Sunshine Aquarium (3-1 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo) is holding a three-day aquarium cleaning event, “Operation Shiny Aquarium! for three days from July 10 to 12.
Operation Shiny Pika Shika” refers to the “cleanup” of the aquarium tanks, in which all the organisms in the tanks are removed and moved to the back yard, and all the water is drained to clean the tanks of dirt. This cleaning, which takes place several times a year, was held before the summer vacation and was open to the general public.
The purpose of this water fall cleaning is to remove acrylic stains, false coral moss, parasites on the fish, etc., which cannot be removed by daily cleaning, and to replace the seawater after disinfecting the tank.
The first aquarium we started on the first day, July 10, was the “Atlantic Ocean – Caribbean Sea” tank. This tank is a reproduction of the emerald green Atlantic Ocean, home to a wide variety of creatures, and is one of the medium to large size tanks in the Sunshine Aquarium. More than 20 fish of about 12 species live in this tank, including the ancient Atlantic tarpon and the flat-looking look-down.
The visitors who happened to be there that day cheered in amazement at the rare sight of the breeding staff entering the large tank and taking the creatures away one by one as if to drive them in, draining all 20 tons of water, a sight rarely seen in the aquarium.
Mitsuyuki Kamiichi, a staff member in charge of fish at Sunshine Aquarium, explained, “It is hard work to transport all the creatures safely to the aquarium without any injuries, but after the water is removed and the fish are sparkling clean, their movements can be seen more clearly.
On July 11, the “Okinawa Sea – Shiraho” tank will be open to the public, and on July 12, the “Australian Sea – Great Barrier Reef” tank will be open to the public for water fall cleaning (both from 5:00 to 7:30 pm. (All times are from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.; backyard tours are not permitted). Other tanks, exhibits, and backyard tours (reservations required) can be enjoyed as usual.
During the summer vacation period, Sunshine Aquarium will hold an early morning-only event on Saturdays and Sundays, “Open to the Public! Aquarium Morning Routine” is held on Saturdays and Sundays during the summer vacation. Also, during the “Special Summer Guided Tour,” which spotlights a particular creature each day of the week, such as jellyfish, sharks, and penguins, visitors can enjoy a special tour and petting experience while listening to the explanations of the aquarium staff.
For more details about the facilities and event schedules, please check the official website.
© Source travel watch