Indo-Pacific Coral Reek Tank
Facts about Animals in the Indo-Pacific Coral Reef Tank
1. Honeycomb Moray Eel (Gymnothorax favagineus) -- There are two on exhibit at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. Eels eat their prey whole, and they don’t eat everyday. The eels at Riverbanks typically eat two times a week.
2. Bluespotted Stingray (Taeniura lymma) -- Stingrays are related to sharks; both have cartilage instead of bone.
3. Orbiculate Batfish (Platax orbicularis) -- These large, round fish have often been seen swimming in groups, called schools. They also enjoy tactile stimulation and can often be seen rubbing up against the artificial coral reef, and even the divers.
4. Blue and Gold Highfin Snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus) -- This brightly colored fish is a favorite among guests and staff at Riverbanks. He has been in the Indo-Pacific Reef exhibit since 1993. He loves to look for small worms by blowing water into the gravel. This stirs up the gravel, causing the worms to come to the surface where he can eat them.
5. Stars and Stripes Pufferfish (Arothron hispidis) -- This fish is capable of sucking up enough water to swell up to 3-4 times his normal size! He does this when he feels threatened or nervous because it makes him look bigger and more frightening to would-be predators.