Underwater Adventures Pics 01/07/07 LOAD WARNING!

[ewurm]

Visited UnderwaterGirl and zoodiver at the Mall of America today. Got some decent shots with my new camera, and did a piss poor job of helping Nicky feed the Stingrays.

Quote of the day: "Uhh...If you fell in there, would you die?" -Some 14 year old kid with malfunctioning brain, standing next to the Shark Exhibit. I wanted to find out if he would die if I pushed him in, LOL.

First pics are from a cafe in the mall, I think it was the Rainforest Cafe.

 

[rust9000]

Looking good, i love the puffer!

 

[ewurm]

Here are some pics I got while I was up top, watching the feeding. They wouldn't let me swim with the sharks with my clothes on, and definitely not with my clothes off.

I got a shot of a stingray and a nurse shark while Matt was feeding the sawfish. He has a very long pole.....for feeding the sawfish. LOL

Also got a shot of some juvenile pirhana in a growout tank, a shot of a rare stingray (the spotted one), there are only a handful in North America.

The sea turtle was splashing, begging for food.

 

[ewurm]

Want to know what salt the pros use? Instant Ocean. I have a 5 gallon bucket, they have a pallet, actually several. I tucked one in my jacket, that should be good for my 20 gallon for the next 50 years. LOL

 

[ewurm]

The beginning of the exhibits has a nice Koi pond, and a trout stream exhibit. Also, there is a friendly reminder that dumping non-native species in local lakes and rivers is illegal.

 

[ewurm]

The Amazon display is small, for now. In February the River exhibit with the Gar will be moving to the native tank, pics are coming of both. The Gar exhibit will be an Amazon exhibit, with many more fish like Severums, Geophagus, TSN, Arapaima, Arowana, etc.

For now, heres a couple shots.

 

[ewurm]

The native tank has a variety of fish including Walleye, Sunfish, LMB, SMB, Perch, Sturgeon, Carp, Paddlefish, Pike, and Muskellunge. Also features a boat on the surface that has Spongebob fishing. That absorbent bastard has never caught anything, as far as I can tell. The kids don't even notice the fish, they just yell at the top of their lungs "Look Mom, It's spongebob!". I cringe and move to the river exhibit.

No comment on the beaver.

 

[ewurm]

The river exhibit is one of my favorites. There is a plethora of gar, and some monster catfish that weren't being very photogenic. The Alligator gar are bigger than I am. Thinking of getting one for your tank? Think twice.

 

[ewurm]

The Shark Exhibit houses many fish other than sharks. Species include Jacks, Grouper, Drum, Barracuda, Stingrays, Guitarfish, Sawfish, Nurse Sharks, Black tips, Sandtigers, and also sea turtles. I'm probably forgetting a few.

Also included in the photos was a Remora, one of my favorite SW fish. How many can I keep in my 20 gallon?

 

[Nic]

wow thanks for sharring ewurm