Aquarium | Hello from the Five Star Vagabond

Kagoshima Aquarium Kinko Bay

October 22, 2016 by David Herd

Looks like Sydney Opera House

Kagoshima Aquarium Kinko Bay

Kagoshima Aquarium Kinko Bay has a similar look to the Sydney Opera House. Not nearly as spectacular of course but certainly well worth a visit.

Whale shark

The whale shark is the largest of the fish species. The biggest confirmed individual had a length of 12.65 meters and a weight of around 21.5 ton.

Here is a video of the Whale Shark & others.

Huge whale shark at Kagoshima aquarium in Japan.

Watch this video on YouTube

I’t’s so peaceful & relaxing watching these amazing fish swim lazily in circles around the huge pool.

Another big guy

I can’t remember how many years it has been since I was at an aquarium, it was a total pleasure visiting the aquarium at Kagoshima. Entry was 1500 Yen or $14 USD.

Another huge tank with a great variety of fish

The women in the photo gives you an idea of the size of the tank & the fish.

Jelly fish

Jellyfish are the most efficient swimmers in the oceans. They use less energy to cover a given distance than any other ocean creature. Follow THIS LINK for some great information.

Big body, small head.

The huge variety of marine life is quite amazing.

Hiding among the reeds

This little guy was only about 6 inches long.

Here are some starfish in the background

The starfish is not a fish. It’s an echinoderm, closely related to sea urchins and sand dollars.

There are some 2,000 species of sea star living in all the world’s oceans, from tropical habitats to the cold seafloor. The five-arm varieties are the most common, hence their name, but species with 10, 20, and even 40 arms exist.

They have bony, calcified skin, which protects them from most predators, and many wear striking colors that camouflage them or scare off potential attackers. Purely marine animals, there are no freshwater sea stars, and only a few live in brackish water.

Beyond their distinctive shape, sea stars are famous for their ability to regenerate limbs, and in some cases, entire bodies. They accomplish this by housing most or all of their vital organs in their arms. Some require the central body to be intact to regenerate, but a few species can grow an entirely new sea star just from a portion of a severed limb.

Most sea stars also have the remarkable ability to consume prey outside their bodies. Using tiny, suction-cupped tube feet, they pry open clams or oysters, and their sack-like cardiac stomach emerges from their mouth and oozes inside the shell. The stomach then envelops the prey to digest it, and finally withdraws back into the body. Credit National Geographic.

Here is another video, great shots of sharks swimming.

Great variety of fish & sharks at Kagoshima aquarium

Watch this video on YouTube

These sharks are absolutely fascinating creatures, so streamlined & graceful.

Great location & excellent hotel

My hotel is only 10 minutes walk to the aquarium, a great location and a great room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

Now for some more sashimi 🙂

Another beautiful looking creature.

Deep sea worms

Despite being an inland bay, Kinko Bay reaches depths of more than 200 meters, making it home to deep see marine life as well. Additionally, a new species of tube worm, or Lamellibrachia Satsuma, can be found on the sea floor at depths of around 90 meters in the upper bay. Research has shown that this unique population is supported by underwater volcanic vents from Mt. Sakurajima that spew hydrogen sulfide from the sea floor.

A few small fish among the coral

The coral itself makes a beautiful display.

You have seen the worms, now how about a sea snake?

Snakes are one of the things I have always been afraid of. Growing up in Australia which has nine of the ten most venemous snakes in the world, is it any wonder we are scared of them? 🙂

Beautiful colours

You really can spend hours watching these wonderful creatures.

Stonefish, most venemous fish in the world.

Stonefish are venomous, dangerous, and even fatal to humans. It is one of the most venomous fish known. They are found in the coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific.