Little rays of sunshine: Baby flat fish who appear to be smiling
are hit with aquarium visitors
There must be something in the water. These little rays of
sunshine appear to be smiling at just days old.
The tiny rays have arrived during a baby boom at Great
Yarmouth’s Sealife Centre, Norfolk, drawing in visitors from far
and wide.
At least six Thornbacked rays have hatched over the last
three days alone.
And visitors eager for a glimpse of their seemingly happy
faces have been shocked to find what looks like eyes are in fact
gills.
Curator Christine Pitcher said: 'We took more ray eggs out of
our main display tank this morning, and at least 20 of them seem to
be fertile.
'It’s the right time of year for a baby boom, but I don’t
recall ever having so many youngsters appearing at once
before.
'It’s the ultimate endorsement for our husbandry techniques
and the quality of water and theming in our displays,' she
added.
Though the fish appear to be smiling, what looks to be it’s
eyes are in fact gills for breathing on it’s underside.
The rays' real eyes are on the front of it’s body.
The fish will live in a nursery tank until they are big
enough to join the adult rays in huge open top tank.
Thornbacked rays are the most common of nine species of rays
in British waters. They can grow up to 1.2metres.
They get their name because their upper body is covered in
tiny prickles.
Christine and her team are hoping the baby boom will rub off
on their largest resident Aphropdite the nurse shark who has been
mating with male Hercules.
'That would certainly be the "happy event" of the year,' she
said.
