Surf Zone Tank

Ohio History

Ocean Shallows Aquarium

My favorite tank in the Shore Gallery was called the Surf Zone. Set against a mountain backdrop, this aquarium held many colorful fish and wiggly orange anemone. A wave-maker sent a current of water periodically through the tank, creating strong waves that were interesting to watch. The featured fish were Triggerfish, Surgeonfish, and all kinds of Wrasse. Below are a few pictures of the fish.

 

It was so interesting to watch the Clownfish swim in and out of the anemone, while the other kinds of fish avoided it. I saw a larger fish going after the Clownfish a couple times, and the Clownfish quickly swam into the anemone to hide until danger was past! The Wrasse, like the one above right, were such amazing colors and patterns--it looked like someone had filled in a paint-by-number with fluorescent paint for each fish.

Sheephead Fish

Ohio History

A Sheep or a Fish?

If you thought the Four-eyes was strange, check out this fish! I think the name, the California Sheephead, fits it 100%. Except this fish is even bigger than the head of a sheep! Despite the annoying reflections in the photograph, you can see the brilliant pink stripe on its back and its pink eye. The Sheephead can live up to 50 years and eats crabs, lobsters, and sea urchins. If I remember right, this fish was living in the Shore Waters tunnel aquarium.

Below is a very pretty fish we saw in the Shore Gallery. I don't know its name but it could be an angelfish. It loved to swim around so it was very hard to get a nice picture of this one.

What Is This Cute Fish Called?

Four-Eyes Fish

Ohio History

A Fishy Fish

Okay, I know this looks like a really weird picture, but we never knew what we were going to see next in the Shore Gallery at the Aquarium! This fish is called the Largescale Four-eyes, because, technically, it really does have four eyes. You see, its eyes are divided horizontally into two halves by thin tissue. The fish swims at water level, as in the picture above, and its eyes can actually focus simultaneously above and below the water. Pretty handy, right? Except I think this ability would give me a headache pretty fast! According to the sign, Largescale Four-eyes can get up to twelve inches long, although these were only four or five inches. I'd never seen such a weird fish. They looked even worse when they dipped below water level and swam to the bottom of the tank!

Aquarium Tunnels

Ohio History

Pink Starfish

To enter each new section in the Newport Aquarium, we had to pass under a tank of fish. Yes, I mean under: there were tunnels made of clear glass (very thick glass, I hope!) which went right through a giant aquarium. The photo below is a view of the tunnel between the World Rivers and Shore Gallery sections, and was home to some of the less-than-pretty fish species. The algae-eater was directly above our heads as we passed through!

In contrast, the tunnel out of the Shore Gallery held some very pretty aquatic life, including the pink starfish in the picture above. It was actually stuck to the inside of the glass in the tunnel. I'd never seen the underside of a starfish before!

Looking Up In the Tunnel

Rio Negro Tank

Ohio History

Red Discus & Tetra Colony

This little aquarium was one of my favorite tanks in the whole museum. The Red Discus fish, pictured above, swam very peacefully around their plant-filled aquarium. Their room mates were dozens of shimmery Cardinal Tetras. We in fact have kept Cardinal Tetras when we had our own fish tank years ago, and I have always liked their neon qualities. This tank was very well lit, and my pictures here came out best of any . . . maybe that's another reason I liked the tank so much!

Cross-Section Look at Glass (and Fish)

 Isn't it uncanny how the skinny Discus fish can bend? I guess that's where they got their name. On the left side in this picture, where the front of the tank meets the side, you can see just how thick the aquarium glass is. You sure can't tell looking in from the front! Besides the obvious benefit of avoiding accidents and fractures in the tanks, I'd guess this thick glass keeps it quieter for the fish, protecting from small hands tapping on the glass. That's one thing our aquarium manuals always said, don't tap on the glass or you'll scare the fish!

African Tank

Ohio History

Cichlid Whirlpool

This large, open-topped tank caught my eye as soon as we walked into the World Rivers room. Countless colorful cichlids swam round and round the perimeter of the circular aquarium. The tank replicated a little slice of Lake Malawi in Mozambique, where cichlids and catfish thrive. Below is either another beautiful cichlid specimen, or a longear sunfish, I'm not sure, which we saw in another African tank. Whatever the name, doesn't it look like a thoughtful, deliberate, almost smart, fish?

Cichlid or Sunfish?

Newport Aquarium

Ohio History

Fish of Every Size

Even though we live miles from any ocean shore here in Ohio, we need not travel far to enjoy gorgeous underwater life! At the Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati, Ohio, you can take a dive in the underwater world. Each aquarium takes a peek into a different tidal pool, river, or ocean somewhere on the planet. They hold literally thousands of fish in all different types, colors, and sizes. After you visit the Newport Aquarium, you'll feel like you've just gone scuba diving in ten different bodies of water all over the planet!

The beautiful picture above is from the Congo River tank. It held all kinds of tetras and cichlids, as well as the Sixbar Distichodus (can you pronounce that name?) in the front of this picture. I loved watching these colorful fish swim around.

Almond Snowdrifts

Gluten-Free Gourmet

Wintry Treat

When the snow flakes are coming down fast and you know it's going to be a long winter day indoors, what's the perfect cake to make? How about whipping up some of your very own snowdrifts? Whatever the weather, you are sure to love this creamy yet light cake with a creative touch. Just please don't try to go sledding in the icing!

Whipping up this easy cake is simple. First, beat with a hand mixer:

1/2 c. softened butter                     1/2 c. raw honey                    2 eggs

Add:                      1/2 c. flour                                 1 t. baking soda

                    1 c. sour cream                                      1 t. vanilla

In a separate bowl, combine:

2 t. cinnamon                                 1/4 c. flour                            1 egg

2 T. honey                              1/4 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped

Pour half of the batter into a greased 9" round cake pan. Drizzle half of the nut mixture on top. Repeat with second half of batter and nuts.

Bake cake in a 350 oven for 35-40 minutes, til lightly browned. Cool and turn onto a plate.

For the icing, whip 1/2 c. cold cream with 2 T. honey and 2-3 t. vanilla til soft peaks form. Gently pile onto top of cake with a rubber spatula, making peaks and valleys like ocean waves. Carefully place toasted slivered almonds on top. Now you have footprints in your snowdrifts!