Search
Two Oceans Aquarium OGs look back on our 30-year history
In November this year, the Two Oceans Aquarium is turning 30! This is a momentous occasion and one that sparks reflection on the past three decades of conservation, education, and awareness. In honour of this significant milestone, we’re shining a light on a few of our longest-serving staff members – Msa Maseko, Bianca Engel, and Michael Farquhar. Msa, Bianca, and Michael have all worked at the Two Oceans Aquarium for over 20 years, a remarkable achievement. Let’s learn a bit more from these three OGs…
What is turtle stranding season, and how can I help?
Stranding season is one of the busiest times of the year for the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation’s Turtle Conservation Centre. Every year, hatchling and adult turtles strand on beaches along the Western Cape coastline. These patients are brought to our Turtle Conservation Centre for rehabilitation. Here’s everything you need to know about stranding season and what you can do to help…
The Two Oceans Aquarium celebrated the False Bay Hope Spot with Mission Blue and CapeRADD!
Recently, the Two Oceans Aquarium hosted Mission Blue and representatives from the seven South African Hope Spots. Dr Sylvia Earle, founder of Mission Blue and legendary marine biologist, joined the Hope Spot champions in celebrating the growing South African Hope Spot network. The two-day celebration included a collaborative workshop on Friday 21 February, and a community event in the False Bay Hope Spot on Saturday, 22 February.
Listening for turtles: The importance of acoustic tagging as a tool for conservation
Four of South Africa’s aquariums, together with a leading research institute, are working together to acoustically tag subadult and adult turtles that have been rescued, rehabilitated, and released.
Egg-citing news: Our African penguins have had chicks!
The Two Oceans Aquarium has an exciting announcement: For the first time in 10 years, our African penguin colony has welcomed new chicks to the beach!
Orbicular batfish
The orbicular batfish is a large, disc-shaped fish with a flattened dusky silver body. Its anal and dorsal fins are symmetrical, giving the adult batfish a spade-like appearance. Its dorsal, anal and tail fins are translucent yellow with black margins, and its pectoral fins are yellow. It has two prominent vertical black bars, a thick one behind the head that crosses the gill cover, and a narrower bar though the eye. Some sub-populations have small black spots on their sides.The adult orbicular batfish very closely resembles the longfinned batfish, and distinguishing between the two is understandably difficult. The longfinned batfish has dark blotches under its pectoral fin and on the bottom edge of its anal fin which are absent on the orbicular batfish.The juvenile orbicular batfish relies on its long fins to mimic a dead leaf by flopping onto its side and allowing the current to take it. It has a great affinity for brackish coastal environments, particularly mangroves and lagoons and can change its colour to a rusty brown to more closely resemble a leaf.As it grows larger, it takes on a silver colouration more closely resembling the longfinned batfish. Gradually its fins become shorter until it takes on the characteristic spade shape of other members of its family.The adult will move out of its sheltered coastal habitat to reefs where it will feed primarily on algae, but will snack on small fish if given the opportunity. Perhaps its strangest dietary quirk, the orbicular batfish will often follow sea turtles around to eat their faeces.It ranges from Knysna in the Western Cape to the Red Sea, Australia, Polynesia, Japan and Alaska. Invasive populations are also present in the Caribbean.Bluefin gurnard
Bluefin gurnards are a common bottom-dwelling fish throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Their colouring may seem drab and unimpressive, camouflaging them will with the seafloor - until it spreads its brilliant blue pectoral fins, from where it draws its name.Just in front of these fins, you might notice that it appears to have a set of little “legs” that helps it creep along. These are not actually legs, they are modified rays of its fins, which the gurnards use to stir up the sand to find prey – small crustaceans. They are predators that feed on small crabs and shrimp.Gurnard's bodies are long and compact, with armoured, bone-plated heads.Sergeant major
The sergeant majors are small, oval damselfish. It has a grey body with a yellow dorsal area. Most notably, they have five vertical blue-black bars across their bodies.Although they sometimes form schools, the pair up during breeding. Breeding pairs have a preferred territory and will fight other fish to protect it. Once the eggs have been laid, the male will remain to guard and aerate them - this fierce behaviour is where they get their name "sergeant major" as well as their scientific name Abudefdul, with "abu" meaning father or guardian in Arabic.They are omnivores and will opportunistically feed on algae and small invertebrates.Juvenile sergeant majors are commonly found in tidal pools, while adults prefer rock and coral reefs on South Africa's Indian Ocean coasts. Globally, they occur throughout the Indo-Pacific, ranging from South Africa to the Red Sea, Japan and the Pitcairn Islands.Steentjie
This blue-grey fish has an oval-shaped body with several faint yellow horizontal stripes on its flanks and dark blue-grey fins.It has several sets of both incisors and a row of molars. They use this combination of teeth to pick up bottom-dwelling invertebrates and crush their shells. As they mature they become more omnivorous and will graze on algae.During spring and summer months, male steentjies will take on brighter blue and yellow colours and will construct nests in the sand. Once spawning has taken place, the males will remain at the nest to guard the eggs until they hatch.The steentjie occurs in large shoals above shallow, rocky reefs on the coasts of the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal.Hottentot
The hottentot is a small bronze-grey seabream with small dark fins that occurs along the coast of Angola, Namibia, and the South African West Coast to Cape Point.
John brown
The janbruin is a robust-bodied sea bream with an orange-brown body and deep blue eyes set into a blue-brown face.
Dassie
The dassie is a deep-bodied, oval-shaped fish with a silver body, black patch on its tail peduncle and red-pink tint to the tips of its fins. Juveniles also have several dark vertical bars on each side.it is an omnivore, with a mouth equipped with several rows of molars and canines.Dassies have a wide range on the Southern African Coast, from Angola to Mozambique. They inhabit a wide range of shallow environments, and juveniles are commonly found in rock pools.