Fish Lab, Aquaria, and Marine Life in the Maldives
Plankton Production
Our plankton and algae cultures are used as the main food source for the residents of our Fish Lab.
– Algae – The algal culture in our Fish Lab has been stable this month, with 800L produced to feed our juvenile fish and shrimps. The Nannochloropsis algae population has been maintained at 9mL per day.
– Rotifers – Rotifer population has increased to 590 individuals/mL.
– Artemia – increased from 6g to 7.5g of cysts a day as the average jellyfish size increases.
Jellyfish – Aurelia aurita
Our July batch of moon jellies continue to thrive and grow in the 80L Kreisel tank. From this batch, 230 individuals were relocated to the large cylinder tank, totalling 350 individuals. Each tank is being fed twice-daily with Artemia.
Groupers
The new batches of grouper fingerlings (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus) are almost 4 months old and continue to thrive (with only one death this month). Approximately 250g of finely-minced fusilier baitfish are now being fed to the fingerlings once per day (morning uptake is very low) with each individual consuming an average of 1.49g daily over the last month.
Our adult grouper population continue to do well, with zero casualties this month. We have increased their daily food to 400g (for the large individuals group) and to 450g (smaller individuals).
Sea Urchins
The overall population is healthy, although one individual is showing a bulged top due to last month’s KCl injection. Individuals are fed twice per day with leftover vegetables from the kitchen.
Ornamental Fish & Shrimp Breeding
This month, we added some extra marine objects to enrich our breeding and display tanks, including rocks, dead corals, and bivalve/gastropod shells.
- Clark’s anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) – our breeding pair in tank #3 has been laying eggs weekly, but we have not attempted to collect and raise these as we aim to increase future genetic diversity in our residents. [Lifecycle graphic]
- Boxer shrimp (Stenopus hispidus) – The female again carried two batches of eggs under her belly but no larvae were collected.
- Dancing shrimp (Thor amboinensis): we have 12 healthy individuals from our September batch; the 29 individuals from our October batch have all now reached reached settlement stage. Twenty individuals from our August batch have been relocated to tank 14 to reside with several dancing shrimps.
- Molluscs – Spider conches (Strombidae) can be useful aquarium residents as they eat algae found in sandy substrates. We have added a new resident to our display tank, specifically an arthritic spider conch (Lambis chiragra arthrica). This species has 6 shell spines, compared to the common spider conch (Lambis lambis) with 7.
- Reef-top pipefish (Corythoichtys haematopterus) – On 13 November, we collected 8 adult reef-top pipefish from the reef. From this batch, 4 were pregnant males with swollen bellies. On the nights of 18-19 November, two of the males released their larvae; we collected 94 + 126 individuals and relocated them to a 30L Kreisel tank (with constant air-flow). Despite our best efforts, and regular feeding with rotifers and algae, both batches of larvae died after 5 days.
Snorkel Excursions
At Landaa this month, 122 guests enjoyed 14 Guided Adventure Snorkels, 10 Turtle Safaris, 3 Night Snorkels, and 5 Parrot Reef Snorkels. Hawksbill turtles were most commonly-sighted, followed by blacktip reef sharks, and we made a rare and exciting sighting of a manta ray at Parrot Reef. During our 7 privately conducted trips, highlights included sighting 9 different turtles at Dhonfan reef, enjoying a pod of spinner dolphins bow-riding close to our boat, and spotting 6 manta rays cruising next to the Landaa sandbank.
At Kuda Huraa, 197 guests joined us on 32 excursions to 6 different local marine sites, where we encountered 10 different species of megafauna. As guides in a 5-star resort, our teams are always looking for ways to make our guest’s experience unique and unforgettable, with daily snorkelling trips at a number of reefs and sites nearby. Each site is unique and hosts its own array of species, including sharks, rays, and turtles. Given the diversity and heterogeneity of these destinations, we have produced a new Marine Life ID Guide, available onboard for guests to ID their favourite sightings on the day. We have also been renovating all of our guest presentations with new photos and updated facts. Excursions include a briefing and the snorkel experience, followed by an out-of-water discussion of the interesting sightings.
Snorkelling excursions at Kuda Huraa take our guests on once-in-a-lifetime adventures to observe the beautiful Maldivian marine life. After recent shifts in coral reef health due to the 2024 global coral bleaching event, and with the aim to provide our repeater guests with always new experiences, our team has recently started exploring new potential snorkeling sites. Secluded reefs provide outstanding hotspots for Hawksbill turtle encounters, with occasional sightings of reef sharks and eagle rays. Megafauna sighting frequency is often linked to the presence of a healthy reef system, with coral cover and coral species diversity.
Umbrella buddies!
Hawksbill swimming over our restored reefs
Dhonfanu School Visit
On 9 November, we welcomed Dhonfanu School students to Landaa for a tour of our Marine Discovery Center to celebrate World Kindness Day. The visit started with a meet-and-greet with our resident turtle patients, along with a talk about the Olive Ridley species. Indoors, our Fish Lab scientist Guillaume introduced the students to our moon jellyfish large display tank and a tour of our fish & shrimp breeding tanks.
The visit was concluded with the construction of a new coral frame, with 110 coral fragments kindly donated by the hotel with the tag inscription ‘Dhonfanu School Kids 2024’. The students spent some time discussing the benefits of coral fragmentation and retransplantation with our coral biologist Kate, before going through some basic coral morphology. Once the frame was complete, the students helped to place it into the water by the jetty where it was later planted at our new ‘White Tail’ site.
The students greatly enjoyed the experience as the conclusion to their Moodhu Madhurusa program organised by MMCP in Baa Atoll.
School Visits
Two Malé schools visited our Marine Discovery Centre at Kuda Huraa, to learn about marine life and conservation efforts. These visits were part of their curriculum on environmental science and aimed to inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of marine ecosystems. The students were interested and engaged in activities such as turtle feeding, Q&A sessions, and coral frame building.
Maldives and Singapore Girl Guides
The Girl Guides Association is an organisation dedicated to empowering girls and young women in Maldivian society by providing opportunities to explore their capabilities and realise their fullest potential. We welcomed a group from the Girls’ Adventure-Environment Camp, in collaboration with the Maldivian and Singaporean Girl Guides. On the tour of our Centre, the group learnt about all of our conservation efforts, alongside a better understanding of climate change to inspire young leaders to contribute to global environmental efforts. It was truly a pleasure to host this dynamic and spirited group, and we are proud to have been part of such an impactful initiative!
Maldives Manta Conservation Programme
We were thrilled to host the scholars from the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme for their Divemaster and Marine Biology Training. The visit began with an informative presentation, where they gained insights into our marine conservation projects and the importance of sustainable practices. Next, we conducted an in-water session focused on coral frames and maintenance, learning valuable techniques to support reef health and resilience. To cap off the experience, they enjoyed a stingray snorkel, observing these graceful creatures up close in their natural habitat. It was an honor to guide such dedicated and passionate individuals as they deepened their understanding of marine ecosystems and conservation efforts.
Maldives National University
The Marine Discovery Centre at Kuda Huraa was delighted to host a group of enthusiastic students from the Maldives National University. During their visit, the students explored our ongoing marine conservation projects, including coral propagation, turtle rehabilitation, and cetacean research. Our team shared insights into the challenges and triumphs of protecting marine ecosystems in the Maldives, sparking engaging discussions about sustainable practices and conservation. It was inspiring to witness their curiosity and passion for environmental stewardship, and we look forward to seeing how they will contribute to preserving the natural beauty of their nation’s marine habitats.
Maldives Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation
Vaavoshi Turtle Festival
On 30 November, we were delighted to participate in the 2024 Vaavoshi Turtle Festival, held at Kendhikulhudhoo Island in Noonu Atoll.
The morning kicked off with the opening ceremony, followed by a lively debating competition for local school students. We opened our Reefscapers stall that included a throwing “trash” sorting game, turtle trivia questions, and a snakes & ladders (coral edition), all of which proved to be very popular with many of the young festival participants.
After lunch, the parade started! All the school children dressed up as marine animals, ranging from sea-urchins to lantern fish to big red lobsters! They were also joined by a 7m long turtle that was swimming its way around the island. As the parade came to the end, we were met with traditional boduberu and invited to participate in the dancing.
Maldivian Sea Turtle Identification Program
Our ID project is currently on hold as we have been busy with record numbers of rescued turtle patients, and are currently at full capacity.
#Flashback to the VAAVOSHI Turtle Festival of 2022, with Charlie and Beth
REEFSCAPERS Coral Propagation & Reef Restoration in the Maldives
We devote a lot of time maintaining all our coral frames around the island … a huge task!
Making a new frame is a fun group activity for our hotel guests of all ages
Harvesting coral fragments while checking for pigmented eggs (spawning will be soon)
At Kuda Huraa this month, our coral experts transplanted 9 new coral frames and conducted 27 hours of underwater monitoring to look for signs of coral spawning. We have also been removing 150 coral frames from the Channel site that had been badly affected by this year’s mass global coral bleaching event. The frames will now be reused and recycled for other projects.
At Landaa this month, we transplanted 19 coral frames, comprising of 7 guest-sponsored frames (4 small, 2 large, 1 heart), 10 Four Seasons-sponsored frames (6 Build-a-Reef and 4 Managers’ Cocktails), and online (2). A total of ~1000 fragments were added onto the reef. In addition, we monitored 359 coral frames at various sites around Landaa Giraavaru and Voavah. We were also busy with our coral spawning monitoring work, and a new coral genotyping project (see linked buttons, below).
World Kindness Day
In celebration of World Kindness Day on 13 November, Four Seasons sponsored a large coral frame (LG5789) that staff and guests were invited to build. It was later planted at the “Whale Tail” site. Activities at Kuda Huraa also included building a new coral frame with guests, followed by a beach cleanup on the nearby local island of Bodu Huraa. Together, we are making waves for a healthier ocean and a kinder planet!
Seabar Frames – Relocation and Recycling at Landaa
This month, we relocated 35 medium-sized frames from the Seabar/ Elephant site that had suffered 100% mortality following the global coral bleaching event. We moved these frames to the entrance of the seawall, where high flow and good recruitment suggests this site will be appropriate for supporting growth of newly transplanted fragments. So far, 12 frames have been fully recycled, with completion of this project being a priority for next month as the sponsors return to visit Landaa in January.
A big thanks to our Reefscapers colleagues Aurel and Sofia from Kuda Huraa, for their invaluable help to recycle our seabar frames, along with House Reef maintenance tasks and nightly spawning surveys. Cross-training about corallivores was also useful, sharing knowledge about cushion stars and Monodonta snails which can be very harmful to our propagated corals.
Coral Maintenance at Kuda Huraa’s House Reef & Water Villas
We have been continuing last month’s major project to remove the old coral frames from our Channel site. We hired a local dhoni to collect 50 + 200 of the medium-sized frames for refurbishment and recycling. Under water, we moved frames closer to the dhoni to enable the boat crew to help lift the frames up out of the water onto the deck.
During November, we have continued to clear and repopulate coral frames in the Water Villas and House Reef, using branching Acropora corals from our coral pyramids. We continue to monitor these corals following transplantation.
November’s month of team effort !
Reefscapers had an exciting and collaborative month, with teams from various locations coming together to achieve shared goals. We were delighted to host Katie (Marine Biologist at Sheraton) as well as Jess (Landaa Giraavaru intern, now KH Coral Biologist). Our intern Clarisse had the opportunity to visit our Sheraton site and witness coral spawning firsthand. These exchanges not only fostered eamwork but also brought fresh insights and inspiration to our ongoing efforts.
“During my time at the Four Seasons Kuda Huraa, I had the opportunity to assist with on-land activities, including supporting school trips for the Maldives National University, Girl Scouts and Manta Trust, where I helped them build coral frames and educated them about the turtle rehabilitation center. I gained valuable insight into the turtle rehab program, witnessing a therapeutic laser treatment on Giri the turtle. This was both interesting and new to me as the Sheraton does not have a turtle rehabilitation centre.
A highlight of my time was guiding dolphin cruises, where I was thrilled to spot pilot whales and a rare leucistic dolphin. Additionally, I aided the coral team by acting as a safety lookout on the boat during coral spawning data collection. Overall, my time at Kuda Huraa was highly informative and provided an excellent opportunity for cross-resort exposure, facilitating valuable knowledge exchange and skill development.”
Katie
“Over the past 2 weeks I have been at the Reefscapers base in Kuda Huraa, after having spent 2 months at the base in Landaa Giraavaru. It’s been really great settling in here and meeting the team prior to starting my role as Coral Biologist, and in a relatively short period of time I feel that I’ve been able to learn a lot about the daily runnings and logistics of the coral project.
During my time here, I’ve been getting to know each of the sites in detail, building frames with guests and kids from local schools, out-planting frames, and restoring frames which were lost in the bleaching event earlier this year. I’m really looking forward to coming back in a couple of weeks to start my contract and continue restoring the reef around Kuda Huraa.”
Jess
“I had an unforgettable experience at Sheraton! I went there to help Katelyn with coral spawning and reef restoration around their stunning pyramids. From November 13th, I did 29 dives, including 10 magical nights diving with Katelyn—two dives per night—hoping to witness this incredible event.
For a whole week, nothing happened, and I started losing hope… but on Thursday, November 21st, it finally happened! Some Acropora secale colonies began bundling, and suddenly, gametes were released into the sea. Perfectly synchronized— an awe-inspiring moment I’ll never forget. Katelyn and her friend Shareef gave me such a warm welcome; their kindness made this experience even more special. I’m not ready to forget any of it!”
Clarisse
“I’m grateful to Landaa Reefscapers team, I learned so much from them and had a great time. I was there for 11 days, during spawning week mainly to help with the coral data collection, monitoring and frame maintenance. I was also involved in other MDC activities like snorkeling trips, dolphin cruises, aquarium tasks and turtle feeding. That’s a wrap.
Important for my team at Kuda Hura, it is the knowledge I gain learning from Meli and Kate about how to identify bundling for massive and encrusting coral species. Another highlight from this experience is how to tag colonies quickly during spawning nights by using tag clothes. It is a very practical thing to tie a piece of cloth with ID number next to the colony that is bundling & spawning. That way we can optimize the time underwater during the night dives and cover more area, and more colonies. Every day after a spawning night we went back to the house reef to take more detail notes of the corals that spawned the last night, we remove the tag clothes, take pictures and double check the details we wrote during the night. So the house reef is ready for another night of spawning.
We have to adjust the metodology for Kuda Hura House Reef because every reef has its own conditions and different distribution of frames and mature colonies, etc. There are many things to take into consideration when applying or implementing new metodologies on the field. Happy for the opportunity to help the team at Landaa and learn. Muchas Gracias.”
Sofia
“This month, I had the opportunity to join the Reefscapers team in Landaa Giraavaru for a full week.
I spent most of my time in the turtle rehabilitation center. It was really interesting to see the facilities there, the tools that they use, and how they proceed. It was important to compare with our center in Kuda Huraa and learn from each other to improve both centers. I got to meet the turtle patients there and see again Nadia that was previously in Kuda Huraa and got transferred to Landaa on the 1st of February 2024. Earlier this month, we sent Jimmy to Landaa so it could be in the in-situ enclosure. This “ocean tank” offers larger space but mostly a bigger depth that can motivate the turtle to dive. Hopefully, Jimmy will learn to dive again there and be released.
I also had the opportunity to learn from Aku and Guillaume about the fish lab as well as helping Meli and Kate for some coral maintenance and spawning. Last but not least, I got lucky to go to Hanifaru Bay and witness the gathering of twenty manta rays. I am very grateful to the Landaa team for welcoming me and sharing their knowledge.”
Aurelien
REEFSCAPERS team smiles
Further News & Updates
You might also be interested in:
– our ongoing Dolphin ID Project, our specialised Sea Turtle Lagoon Enclosure, and our Zooplankton Monitoring Project.
Looking for details of our Reefscapers coral propagation and reef restoration program ? Then head over to our Reefscapers Diaries for all the latest updates.
You can sponsor your own frame and see photographs (updated every 6 months) in our Coral Frame Collection.
Junior Marine Savers activities: (1) Reefscapers corals, (2) turtle care.
