Uploads from AR_the old guy, tagged aquarium

Maui Ocean Center - Shark alert

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:32:25 -0800

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

They never smile for the camera.

Maui Ocean Center - Trust

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:30:04 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

Here is a staff diver cleaning the bottom of the Open Ocean Display tank (750,000 gallons or 2.8 million litres, I believe) with a grey reef shark right behind him/her and other sharks in close proximity. More trusting of a predator than I could possible muster.

Maui Ocean Center

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:35:01 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

I believe this is a school of Ahi or Yellowfin tuna.

Maui Ocean Center

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:37:16 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

A hammerhead shark with the unusual snout and eyes. Lots of sharks and manta rays in the background - and the staff diver is stil alive and cleaning the bottom of the tank.

Maui Ocean Center - Suspended coral

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:21:22 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

The Center has a very active coral rehabilitation program and this is one means of supporting damaged coral back to recovery. Quite surreal.

Maui Ocean Center - Shark

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:25:38 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.
The Open Ocean display includes several shark species. I believe this is the Grey Reef Shark. Sharks will not attach healthy fish in this Open Ocean display. However, they have an uncanny sense to detect sick fish and will attack them as soon as they are introduced into the tank. As they marine biologists explaned, sharks are one of the ocean's cleaners. Their attacks on humans are rare but highly publicized. The biologists theorize that the swimmers or surfers may be displaying swimming behaviour of unhealthy fish as they splash at the surface.

Maui Ocean Center - Information Panel

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:23:43 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Center, an education and research station.

The Center uses natural sea water for all its tanks. This panel explains how the water is processed in the facility and then processed before release back into the ocean. The Center uses the same principles for its sea creatures as well. Most fish and sea mammals are trapped and brought to the center and are released back into the ocean within 18-24 months.

Maui Ocean Center - At the window

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:27:44 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.
Here a young visitor is holding up a detailed brochure that will help her identify most of the fish currently on display. The solitary diver is in the tank for cleaning and maintenance. There are numerous sharks and manta rays visible. Better him/her than me.

Maui Ocean Center - Colours galore

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:10:06 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.
Coral and sea anemones in a natural colourful display.

Maui Ocean Center - Blue

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:11:54 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

Coral in a beautiful blue light.

Maui Ocean Center

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:15:24 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.
The Frogfish is exceptionally quick in opening its mouth and snatching a live fish swimming by. It is also chameleon-like in its ability to change colours to blend in with surrounding rock and coral.

Maui Ocean Center - Coral in Rehab

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:19:43 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.
An example of Coral Rehabilitation which is actively pursued at the Center.
Looks a lot like a jewelry or geology display.

Maui Ocean Center - Flowery flounder

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:17:42 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

There are two Flowery Flounders in this display. One is clearly visible at the centre left. The second, in the centre of the image, is half-buried in the sand and is a master of camouflage. Even more unique is the location of the eyes on the left side of the fish's face. These eyes project like two radar domes from the fish's body, moving independently to scan the environment and potential meals. Flounder are born with an eye on each side of its head, but the right eye migrates to the left side of the face in the first 6 months of life. The fish spends most of its time crawling along the shallow ocean floor on its fins (which virtually encircle the body).
Most unusual.

Maui Ocean Center - Unicorn fish

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:13:39 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

The unusual Unicorn fish - I believe they look surprisingly like the late British actor Robert Morley or the late American entertainer Jimmy Durante.

Maui Ocean Center

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:02:33 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station. The fish at the centre left is an Eye Striped Surgeonfish. The fish in the center is a Unicorn fish - which has a remarkable human face.

Maui Ocean Center - Tropical Fish

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:00:04 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station located in Maalea, Maui. I believe this is the Eye Striped Surgeonfish. The Surgeonfish is a family with over 80 species - so named because of sharp spines at the base of its tail. I believe the dorsal and anal fins are also extremely sharp as well.

Maui Ocean Center

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:04:43 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station. Clearly visible is the elongated Trumpet fish swiming in a natural coral setting.

Maui Ocean Center - Eels

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:06:37 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station. Clearly visible are two eels, the head of the Moray Eel and the tail of an uknown species in black and white.
While eels are reclusive, they have have two sets of very sharp teeth; one in their jaws and another in their throats. Once they bite down on their prey, they do not let go.

Maui Ocean Center - Please smile for the camera.

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 13:08:10 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.

I look like this some mornings, too! This could be the Hawaiian Turkeyfish but I welcome expert opinions.

Maui Ocean Center - Coral

nobody@flickr.com (AR_the old guy) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:58:59 -0800

AR_the old guy posted a photo:

Details of the public displays at the renowned Maui Ocean Centre, an education and research station.