Showing posts tagged as "ocean sunfish"
Does this look like a fish designed by a committee? Some people think so! You’ll be glad to know this 200-pound ocean sunfish, or mola mola, is back on exhibit after a brief time behind the scenes.
Learn more about the ocean sunfish and our Open Sea exhibit.
How do you buff a 54-foot exhibit window? Our experts toil through the night so you can go eye-to-eye with an ocean sunfish. Learn more in our latest podcast!
Love the ocean sunfish, or mola mola? Some people think it looks like a fish designed by a committee, with a broad body and abbreviated tail section. Molas hatch from tiny eggs but grow to weigh more than a pickup truck. You can see one in our Open Sea exhibit!
We recently moved our 300-pound ocean sunfish (mola mola) behind the scenes, and replaced it with a beautiful, 38-pound animal in our Open Sea exhibit.
Did you know that molas are the world’s largest bony fish, reaching 14 feet in length and tipping the scales at an SUV-like 5,000 pounds? Its Latin name, fittingly, means “millstone.”
Our molas are also “target-trained,” which means they learn to associate a red-and-white striped ball with food, and come over as soon as it’s placed in the water. This ensures they aren’t “out-competed” by faster, more aggressive fish.
You can watch our new mola live on our live web cam!
Moving the Ocean Sunfish into Our New Exhibit
What does it take to move a 352-pound ocean sunfish into our new Open Sea exhibit? Lots of people, some powerful equipment, and a great deal of care! This fish has grown from 34 pounds to its current weight at the Aquarium, and you can see it now on exhibit.
