Reaching for a starfish
Since the 1st of May, two of the open fish tanks located at the “Sea of Japan” exhibit have been used as touch pools. It means that the Aquarium’s visitors can both view the dwellers of the Far Eastern seas and touch some of them – gently and respectfully. The main “characters” of the touch pool are various starfish species of different shapes and colours. The pool is also a home to black and grey sea urchins, mussels, scallops and coastal crabs.
The fish tank which is adjacent to the touch pools houses more than 20 species of fish and invertebrates: sea anemones, scallops, masked greenlings, Schlegel's black rockfish, Japanese cucumarias, trepangs, flounders. And though the animals are not allowed to be touched, it is very interesting to watch them without glass barriers.
“Our visitors have a chance to feed the inhabitants of the open fish tank from 14.00 to 14.30 on Tuesday and Friday,” said Victoria Belotserkovets, Head of the Department of the Russian Far East Marine Organisms. “Children are simply delighted with this opportunity. We provide the visitors with special feed and gloves that are necessary for feeding sessions.”