The aquarium at Okinawa, Japan, to say the least, is very interesting. While we were there, we have the opportunity of seeing not only something big but also something small and even something delicate.
The aquarium is huge with a clever construction so that visitors can have an unobstructed column free view of the aquarium and the fishes inside. We were awed with the close up views of the many sharks, sting rays and other fishes in the aquarium.
In the other parts of the aquarium, some other fishes are small, like the bright-colored coral fishes which dart around playfully around the corals and move in tandem with the currents (top picture).
The lion fish (picture above) there have also captured our undivided attention. They are well-known for their ornate beauty, venomous spines and unique tentacles. The spines and tentacles look delicate, fragile and could be broken up by any strong currents or sudden movements.
We spent a long time looking at the corals. The coral reefs are so delicate because they are made from living creatures. The reefs are made up of coral polyps which are a delicate, limestone-secreting animal. The deposits are made in hundred or thousands of years protecting the softer parts. However, coral reefs can live only in a delicate, balanced marine environment. They require lots of light and oxygen. They also need clear water, low nutrients, a steady temperature, and stable salinity.
They are a vital part of marine ecosystems, but they can be damaged by everything from storms, pollutants, ship anchors and careless divers to massive natural disasters. They are therefore so delicate, but having said that, this also applies to almost everything with life as life itself is delicate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
retireediary 