A collection of delicate undersea life such as Pacific Giant Octopus, sea anemones, living corals, jellies and weedy sea dragons are featured as art in The Living Gallery.
Coral reefs are a vibrant underwater oasis which provides protection to all types of marine life. Some of the “plants” that flow back and forth in the currents are not plants at all, they are actually animals. View many of these plant-like animals that depend on the sun for nutrition such as the giant clam, hammer corals, and brain corals to name a few.
Weedy Sea Dragon
The Weedy Sea Dragon is well known for its camouflage appearance, which is used for protection. This camouflage allows them to look like drifting weeds
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Giant Pacific Octopus
Found in the waters of the North Pacific, the Giant Pacific Octopus can weigh up to 33 pounds and have an arm span of 14 feet. This Cephalopod has chromatophores
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Regal Blue Tang
A member of the surgeon fish family, the Regal Blue tang is able to defend its self using spines located toward the base of its tale. This reef fish is a bright blue
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West Coast Sea Nettle
This jelly is in the class of true jellies, called Scyphozoa. The West Coast Sea Nettle can be found commonly in the waters of the North Pacific, along the coast of
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Bat Star
These invertebrates are related to sea stars and have similar characteristics except they have webbing between their 5 or more triangular shaped legs
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- Location: Indicated in orange on the map
- Habitat/Region featured: Deep ocean
- Size: Tank hold 2,000,000 gallons (1,250,000 liters) of water
- Opening date: May 29, 2004
Fish Blogs
Grab the inside scoops, go behind the scenes, hear animal experts & more! See life at the aquarium unfold!
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Phyllopteryx taeniolatus
The Weedy Sea Dragon is well known for its camouflage appearance, which is used for protection. This camouflage allows them to look like drifting weeds. They can reach up to 18 inches and can be found in the waters of Western Australia. Unlike seahorses, the Weedy Sea Dragon does not have a prehensile (grabbing) tail, which is used to anchor, but rather one for steering.
They feed on zooplankton and tiny crustaceans with their tube like snout. The male Weedy Sea Dragon carries the fertilized eggs under his tail for approximately 8 weeks.
Enteroctopus dofleini
Found in the waters of the North Pacific, the Giant Pacific Octopus can weigh up to 33 pounds and have an arm span of 14 feet. This Cephalopod has chromatophores, which are tiny pigments, in its skin cells which allow it to change color to blend into the surrounding environment and is capable of releasing an ink cloud to escape from predators.
This invertebrate (meaning it has no backbone) uses its strong beak to eat crabs, scallops, abalones, clams, along with other small fish. They can lay up to 100,000 eggs, which when born are only about the size of a grain of rice. The Giant Pacific Octopus has a complex brain and highly developed eyes which allows it to focus by moving the lens in and out.
Paracanthurus hepatus
A member of the surgeon fish family, the Regal Blue tang is able to defend its self using spines located toward the base of its tale. This reef fish is a bright blue color with a yellow caudal (tail) fin and black markings.
Regal Blue Tangs are native to the Indo-Pacific region, which includes anywhere between the islands of Madagascar and Hawaii. They can grow to a maximum of 12 inches. This fish is very popular due to its occurrence in the movie “Finding Nemo” as “Dory”.
Chrysaora Fuscescens
This jelly is in the class of true jellies, called Scyphozoa. The West Coast Sea Nettle can be found commonly in the waters of the North Pacific, along the coast of California to Oregon.
This jelly uses its nematocyst (stinging cells) on its tentacles. This sting is relatively mild and is equivalent to that of a bee sting. Their bell is dark golden in color and can reach lengths of 30 cm. This jelly likes to feed on zooplankton, fish and even other small jellies.
Patiria miniata
These invertebrates are related to sea stars and have similar characteristics except they have webbing between their 5 or more triangular shaped legs. Bat Stars have a fuzzy appearance due to the gill like structures they use to breathe on their backs.
Their exoskeleton is composed of plates called calcified ossicles joined by connective tissue. The Bat Star has a unique way of eating, they expel their digestive enzymes to liquefy the prey then swallow it. They use tiny suction cup like feet called tube feet to draw and in water and expel it to crawl around the bottom of the ocean floor. Bat Stars also have the interesting ability to regenerate lost arms.
