Fish Lab – Phytoplankton and Zooplankton production
All our cultures of algae are growing very well, and we are experimenting with batches ranging in volume from 100ml vials to 18 litre buckets. This makes an ample food supply for the Artemia shrimp, which in turn are fed to our seahorses.
The Nannochloropsis phytoplankton is used to grow benthic copepods (a type of zooplankton, smaller than Rotifera) that are also fed to our seahorses and fish. We have been observing the various life cycle stages of the copepods under the lab microscope including:
Female with eggs -> Nauplius (larva) -> Juveniles
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- Fish Lab – Adult Seahorses
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- Fish Lab – Algae production
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- Fish Lab Microscope – Adult Female Benthic Copepod Carrying Eggs
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- Fish Lab Microscope – Nauplii of Benthic Copepod
Excursions
August proved to be a good month for dolphin-spotting, most commonly the Spinner Dolphin in pods of 35 to 150 individuals (estimated). Our guests were treated to some incredible shows of ‘bow-riding’ at the front of the boat, and also occasional acrobatics as they leapt and span into the air. We also sighted Bottlenose Dolphins in several smaller pods of around 10 individuals.
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- Hawksbill Turtle Sighted at Makunudu
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- Snorkel excursions – marine life – Hawksbill turtle
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- Spinner Dolphins bow-riding
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- Snorkel excursions – marine life – clam
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- Snorkel excursions – marine life – clownfish
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- Snorkel excursions – marine life – Pencil urchin – Heterocentrotus mamillatus
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- Snorkel excursions – marine life – Puffer fish – Arothron caeruleopunctatus
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- Code of conduct, which should be employed on all cruises
Adult Seahorses in our Fish Lab, Marine Discovery Centre, Landaa Giraavaru
