Happy President’s Day! Our fish of the week is the koi. Koi (Cyprinus carpio) Koi, a member of the carp (Cyprinidae) family, like the goldfish and zebrafish, are some of the most popular aquatic pets. Koi are kept in outdoor ponds and can be kept outdoors all year round, even in areas that are seasonally …
Moon jellies (Aurelia aurita) Off on another tangent today, we’re going to talk about a member of the invertebrates, the moon jellyfish. Jellyfish are members of the cnidarian phylum. This phylum (remember: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species) contains jellyfish, anemones, corals and box jellies. Moon jellies are a common display jellyfish at …
This week’s fish: Zebrafish (Danio reiro) Zebrafish are long, tiny (approx. 4 cm on average) aquarium fish that are making waves in health research. These small fish have a high regenerative capacity, making them more and more popular as a laboratory animal. They have participated in research involving cancer, cardiovascular disease, immune function, retinal damage …
This week’s fish is actually a pair that you’ll recognize: the Clownfish and Blue Tang Clownfish (Amphiprion percula) Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) More commonly known as Nemo, Marlin & Dory, these two types of tropical fish are common in coral reefs. Clownfish have several interesting characteristics. They live in anemones, kind of like upside-down …
This week’s fish of the week is the Triggerfish! There are over 40 species of triggerfish scattered throughout the global oceans. They are a very diverse collection, with many ranges of colors and sizes. The stone triggerfish can reach up to one meter in length! These fish like to eat bottom dwelling critters, such as …
This week’s fish of the week is the Lionfish! Lionfish (Pterois volitans) Lionfish are a popular aquarium fish, with their red stripes and long spines. The spines, however, contain venom that the lionfish uses as a defensive mechanism. They do not move too fast, so their spines help protect against predators. Do NOT go sticking …
Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) Goldfish are one of the most popular home aquarium fish. The live in freshwater and have been bred to have many different physical characteristics. Some have been bred to have a long, fancy tail. Others have a mass of bubbles on their head or large eyes that look upwards instead of …
Today we start our weekly series: Fish of the Week! Check back every week to learn about a new interesting aquatic species! This week’s fish: The Parrotfish Have you ever walked along a warm, sandy beach and wondered where all that beautiful white sand comes from? You can thank a parrotfish! Parrotfish are a tropical …