Trip to Mote Aquarium

[Aquariareview]

Hello

Doris and I are in florida waiting for warmer weather for a trip out west and we just made a trip to Mote Aquarium in Sarasota.

 

Mote is a small aquarium connected to a major research lab in Sarasota FL

Less Flashy than Baltimore or Atlanta it is still worth the visit. Not much in the reef department but with a focus on shark research and marine education its a great visit.

Some real good shark tanks with some very nice small species.

 

There were some nice small fish displays

A tank full of Florida Flounder

Frog Fish... These guys were huge (as big as my head)

Stone Fish

Soft Coral Display

 

They have a large seaturtle rescue and research lab where they are breeding sea turtles

here is a rescued young turtle

 

The real reason to go to Mote is to see the giant Manatee Display, this alone is worth the trip

These critters are about half the size of a car and as gracefull as anything I have ever seen.

 

If you are in the Tampa area,, Mote is about 1 hour south in Sarasota and is really worth the trip.

[tygger]

I've never seen a frog fish in person. Looks pretty cool. Are they active or do they just kinda sit there?

 

Thx for sharing the pics!

[Aquariareview]

They are a very patient hunter.. They sit very still untill prey comes close...then thay hit so fast you dont see it happen. I used to keep one and he would eat every thing in the tank.

 

I thought I was safe putting him in a tank of larger fish... I came home and he had eaten a puffer that was bigger than he was (he was stretched over it) I thought he would die but about a week later he was perched on a rock looking for more.

 

I kept him in a 55 gal by himself for the next 8 years. he ate mollies, shrimp and small crabs I caught on the beach.