Here at Blue Planet Aquarium, our team work tirelessly to care for our animals and protect the future of some of the world’s most fascinating species. Not only this, but we feel responsible for showcasing endangered species too and raising awareness of the importance of looking after our oceans, rivers and lakes.
Our blog is home to a vast wealth of information on conservation and education across our species, giving you the chance to learn more about all sorts from seagrass and stick insects to chameleons and cichlids.
However, there’s no better insight than talking to our very own aquarist team, who spend a lot of time with our creatures making sure they are well looked after. With that in mind, our very own Sam , who is a Senior Aquarist at Blue Planet Aquarium, has answered some of our burning questions!
Could you tell us what a typical day as an aquarist might look like for you?
One of our aquarists comes in at 7am for the early start shift and tests each tank for their temperature and salinity. This is then passed on to the rest of the team to help plan their days out. We get to feed a range of animals based on which of our 4 sections we’re on the rota for that day, ranging from feeding venomous snakes, larval fish or our 5 sand tigers!
We also get to work closely with both the Dive and Visitor services team to assist with feed shows and cleaning larger displays. The main chunk of our day lies in cleaning! We’re glorified house cleaners for our fish, reptiles and amphibians, making sure their water or soil is nice and clean to ensure the highest animal welfare possible.
Do you look after any species in particular?
I work mainly on our Marine and Quarantine sections, meaning I get a close look at new fish coming in to Blue Planet Aquarium, prior to going on display and look after them on display. Some of my favourite species I get to work with is our Giant Pacific Octopus, Frank. We’ve put Frank through a training program so she relates a target put into the water with a daily interaction, she doesn’t always pop up for a play but we always give her the option!
Another species I love are our Panther Groupers (in Coral Cave and our Ocean Display), I know them as Barramundi Cod because they’ve got a super quick and powerful mouth, almost making a popping sound at the surface when they gulp up their prey, you’ll often find them in Coral Cave staring up at our aquarists waiting for a meal.
Could you describe the ways in which you look after the animals at Blue Planet Aquarium?
We look after the animals through not only feeding them but looking after their displays, ranging from testing water chemistry parameters to ensure they’re squeaky clean for the health of our animals, exchanging water from systems to give them nice fresh water, to cleaning the sand or other environments of their displays.
We also aim to give our animals as much enrichment as possible to ensure they can exhibit as many natural behaviours as possible! A good example is giving our Coral Cave their vegetable ladder. We put bunches of veg (broccoli, lettuce, courgette) into mesh and leave it for the herbivorous (and not) fish to pick at. In the wild these fish would be constantly grazing over algae on rocks, so this ensures they’ve got plenty to graze on throughout the day!
We also have our Veterinary visit regularly and always have a line of communication with them to check up on our animals. We check up on our animals every morning to make sure nothing is wrong and can go straight to our Vet if anything is noticed.
Could you explain to readers a little more about what animal husbandry is, in relation to an aquarium?
Animal Husbandry encompasses everything we do to ensure our animals welfare and health are in perfect nick. This ranges from feeding, cleaning and performing regular health checks. Our animals are with us for the majority of their lives so we strive to give them the best life we can by trying to match their captive environment with their wild environment (without the danger of course).
Are there any standards or criteria of animal husbandry/welfare that you must meet/adhere to?
As an Aquarium in the UK, we’re required to adhere to the Zoological Licensing Act and the Statutory of States Standard for Modern Zoo Practice which give us an outline to follow in regards to animal husbandry within zoos and aquariums.
We’re also a member of the British and Irish Associate of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) which give more guidance on the best ways to look after our animals via species-specific guidelines, communication and information sharing between institutions and constant growth of our aquarists through focus groups and conferences.
What’s the best thing about being an aquarist?
In my opinion, the best thing about being an Aquarist is the balance between science, design and being task-orientated. No day is the same, one day we’ll be conducting little bits of research or trying to find the best way to feed or breed an animal, then the next we’re out cleaning Pelican Cove to give our Dalmatian Pelicans the best display.
We also get to have such close relationships with animals people wouldn’t dream of, from venomous lizards, baby fish and big pufferfish. I think the fish recognise our team and act accordingly – but maybe I just like making faces at pufferfish!
For your chance to see our aquarists’ work for yourself, book your tickets to Blue Planet Aquarium and witness some of the most fascinating species and just how well they’re looked after here!