The Shark Lab

Aquarium related duties were on my schedule today.

A Puffadder Shyshark. Isn't it cute?
Credit: http://www.diverdavid.co.uk/photo.htm

In the morning, three interns went on the boat Lamnidae to collect benthic sharks. There are several species of small sharks that live in the area. Most commonly found are three species of catsharks or shysharks (yes, that's what they're really truly called because they like hiding under and around rocks): the Puffadder Shyshark, Leopard Shyshark, and Pajama Jacket Shyshark. We collect these by hand for the tank in the aquarium. Once they're collected, they stay in the aquarium for about three months and data about their growth is recorded. Several graduate students on campus are also using the sharks in their research. Collecting them is actually quite simple. We parked the boat near a reef in the bay, climbed into the water with a bag filled with fish for chum, and free-dove for the sharks when they appeared. Yes, the water is COLD. Especially when compared with Honduras. When compared with Southern California, it's probably only slightly colder. After a couple very shivery hours in the water, we ended up with one Puffadder. 

Oceans' aquarium entrance

During the afternoon, I went to the aquarium with five other interns. The aquarium is very, very small. The tanks are contained in one not overly large room. The exhibits consist of one tank for the benthics (about the size of tide pool exhibit at a decent sized aquarium), a slightly larger pelagic tank for a few fish and Milk or Silky sharks, and five, perhaps, 50 gallon tanks. Two of these house slightly more tropical fish species, one has an octopus, another has small local fish, and the last has a collection of eggs from the sharks in the benthic tank waiting to hatch.

Two interns, Alex and Sarah, were assigned to help a grad student with his project in the pelagic tank. The rest of us--Derek, Johan, and I--helped to feed mussels to the fish tanks and then prepare food for the sharks. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the sharks are fed at a specific time and the feeding advertised to the general public. We use tongs to feed the sharks so that we can tell just who has eaten and how much. My specific job was to both cut up the fish for feeding and then feed using the tongs. My hands still smell fishy after several good scrubs with strong smelling soap. Unsurprisingly, our room is also beginning to smell a little fishy. 

Johan and Derek (L and R, respectively) feeding one of
the fish tanks.

Johan attempting to clean old mussel shells
out of another tank before putting in more food.

Preparing fish for the sharks.

Feeding the pelagic tank.