I visited Sea Life Sunshine Coast today just before school holidays start. I was pleased to see a notable improvement with the signage with a greater number of species now covered. There were several new species at the aquarium as well which kept me busy finding them. Some were definitely new arrivals and others probably remained unseen from my previous visits but I’ll treat them all as ‘new’. I have added scientific names where relevant:
fish of the day was a spectacular Scribbled Filefish Aluterus scriptus, that has been added to the coral cove portion of the oceanarium. This large specimen in particular was very impressive. It’s a shame it’s so dark making a clear photo very difficult.
the stingray pool at the front of the aquarium now has an Epaulette Shark and a Brown-banded Bamboo Shark. There were lots more fish in here than usual but I couldn’t stop to identify each individual as I usually do due to large crowds and a low viewing area.
two spectacular-looking batfish juveniles have been added to some of the coastal wreck exhibits. One was signed as a Pinnate Batfish Platax pinnatus. A Sunburst Butterflyfish Chaetodon kleinii has been added to the moray tank and a Coral Beauty Centropyge bispinosa is in the yellow assessor tank now.
the Ornate Wobbegong that the aquarium bred last year is on-display with lionfish and co. An Australian Cownose Ray pup is also on-display with the adults in the oceanarium. Tiny little thing!
new freshwater species have been added to the tanks opposite the penguins which was pleasing to see following the loss of several species – Tiger Barbs [including ugly albino ones though] and Striped [Gold] Panchax. The panchax are a particularly nice addition as they occupy the top half of the tank where the African Butterflyfish used to be. A large group of Congo Tetras have joined the discus next door and there is a new species with the group of Denison Barbs – I believe they were Sidestripe Rasboras Rasbora paviana but I am happy to be corrected.
I was pleased to see the little penguins are now mixed with a much wider range of fish species to help fill in the water portion of their exhibit. I saw Jansen’s Wrasse Thalassoma jansenii, Manybar Goatfish Parupeneus multifasciatus, Yellowtail Fusilier Caesio cuning, Pin-spotted Spinefoot Siganus fuscescens, Double-bar Rabbitfish Siganus virgatus and a squirrelfish that requires an identification.
all four species of pinniped are still at the aquarium – Subantarctic Fur Seal, NZ Fur Seal, Australian Fur Seal and Australian Sea Lion – probably the only facility currently where you can see all four of these species at the one location.
there is a tank in the playground portion of the aquarium which I hadn’t realised previously. There were Birdnose Wrasse, Ocellaris Clownfish, Regal Blue Tang, Lyretail Anthias, Pyjama Cardinalfish, Coral Beauty, Flame Hawkfish, Banded Coral Shrimp and brittle stars along with the highlight – two Sea Apples Pseudocolochirus violaceus.
there was so sign of the Eastern Dwarf Frogs on-display. In their place were young Red-eyed Tree Frogs. Opposite the frogs, the archerfish/lungfish display has been split into two. The newly-created exhibit now has an Eel-tailed Catfish Tandanus tandanus. Both freshwater exhibits also had several Red-claw Crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus as well. There are also now live plants in the Merten’s Water Monitor enclosure which certainly beautifies this completely indoor mock rock exhibit.
the main coral tank near the jellyfish had a few interesting species I hadn’t seen before at the aquarium – Diamond Watchman Goby Valenciennea puellaris and Lawnmower Blenny Salarias fasciatus. Both fish were very well-camouflaged and I almost missed the goby against the sand.
Highlights from today (Giant Squirrelfish are great!):
A few updates from my visit on 23rd July (forgot to do my usual update straight after visiting!):
no more octopus at the aquarium. It’s former tank now has an extra lionfish. There was also a nearby tank closed for renovations.
two Little Penguins recently hatched at Sea Life Sunshine Coast; a first for the facility. One of the females that produced the second chick is a wild-born founder that was rescued after being found at Currimundi Beach on the Sunshine Coast in 2020. The chicks were on-show is a fenced-off portion of the exhibit.
a Brown-banded Bamboo Shark Chiloscyllium punctatumm is now mixed with the penguins which made for a fascinating display with the penguin swimming past the active shark. A school of large whiting and Stripey Snapper Lutjanus carponotatus have also been added along with the shark.
there is now a small leatherjacket in with the Kuda Seahorses. It seems to be a Southern Pygmy Leatherjacket Brachaluteres jacksonianus but the aquarists were unsure what species it was exactly as it was accidently delivered to the facility from one of their food suppliers in the southern states.
Sixline Wrasse Pseudocheilinus hexataenia are now in a tank opposite the seahorses and in the main coral tank not far from the jellyfish. Vanderbilt’s Chromis Chromis vanderbilti are in one of the touch tanks as well and Harlequin Sweetlips Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides are also in the ray pool at the entrance as well.
Birubi, a female New Zealand Fur Seal has arrived at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast from Taronga Zoo Sydney where she was born. She joins three other New Zealand Fur Seals, a Subantarctic Fur Seal, two Australian Sea Lions and an Australian Fur Seal at the aquarium: Birubi creates a splash at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast! - Global Travel Media
Pig-nosed Turtle have returned to the aquarium following several years of not having them. This species is now in one of the freshwater tanks mixed with rainbowfish opposite the penguins.
A male Hawksbill Turtle has arrived from the Territory Wildlife Park in the Northern Territory. This will be the aquarium's first permanent display sea turtle at least in recent years: Hawksbill arrives | SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast
Teiko, the aquarium's only Australian Sea-Lion has died at the age of 26. She was born at the aquarium in 1997. Their other Australian Sea-Lion April is currently on a temporary breeding loan at Taronga: Teiko the Australian sea lion
I visited Sea Life Sunshine Coast for my annual visit today. While it does always feel smaller than expected and it was teaming with little rascals and their families running and jumping on everything, I am seeing very positive changes in terms of the collection developing and a handful of spectacular additions. I will upload the photos of the new freshwater tanks and some of the highlights from today a bit later on in the afternoon. Notes are below:
three species of cuttlefish are on-show at the aquarium! There is a magnificent Australian Giant Cuttlefish in the entrance part now near the seahorses and a small exhibit near the jellyfish with a mix of Mourning Cuttlefish and Reaper Cuttlefish. The latter species transformed from a dullish brown to a rich red during feeding when all the weeny cuttlefish were very active. I’d never seen live cuttlefish before so it was a highlight. Outstanding creatures that I spent way too long photographing and observing.
a significant amount of work has been put into updating the four freshwater tanks opposite the penguins into tidy geographical displays. The first new exhibit which formerly housed goldfish - good riddance - is a now well-landscaped African tank for lots of interesting cichlids (peacocks, Frontosa, Malawi Eyebiters, Venustus etc.), Senegal Bichirs and big Congo Tetras. The former discus tank is now a Northern Australian tank for an engaging little Pig-nosed Turtle, several species of rainbowfish and unseen Freshwater Morays. The last two tanks haven’t changed too much – the Asian tank with rasboras and barbs and the last tank now has all the South American fish that had to move for the turtle. An exemplary line-up of freshwater species; a good example of how to use readily-available freshwater fish with a few crowd pullers like the turtle and eels for effective displays.
the new Hawksbill Turtle was a no-show but I did see a Green Sea Turtle that is due to be released soon in the ray tunnel. The Ocellated Eagle Ray pups are on-show as well and a single Sandbar Shark (new species) and a Smooth Stingray have arrived from Sea Life Melbourne. Two nice additions.
a Golden Decorator Crab is on-show with the Pot-bellied Seahorses. It was covered in seaweed – so neat! The big moray eel tank is gone and its residents have moved into other exhibits nearby.
the coral reef tank near the jellyfish has been shut down and replaced with a simple exhibit of aquacultured Cobia and Ornate Painted Crayfish. Two eye-catching species but I can’t help missing the well-established live reef tank.
the fur seal exhibit is closed for renovations and the show pool was completely drained. This will be completed later this month.
Green-and-Gold Bell Frogs are new additions among the frogs.
there is at least one chick among the Little Penguins currently.
The aquarium's lone Australian Fur Seal, Groucho, has died at the age of 24. He was found as a pup in Victoria and spent the remainder of his life in human care: Groucho the fur seal
A new zone opened a few months back - Seahorse Kingdom at the front of the aquarium. Incorporating the existing Weedy Sea-Dragons, Kuda and Pot-bellied Seahorses, there are also now at least Barbour's, Slender and Short-snouted Seahorse on-show now. Over 100+ individual seahorses are now housed: Seahorse Kingdom at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast
A new zone opened a few months back - Seahorse Kingdom at the front of the aquarium. Incorporating the existing Weedy Sea-Dragons, Kuda and Pot-bellied Seahorses, there are also now at least Barbour's, Slender and Short-snouted Seahorse on-show now. Over 100+ individual seahorses are now housed: Seahorse Kingdom at SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast
Updates from today’s visit to Sea Life Sunshine Coast as I am well overdue to visit several local collections:
Mangrove Whiptail Ray and Stripey have been added to the front ray pool joining Eastern Fiddler Ray, Blue-spotted Fantail Ray, Blue-spotted Maskray and Epaulette Shark.
the new seahorse zone comprised of four refurbished tanks with Slender Seahorse and Kuda Seahorse in tank one, Weedy Seadragon in tank two (bred at Sea Life Melbourne in 2022), Pot-bellied Seahorse and Short-snouted Seahorse in tank two and Jointed Razorfish, Kuda Seahorse and Barbour’s Seahorse in the final tank. I will post photos of the redeveloped tanks soon.
Orange-lined Cardinalfish and Plain Cardinalfish have been added to the Yellow Assessor tank.
Epaulette Soldierfish have been added to the bubble tank at the end of the shipwreck zone.
Glass Catfish are now in the South-east Asian tank. The Freshwater Moray showed beautifully in the northern Australian tank with rainbowfish and Pig-nosed Turtle.
the Australian Giant Cuttlefish has grown and is still around in a tank too small for it but the other two cuttlefish species have been replaced with jellyfish.
A Krefft’s Turtle has been added to the lungfish/archerfish, livening up the 50+ yabbies.
updated pinniped holdings are at six individuals; four (1.3) Long-nosed Fur Seals, a male Subantarctic Fur Seal and a female Australian Sea Lion.
two rescued Green Turtles are currently being housed in the rehab tank that can be viewed from the front of the aquarium before their release.
the aquaculture tank at the beginning of the jellyfish zone has been restocked; the Cobia have been moved to the oceanarium while the Ornate Spiny Crayfish have been kept here with a large new shipment of fish including a juvenile Spotted Parrotfish (worth searching up), Barramundi Cod (also worth searching up), Yellowtail Fusilier, Emperor Angelfish, Longhorn Cowfish, Ringtail Surgeonfish, Pacific Blue Tang, Sailfin Tang, Eyestripe Tang, Convict Surgeonfish, Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse, Copperband Butterflyfish, Klein’s Butterflyfish, Merten’s Butterflyfish, Doublesaddle Butterflyfish and Spotted Unicornfish. Peppered Moray Eel has also moved into this tank. Several new species here for the aquarium.
the aquaculture tank at the beginning of the jellyfish zone has been restocked; the Cobia have been moved to the oceanarium while the Ornate Spiny Crayfish have been kept here with a large new shipment of fish including a juvenile Spotted Parrotfish (worth searching up), Barramundi Cod (also worth searching up), Yellowtail Fusilier, Emperor Angelfish, Longhorn Cowfish, Ringtail Surgeonfish, Pacific Blue Tang, Sailfin Tang, Eyestripe Tang, Convict Surgeonfish, Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse, Copperband Butterflyfish, Klein’s Butterflyfish, Merten’s Butterflyfish, Doublesaddle Butterflyfish and Spotted Unicornfish. Peppered Moray Eel has also moved into this tank. Several new species here for the aquarium.
Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) is also visible in the image you posted of this tank. Also, what species does Ringtail Surgeonfish refer to? There are a couple very similar species that share this name.
Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) is also visible in the image you posted of this tank. Also, what species does Ringtail Surgeonfish refer to? There are a couple very similar species that share this name.
Updates and general observations from today’s visit. Very busy but a good option in the wet weather:
two new Little Penguins have arrived from SeaWorld Gold Coast.
a Long-nosed Cowfish has been added to the lionfish tank. The moray tank has received a full renovation with the addition of a personable Dog-faced Pufferfish and squirrelfish with the morays. The slipper lobster have also moved to a larger tank.
a group of platies (cheap addition) have been added to the South American tank with Cardinal Tetras, Rummynose Tetras, Discus, Sterba’s Corydoras, Bronze Corydoras, Pictus Catfish, Royal Whiptail etc. There are also now some nice plecos signed in the same tank that weren’t seen; L333 and L397.
no more cuttlefish on show. Capturing their short lifespans going from three species to none in a year.
there were some species I hadn’t seen at the aquarium before; a nice group of Dusky Butterflyfish in the ray tunnel and a Scribbled Angelfish was in the coral cove section. The Humphead Maori Wrasse has now been moved into the ray tunnel significantly increasing the amount of space it has now. There was also a juvenile grouper with a cool patterning that I will need to identify as well.
I finally saw the Hawksbill Turtle (a species I’d never seen before) after my third visit since his arrival. A very big turtle; was expecting something smaller.
Gru, their Merten's Water Monitor has been euthanised due to lymphoma. He had been at the zoo since 2007 and was their only lizard - reported on their FB page.
