Monterey Bay Aquarium ZooBinh's Totally Honest Review + Species List of the MBA

[ZooBinh]

The Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the best aquariums in America, is located on 886 Cannery Row in Monterey Bay, CA. On my recent trip to the great state of California, I visited the magnificent aquarium, which is the best aquarium I've ever been to, which isn't surprising considering the facts that I've only visited mid-tier aquariums before this. In the following posts I'll post a review of each section as well as a species list of the aquarium.

 

[ZooBinh]

Sorry I haven't started yet, but its now or never:

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Sea Otters:

Species List:

Blue Rockfish
Opaleye
Halfmoon
Kelp Bass
Kelp Greenling
Blacksmith
Yellowtail Rockfish
Garibaldi
Striped Surfperch
Black Perch
Sea Otter

Review:

A beautiful exhibit, interestingly enough the first time I had ever seen sea otters on land. All the fish in the tank with the otters had created a vibrant community with the graceful otters and beautiful fish. Viewing was spectacular, with two floors to view the otters. My only complaint would be the lack of space there is because it can get quite cramped, due to a mass crowd. That is only a minor complaint, though.

 

[Great Argus]

I thought about trying to do a species list when I was there, but I gave it up pretty quickly since they have so many! Kudos to you for going for it!

 

[birdsandbats]

I thought about trying to do a species list when I was there, but I gave it up pretty quickly since they have so many! Kudos to you for going for it!

I never try to do species lists for aquariums (except the ones within zoos) - there are just too many species!

 

[ZooBinh]

Yikes! It's been a LONG time since this has been updated! I just never got to it (I don't know why), anyways, let's do it!

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Kelp Forest:

Species List:

California Sheephead
Leopard Shark
Kelp Bass
Treefish
Giant Kelp
Giant Sea Bass
Blue Rockfish
Black Rockfish
Warty Sea Cucumber
Gopher Rockfish
Rainbow Seaperch
Coralline Algae
Winged Kelp
Red Abalone
Red Sea Urchin
Kelp Rockfish

Review:

Amazing exhibit. It was teeming with life and just plain impressive. Nice collection of species, and the design of the tank was amazing, it really looked like I was looking right into the ocean.

P.S. The species is based off the signage.

 

[Great Argus]

Yikes! It's been a LONG time since this has been updated! I just never got to it (I don't know why), anyways, let's do it!

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Kelp Forest:

Species List:

California Sheephead
Leopard Shark
Kelp Bass
Treefish
Giant Kelp
Giant Sea Bass
Blue Rockfish
Black Rockfish
Warty Sea Cucumber
Gopher Rockfish
Rainbow Seaperch
Coralline Algae
Winged Kelp
Red Abalone
Red Sea Urchin
Kelp Rockfish

Review:

Amazing exhibit. It was teeming with life and just plain impressive. Nice collection of species, and the design of the tank was amazing, it really looked like I was looking right into the ocean.

P.S. The species is based off the signage.

Worth noting MBA often has incomplete signage on the larger tanks.

Wolf Eel, Senorita, and Pacific Sardines at least are also present.

 

[ZooBinh]

Worth noting MBA often has incomplete signage on the larger tanks.

Wolf Eel, Senorita, and Pacific Sardines at least are also present.

Weirdly enough, I didn't notice that but I have a photo of the Pacific Sardines in that tank.

 

[Great Argus]

Worth noting MBA often has incomplete signage on the larger tanks.

Wolf Eel, Senorita, and Pacific Sardines at least are also present.

I also have photos of Opaleye in that tank from earlier in 2019. Garibaldi is also missing from the list, and the tank should have Blacksmith as well.

 

[TheEthiopianWolf03]

@ZooBinh Do you have more species list on you? I think this would be a valuable resource if you do for anyone who has an interest in this world class facility.

 

[ZooBinh]

@ZooBinh Do you have more species list on you? I think this would be a valuable resource if you do for anyone who has an interest in this world class facility.

I'm sorry for not working on it, but I just haven't gotten to it. I'll get to it soon!

 

[ZooBinh]

Monterey Bay Habitats:

Species List:

Giant Pacific Octopus
Fish-Eating Anemone
Purple Sea Urchin
California Sea Cucumber
Vermilion Sea Star
Halfbanded Rockfish
Chilipepper
Giant Keyhole Limpet
Puget Sound King Crab
Sheep Crab
Giant White-Plumed Anemone
Strawberry Anemone
Orange Cup Coral
Lingcod
Wolfeel
White-Spotted Rose Anemone
Rock Scallop
Strawberry Anemone
Cowcod
Giant Sea Bass
Bocaccio
Longfin Sculpin
Great Sculpin
Blackeye Goby
Painted Greenling
Vermilion Rockfish
Rosy Rockfish
China Rockfish
Canary Rockfish
Yelloweye Rockfish
Tiger Rockfish
Starry Rockfish
Flag Rockfish
Greenspotted Rockfish
Sevengill Shark
Striped Bass
White Sturgeon
Leopard Shark
Yellowtail Rockfish
Tiger Rockfish
Jack Mackerel
Giant Sea Bass
Pacific Angel Shark
California Halibut
Spotted Cusk-Eel
Flatfishes
Ocean Whitefish
Longspine Combfish
Pacific Pompano
Calico Rockfish
Starry Flounder
Curlfin Turbot
Diamond Turbot
C-O Sole
Sand Dollar
Spiny Brittle-Star
North Pacific Bigeye Octopus
Scale-Sided Piddock
Wart-Necked Piddock
Fringehead
Black Perch
Orange Volcano Sponge
Orange Puffball Sponge
Chestnut Cowry
Lined Chiton
Ida's Miter
Carnivorous Chiton
Snapping Shrimp
Skeleton Shrimp
Striped Seaperch
Rainbow Seaperch
Speckled Sanddab
Rubberlip Perch
Walleye Surfperch
White Seaperch
Onespot Fringehead
California Mussel
Acorn Barnacle
Fat Inkeeper Worm
Ghost Shrimp
Hermit Crab
Moonglow Anemone
Sea Grapes
Bay Pipefish
Dwarf Perch
Tubesnout
Black Turban Snail
Bat Star
Scaled Worm Snail
Owl Limpet
Giant Green Anemone
Striped Shore Crab
Red Abalone
Reef Surfperch
Aggregating Anemone
Hermit Crab
Hooked Slipper Snail
Brown Turban Snail
Red Top Snail
Opaleye
Monkeyface Pickleback
Zebraperch
Crevice Kelpfish

Review:

Great area, great collection. Wishing I spent longer here as I barely remember much

 

[Great Argus]

Hermit Crab

This is probably Pacific Hermit Crab.

 

[ZooBinh]

This is probably Pacific Hermit Crab.

The sign only said Pagurus sp. so not wanting to assume, but it'd make sense.

 

[Great Argus]

The sign only said Pagurus sp. so not wanting to assume, but it'd make sense.

Probably the local Pagurus samuelis, but I think they do have a much larger hermit crab species on display somewhere in that area as well.

 

[ZooBinh]

Probably the local Pagurus samuelis, but I think they do have a much larger hermit crab species on display somewhere in that area as well.

Don't remember, but yes, they do display them twice

For the sake of space though, I decided not to list a species more than once in each section. For example, if there are Bocaccio in two exhibits, I'm only listing Bocaccio once, or if there are two signs for it or such.

 

[ZooBinh]

Aviary + Touch Pools and Surrounding Aquarium

Species List:

Jacksmelt
Semipalmated Plover
Shovelnose Guitarfish
Killdeer
Round Stingray
Thornback
Bat Ray
Leopard Shark
Black-Bellied Plover
Red-Necked Phalarope
Shiner Perch
Red Phalarope
Ruddy Turnstone
Snowy Plover
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Red Knot
Black Oystercatcher
Willet
Sanderling
Black-Necked Stilit
Marbled Godwit
American Avocet
Dunlin
Western Sandpiper
California Halibut
Bat Ray
Starry Flounder
Topsmelt
California Mussel
Califronia Sea Cucumber
Decorator Crab
Top Snail
Black Turban Snail
Purple Sea Urchin
Warty Sea Cucumber
Red Abalone
Gumboot Chiton
Barnacle
California Toad
Threespine Stickleback
Califronia Red-Legged Frog
Laysan Albatross
Rainbow Trout



Review:

I'm a sucker for aviaries and such, and it was definitely a treat to see the albatross! Definitely one of the trip highlights !

 

[ZooBinh]

Splash Zone + Penguins:

Species List:

Northern Anchovies
Spiny Lobster
California Moray
Orange Puffball Sponge
San Diego Dorid
Sea Lemon Sea Slug
Yellow-Edged Sea Slug
Blacksmith
Senorita
Jeweled Top Snail
Salema
Decorator Crab
Purple Sea Urchin
Ocher Star
Swell Shark (eggs)
Gumboot Chiton
Chestnut Cowrie
Red Rock Shrimp
Bat Star
Kellet's Whelk
Red Abalone
Hermit Crab
Opaleye
Giant Sea Bass
Blue Rockfish
Kelp Crab
Lion's Mane Sea Slug
Rock Scallop
Red Volcano Sponge
Strawberry Anemone
Blueheaded Goby
Swell Shark
Sargo
Fish-Eating Anemone
China Rockfish
California Sea Cucumber
Kelp Bass
Black-and-Yellow Rockfish
California Sheephead
Horn Shark
Clownfish (Black)
Yellow Tang
Pink Anemonefish
Bubble-Tip Anemone
Clownfish (Orange)
Suqarespot
Blue Tang
Devil Damselfish
Longnose Hawkfish
Zebrasnout Seahorse
Ribboned Pipehorse
Dragon Pipefish
Spotted Seahorse
Tigertail Seahorse
Brain Coral
Hammer Coral
Staghorn Coral
Elephant Skin Coral
Honeycomb Moray
Snowflake Moray
Whitemouth Moray
Zebra Moray
Cleaner Shrimp
Shrimpfish
Fluted Giant Clam
Finger Leather
Flame Angelfish
Smooth Giant Clam
Mushroom Polyp
Northern Clingfish
Giant Spined Star
Giant Green Anemonefish
Crevice Kelpfish
White-Spotted Anemone
Reef Surfperch
Monkeyface-Eel
Leaping Blennies
African Penguin

Review:

After being forced to sit through a penguin presentation, I thoroughly enjoyed the penguin exhibit, and the view out on the coast, we went through the Splash Zone, which I think is put forwards to the younger age group. The majority of it was probably the least "interesting" part of the aquarium, though I'll admit I enjoyed crawling through the tunnels to see the coral reef fish !

 

[ZooBinh]

!Viva Baja! Life on the Edge

Species List:

Green Spiny Lobster
Giant Hawkfish
Soldierfish
Panamic Sergeant Major
Long-Tailed Brush Lizard
Desert Tortoise
Common Chuckwalla
Desert Iguana
Baja California Rat Snake
Western Desert Tarantula
Western Whiptail Lizard
Hairy Scorpion
Sunburst Diving Beetle
King Angelfish
Spadefish
Mojarra
Bluestripe Snapper
Porkfish
Sargo
Salema
Hermit Crabs
Pacific Seahorse
Bluestripe Pipefish
Spotted Garden Eel
Green Moray
Bluespotted Jawfish
Blennies
Stone Scorpionfish
Pacific Creolefish
Yellowfin Surgeonfish
Coral Hawkfish
Redtail Triggerfish
Cortez Rainbow Wrasse
Balloonfish
Lookdown
Southern Sea Otter (view out to the bay)

Review:

I immensely enjoyed this section, and I can only regret that I had not stayed longer.

 

[ZooBinh]

Tentacles:

Species List:

Bigfin Reef Squid
Day Octopus (I think Hawaiian? Not sure)
Two-Spot Octopus
Wunderpus
Giant Pacific Octopus
Chambered Nautilus
Striped Pyjama Squid
Flamboyant Cuttlefish
Common Cuttlefish
Stumpy Cuttlefish (hatchlings)
Koch's Bottletail Squid (hatchlings)
Striped Pyjama Squid (eggs)

Review:

Another part immensely enjoyed, seeing part of MBA's extensive cephalopod collection (especially Nautilus) was a big treat. I'll also have to admit that the interactive play station was also enjoyed !

 

[ZooBinh]

Open Sea + Fragile Seas

Species List:

Pacific Sardine
Pacific Mackerel
Purple-Striped Jellyfish
Moon Jellyfish
Sea Gooseberry
Spotted Comb Jelly
Pacific Sea Nettle
Cross Jelly
Black Skipjack
Scalloped Hammerhead Shark
Ocean Sunfish
Green Sea Turtle
Yellowfin Tuna
Pelagic Stingray
Pacific Bonito
Dolphinfish
Northern Anchovy
Black Oystercatcher
Common Murre
Tufted Puffin
Common Murre
Pigeon Guillemot
Pelagic Red Crab

Review:

Definitely the best part of the aquarium, and the most nostalgic from what I remember as a young child. The sheer size of the tank is just jawdropping, and getting life ticks such as Ocean Sunfish was really satisfying. I also regret that I did not spend enough time here.

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This wraps up the whole species list! I did the best I could do off of signage, and I hope you all enjoy my efforts !