Wolf-eel Babies Hatch in High Definition

In late March, we brought you news of Birch Aquarium at Scripps' hatching of 250 tiny Wolf-eels. The Aquarium has just released stunning close-up images of the remaining eggs. The pictures, taken by Peter Kragh, show the eels at the very moment of birth. Adult Wolf-eels are generally curious and friendly, despite measuring 80 inches or more when fully grown.

Photo credits: Peter Kragh

Helping Wolf Eel Babies to Hatch at Birch Aquarium

Birch Aquarium at Scripps is proud to announce the hatching of baby Wolf-Eels! Birch aquarists have so far collected about 250 Wolf-Eels from the mass of eggs, with another few hundred expected to hatch over the next two weeks. The tiny fish are born brownish-pink, about 1 1/2 inches in length. They begin to turn dark gray within a day or so, and begin snacking on tiny shrimp after a few days. They will grow to several feet in length. Check out the video below of aquarist Mark Ball overseeing the hatching!

Wolf Eel eggs weeks after being laid

Mother Wolf Eel guarding her little ones

Photo and video credits: Birch Aquarium

Rare Footage of a Papa Seahorse Giving Birth!

The Tennessee Aquarium's seahorse gallery is a busy nursery but actual footage of seahorses being born is still rare. Lucky for us Carol Haley, the Aquarium's Assistant Curator of Fishes, caught this amazing video of Lined Seahorses being shot-outta-Pop (that is not the technical term). Many people are surprised to learn that it's the father, not the mother, seahorse that gives live birth to the young.  In the video, you’ll notice the babies racing away from dad towards the surface. There’s a reason for that according to aquarist Elaine Robinson. “When they are born, Hippocampus erectus fry swim quickly to the surface of the water to gulp air for the primary phase of swim bladder inflation,” said Robinson.  “Lined seahorses tend to be pelagic, drifting near the surface of the water, in search of their prey.” 

In the pictures below, a toothbrush has been inserted for size reference

Photo credits: Thom Benson / Tennessee Aquarium

Aquarists quickly remove the babies to care for them in backup areas until they are strong enough to be placed on exhibit or shared with other AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accredited institutions.

See and learn more below the fold

Skate Pups Come in Peace

At Scotland's MacDuff Aquarium, photographer Mandy Reid came face to... er... face... with four tiny newborn skates.

Photo Credits: Mandy Reid

If you look in the background of the second picture, you'll see the skate egg sacks from which these four little guys just emerged. You can often find these empty and dried egg sacks washed up on your local beach

Angel Shark Pups No Bigger than Your Hand

Four Pacific angel sharks were born at the Aquarium of Bay last week in San Francisco. These rare and unusual sharks were once plentiful off California but populations were decimated by overfishing in the 1980s. Researchers hope to learn more about how to protect wild angel sharks by studying the tiny pups.

Adult angel shark below

The Secret Lives of (Baby) Seahorses

Yesterday the Monterey Bay Aquarium unveiled its newest exhibit, The Secret Lives of Seahorses, showcasing 15 species of seahorses, sea dragons, pipehorses and pipefish. Seahorses are unique in the animal kingdom because the male becomes pregnant and gives birth. The tiny babies stay close to their protective father by clinging to nearby plants with their strong tails.

Dwarf Seahorses © Monterey Bay Aquarium

If you live anywhere in the United States, Western Hemisphere or planet earth, we strongly recommend you make the trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see these extraordinary creatures. In lieu of that, enjoy this webcast or at least watch the cool video below.

Stingray Babies Are Cute Too

The Houston Zoo's Kipp Aquarium has seven tiny new additions to its growing family. (The Zoo) is proud to announce the birth of seven baby stingrays. Their mom and dad are checkerboard freshwater stingrays, a species from South America. Dad can be seen swimming in Kipp Aquarium, while mom and babies are staying in their cozy tanks in the Aquarium Quarantine until they are ready to go out and meet the public.

Wobbegong Shark Pups

Shark pups are born live and these little guys came wriggling into the world in late December at the Georgia Aquarium. Spotted wobbegongs are among the most sluggish of all sharks, laying on the sea floor waiting for prey to come to them. They grow up to 10ft (3.2m) long, but these pups are only 8.3 inches (21 cm).

Baby Stingrays at the Florida Aquarium

One of the aquarium's oldest resident, Rosanne Barb, gave birth to five pups September 9th, 2008. Stingrays give birth to live, wriggling young, that pop out rolled up like a cannoli.

Stingrays give birth to live, wriggling young, that pop out rolled up like a cannoli.

Like holding a little spaceship.