How many were in here, and how big was the enclosure? Does this place know how to culture the squid's full life cycle? And is that just an ordinary fish above the squid in the middle?
I wasn't looking too hard, and managed to see 3 (I think). They're kept in the large Japanese ocean tank, along with many different fish, several rays and sandtiger sharks.
I don't know if this exact aquarium does it, but it's done elsewhere, e.g. at Monterey Bay. Unlike most other Loliginidae squid, Sepioteuthis squids are reef-dwellers that usually stay fairly close to the bottom. Both the bigfin and Caribbean reef are kept at several places in tanks of various sizes and aren't much more problematic than large cuttlefish. In contrast, the true pelagics from Loliginidae have proven essentially impossible to maintain long-term, even though it has been tried repeatedly in everything from large "normal" tanks to round tanks.
I don't know if this exact aquarium does it, but it's done elsewhere, e.g. at Monterey Bay. Unlike most other Loliginidae squid, Sepioteuthis squids are reef-dwellers that usually stay fairly close to the bottom. Both the bigfin and Caribbean reef are kept at several places in tanks of various sizes. In contrast, the true pelagics from this family have proven essentially impossible to maintain long-term, even though it has been tried repeatedly.
Thanks for the information. Monterey also has cultured the Hawaiian Bobtail squid and the striped pyjama squid (sadly, the latter was after I visited). There are a few private collectors with various close-to-shore squids, but not with too much success.
the true pelagics from Loliginidae have proven essentially impossible to maintain long-term, even though it has been tried repeatedly in everything from large "normal" tanks to round tanks.
I'll have to correct myself here, but in fairness it seems this has been missed by pretty much everyone outside Spain . Even recent articles written by keepers at major aquariums elsewhere continuously refer to the impossible keeping of pelagic squid and how all attempts have failed.
Anyhow, European squid Loligo vulgaris has been kept for a longer period at Spain's Aquarium Finisterrae (video -turn down volume!). From the little information I've been able to find they were caught when small and slowly adapted to life in captivity backstage before being introduced to a large round and dimly lit display tank. As far as I know this is the only place that has been able to keep truly pelagic squid for a longer period.
(Hawaiian bobtail and striped pyjama squids are neither pelagic nor are they true squid [order: Teuthida], making them easier to maintain. The same can be said about e.g., Atlantic bobtail.)
