

Keep your voice down, though. These little guys need their beauty sleep!

Piranha’s Rocky Rescue

SEA LIFE Minnesota Removed 55 Rocks from Piranha’s Stomach
Piranhas typically eat mackerel, shrimp, or algae; NOT ROCKS. However, SEA LIFE just received a piranha who had an abnormal looking stomach full of 55 rocks! Carly Bryns, SEA LIFE’S Curator, spotted the piranha at a locally trusted fish supplier.

As you can imagine, rocks can only be removed one way- through surgery. The aquarium staff took on the challenge of surgically removing the rocks and saving this poor piranha’s life. The net weight of these 55 rocks ended up being 17 grams.


SEA LIFE MInnesota's newest piranha after his surgery.


As you can see, the piranha is doing well after his intense surgery. Tomorrow, (Tuesday, August 23rd) SEA LIFE staff will display the piranha for guests to see and learn more about. He now has some stiches and a strict fish diet - hold the rocks.

It’s been a ROCKY road for this little piranha, but he has found himself an excellent home at SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium!

SEA LIFE Minnesota Facebook fans can vote to help name the little survivor! Click here to choose from: Rocky, Rambo, or Rock Star!

Green Sawfish in Atlantis

Our Sea-STAR of the Week is keeping up with the Shark Week theme! Our Green Sawfish are in the same family as sharks, along with rays and skates.

Sawfish are most recognizable by their rostrom, which is the long saw-like protrusion from their faces. It is covered motion sensitive and electrosensitive pores that help the sawfish to detect movement, as their eyes are fairly undeveloped. It can even allow them to detect the heartbeats of sea creatures hiding under the ocean floor!

They live in the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans, and can even survive in the brackish water of estuaries, much like their cousin, the Bull Shark!  

While Sawfish in the wild spend most of their time lying on the ocean floor, the Sawfish here at the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium prefer to hang out on top of the tunnel, giving guests a great view of themselves!  

They prefer to hunt at night, and swim into schools of fish moving their rostrom back and forth. The "teeth" on the rostrom, which are actually called "denticles", are very useful for spearing fish to eat!  

Shark Week is Almost Here!

It's official: Shark Week is only a few days away! Here at the aquarium, we can't wait to see what the Discovery Channel has to share about some of the ocean's "toothiest" creatures!

While we may not have videos of shark attacks or of Great White Sharks jumping out of the water, we do have more than six different species of free-swimming sharks in our Atlantis exhibit!

As a way to share our excitement, we've put together a selection of cool facts about these sharks. Did you know...

Sand Tiger Sharks are the only sharks known to come to the surface to gulp air, which allows them to float motionless in the water while they hunt for prey! They grow to be up to 10 feet long and have a mouthful of vicious looking teeth protruding in all directions.

Nurse Sharks are nocturnal, and are often found on the sea floor in groups of up to 40 - sometimes even piled up on top of each other! They are generally harmless to humans, but have thousands of tiny, serrated teeth that they will use defensively.

Next, our Blacktip Reef Sharks, which are easy to recognize because of their black-tipped fins. They have to swim constantly with their mouths open in order to let oxygen-rich water flow over their gills.

Come by the tunnel at the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium to check out the rest of our shark species! One more cool fact before you go: sharks don't have a swim bladder like most other fish, and will sink to the bottom if they stop swimming!

Porcupine Pufferfish

As you head towards our 300 foot tunnel after making your way through the incredible sights of Seahorse Kingdom, you'll spot one of our most recognizable sea creatures! Porcupine Pufferfish look exactly like their name suggests! They have two distinguishing features - the sharp spines that cover their bodies, and the ability to rapidly inflate their bodies with air! The combination of the two defense mechanisms mean that the Porcupine Pufferfish is able to intimidate predators without any problems!

 

Porcupine Pufferfish are found in tropical waters all over the world, and usually spend the daytime hiding in crevices and coral. At night, they emerge to hunt for sea urchins and small crustaceans.

But watch out! Even if a human managed to successfully catch one, Porcupine Pufferfish are poisonous to eat and can cause breathing difficulties, paralysis, and even death.

Giant Pacific Octopus

After visiting the Ray Lagoon and Rockpool exhibits, guests at the SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium will come across one of our most intelligent sea creatures - the Giant Pacific Octopus! They are smart enough to solve simple problems, like finding their way through mazes and unscrewing jar lids to get to the food inside. They also have a very creative defense mechanism - if a Giant Pacific Octopus feels threatened, it will release a cloud of black ink to obscure the attacker's view and sense of smell, giving the octopus time to escape.

These sea creatures have some very cool anatomical features, such as three hearts and blue blood! While shrimp, clams and small fish are usually a Giant Pacific Octopus's favorite food, they have been known to attack sharks, and even birds, with their sharp, beaklike mouths that they used to puncture and tear flesh.

In the wild, a Giant Pacific Octopus will usually only live for three to five years, but during that time they can grow to be about 16 feet across and weigh 110 pounds!

Wobbegong Sharks in Atlantis

If you walk through Atlantis in the 300ft long Ocean Tunnel at SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, you'll get to see one of the coolest looking sharks around! The Wobbegong Sharks may be well camoflaged, but once you see them, you'll recognize it right away! They have symmetrical marking patterns, can grow to be 10 feet long, and have little weed-like tassles hanging from the head and mouth. These tentacles are used to attract small fish, crabs and lobsters so that the Wobbegong Shark can easily catch them.

These sharks are great at camouflaging themselves - they blend in well with the ocean floors!

Wobbegong Sharks are not generally aggressive, or dangerous to humans, but they have been known to bite people if accidentally stepped on! They live in shallow and tropical waters of the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, around Australia and Indonesia. Come see if you can spot them hanging out around the bottom of the tank!

Horseshoe Crabs at the Shoreline

If you come by the Shoreline at SEALIFE Minnesota Aquarium, you'll get to see some of our coolest looking sea creatures! Or, if you stop at the Rockpool, you can touch one! Horseshoe Crabs often cause a lot of confusion when people see them, because we call them a Crab, they look like a Stingray, but they're actually more closely related to a Scorpian!

In the wild, they live in shallow, warm coastal waters, and have bodies unlike most animals you've ever seen before. They have ten eyes in total, all used for different things! Some detect light, some help it to find a mate, and some help orient the Horseshoe Crab while it swims. They also have blue, copper based blood, unlike our red, iron based blood. Horseshoe Crabs have existed for millions of years with out evolving, and one of the reasons they have survived against predators for so long is because they can go up to one year without eating!

Lionfish in the Caribbean Tank

Along with Green Moray Eels and Hawaiian Pacific Triggerfish, the Caribbean Tank at SEALIFE Minnesota Aquarium  is home to one of the most venomous fish in the oceans - the Lionfish. In the wild, Lionfish are native to the Indo-Pacific, but in the 1900s, they were introduced into the Atlantic Ocean and can now be found along the east coast of the United States.

Their venomous tentacles and lightning-fast reflexes make them excellent predators, and they often spread their pectoral fins (like in the picture above) to help herd small fish and shrimp into a more confined space, making it easier to catch them. Lionfish are overpopulating many of the areas they live in because they reproduce extremely fast and can live to be up to 16 years old!

Cownose Stingray in Ray Lagoon

One of the many animals in the Ray Lagoon at the SEALIFE Minnesota Aquarium is the Cownose Stingray. They can be found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Carribean Sea, and can have a wingspan of up to three feet long, and can weigh as much as 50 pounds!

These rays use their fins to stir up sediment on the ocean floor to expose the crabs and other shellfish that they like to eat. As their fins break the surface of the water when they swim, they are often mistaken for shark fins!

If you want to watch the Cownose Stingrays being fed, you can see the feedings at the Ray Lagoon several times a week! Come by the exhibit at 11:30AM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or Saturdays at 1:30PM.

Stay Tuned!

Come back soon to learn more about some of the 10,000 sea creatures at the SEALIFE Minnesota Aquarium from the experts on our team!