***
Japan trip
Day 9 - 14th June - Kaiyukan; Osaka (Part 4)
The thing about the aquarium's spiral design was that it took you back to tanks you had seen before, and you could see the other side of them or their bottom parts. Furthermore, the audioguide only sounded off when entering a new area, so it was quite quiet towards the end.
The audioguide was annoying because there were basic grammatical mistakes. Another annoying line: 'give birth to lih'v young' (live).
Antarctica was the next area.
King Penguins. At the upper left is a Gento penguin.
Some penguins, like the one in the left foreground, had what looked like barnacles growing on them. Ugh.
This exhibit was cute because it had "snow" falling from an ice kachang dispenser above.
Next was the Tasman Sea.
Crown of Thorns Starfish
Euphyllia Ancura coral
Euphyllia Ancura coral
"Teeth of the ... Pacific whitesided dolphins are not used for biting off their food. They use their teeth to keep their prey without arms" - ???
Pacific Whitesided Dolphins
After that was the Great Barrier Reef.
Coral
Fish inside the Reef are colourful to protect themselves from their enemies: it's harder to see them when the sun shines. This was a surprise, since in nature usually colourful = poisonous.
Then it was time for the biggest tank: the Pacific Ocean (how appropriate):
Manta Rays
Whale Shark
Aquarium website: ""Kai-kun" is a male whale shark... He swims in the Pacific Ocean tank very well."
Damn Japs
Whale Shark 2
The fish swimming under sharks are called "shark suckers". Maybe they get eaten from time to time.
Ray
Octopus, Kelp Ball, Ocean Sunfish
The Sunfish was something I'd never seen before (well, so was the Whale Shark, but I'd never even heard of the Sunfish and it's definitely more exotic).
The inimitable aquarium website again:
"The popularity of ocean sunfish is as high as the whale shark. Visitors love its innocent charming expressions. At the time of feeding, it rushes to the feeder keeping its mouth small and round eyes wide open.
He skillfully eats a mixture of ground shrimps and squids in small bite sizes. When the feeding time is over, it looks disappointed.
He is usually easygoing and sometimes sensitive. When surprised, it swims at high speed and risks its injuring body by knocking against the display window."
Uhh...
The sunfish is so sensitive they line its tank with a plastic net so it won't bump into the acrylic walls of the tank. Flash photography is also prohibited with it (but that didn't stop many people).
I counted 4 octopuses in the Ocean Sunfish tank. Uhh.
Sunfish
Glow in the dark fish.
The Panama Canal as a barrier for the free flow of wildlife. Somehow I doubt it's so effective.
School of small fish: 10,000 Sardines and Japanese Anchovies
After this the tanks started repeating.
Penguin
Ray resting on ledge
Coral
Diver being the Green Goblin
Chilling on the
Giant Spider Crab from the bottom of the ocean (I swear I had a better picture; I knew I deleted some dups but I thought they were worse, oh well). They keep animals like this by changing the water pressure gradually so they get used to it. Now they're kept at normal pressure.
They claimed eating crab brings fortune. Right.
There was some information panel on distinguishing sharks and rays (including by touch). Wth. Only a blind person can't do that.
Harbour from aquarium
Giant Garouper. Very ugly.
Sharks and Man (to scale)
At the end was the largest collection of Jellyfish I'd ever seen. You'll see about half what the had (the more interesting half, I'd like to think).
Aequorea Coerulescens. After this I gave up and took videos. They capture the graceful, ethereal movements better anyway.
Jellyfish 1: Rhopilema Esculenta
Jellyfish 2: Chrysaoru Melanaster
Jellyfish 3: Aurelia Limbata
Jellyfish 4: Bolinopsis Mikado
Jellyfish 5: Pacific Sea Nettle
I was thinking that it was strange that it was missing what every introduction to the strange and wonderful world of Jellyfish needs: a Portuguese Man of War, perhaps because it's too big, but I've since learnt that a Portuguese Man-of-War is not a jellyfish! Damn.
Spotted Garden Eel, peeking in and out of the sand. They reminded me of the breast rash larvae (HAHAHAHAHAHA)
Spotted Garden Eel
Mudskippers - out of the mud
They had Banded Archerfish, but no opportunity to let them demonstrate a shot. Aww.
Otter toys
Emotional blackmail
All in all, it was the best aquarium I've ever been to. And I've been to quite a lot. Lucky for Osaka, since there isn't that much to do there anyway (hurr hurr).
