Seattle Aquarium

Barney the Harbor Seal is an aquarium favorite, especially since he is one of the oldest Harbor Seals in the world! Outliving the average lifespan by 17 years, Barney's secret to success is enjoying high quality seafood, leisurely swims in his pool, daily exercise sessions and getting his teeth brushed frequently.

One of the most popular Saltwater Fish in the world, the Ocellaris Clown is a very unique and fascinating animal. Seattle Aquarium is home to a harem of 5, hosting both a large carpet anemone, and a smaller bubble tip anemone. Always moving and never boring, the Ocellaris is sure to capture everyones attention in their visit to this humble aquarium.

The China Rockfish, my favorite species of rockfish, is one of over 100 hundred species of rockfish. Their black and yellow markings make them a sight to behold in the cold depths of the Pacific ocean.

One of over 100 different species of Rockfish, the Canary is one of the larger and more iconic species at the aquarium. Here this one is isolated with a Deacon Rockfish and Bluestriped Surfperch in a tall, wall height aquarium with natural sunlight. On the cloudy day I took this photo, this Rockfish decided to pose almost perfectly for the camera, allowing for one of my best photos taken at the aquarium to come to this website! 

Not an official resident of the Aquarium, this Glaucous Winged Gull has made its home on top of the Aquarium's main building, often searching its balcony for food left behind by excited guests. Many other species of gulls, a Great Blue Heron, and many Rock Doves have made the aquarium their home due to its perfect situation on the waterfront and its proximity to other, more dangerous foraging sites that wouldnt be suitable for raising young.

Unlike the Moon Jelly (which is a native Puget Sound species on a much larger display), these Lagoon Jellies have longer tentacles and a rounder and oblong bell. In their rounded cube exhibit, they are able to gracefully and comfortable swim with a slow current that helps them find eachother and food.

Only on display for a relatively short time due to their impressively short lifespan of 12 months in the wild, the Day Octopus at Seattle Aquarium was truly a special animal! He was able to hide in plain sight and make a large tank look even larger! Although Day Octopuses are large, they are actually among the largest species (being dwarfed by the Giant Pacific Octopus, the largest species).

Known as "The Diva of the Seattle Aquarium", Agatha is a sassy sight to behold! Every morning she gets a bushel of Mussels in which she pecks and jackhammers her way into their tough shells to pull out the savory meat inside. She is the only flighted bird with an open air exhibit due to the fact that she was born at the Oregon Coast Aquarium instead of the wild like the other birds in this portion of the aquarium.

These anemones can be found at the bird section of the aquarium, swaying from side to side as fresh Puget Sound water fills the rocky tidepools within the exhibit. 

This Black Bellied Plover is a rescued individual, arriving at the aquarium with a wing injury that couldn't be recovered. Although a migratory species, the aquarium takes great care in making sure that all its migratory residents stay nice and warm when winter rolls around. 

Known more popularly as an invasive species, the Indo-Pacific Lionfish is a beautiful and dangerous animal. Having no natural predators in its introduced range of the Gulf of Mexico, divers have taken great pains to teach sharks and grouper how to hunt Lionfish safely without getting stung by their poisonous spines.

Tank is a Snowy Plover, but despite her small and childlike appearance she's actually one of the oldest birds (relative to lifespan) in the Aquarium's collection. Coming in as a rescue from Monterey Bay, she like the other shorebirds here has had a non-recoverable wing injury which prevents her from going back into the wild. Instead she receives expert care and comfort while becoming an inspiration to conserve our planet's Marine environments!

My favorite exhibit in the Pacific Coral Reef portion of the aquarium, this tank's simplicity and beauty is unparalleled by any tank I've ever seen. Within are tree corals, Spotted Box Fish, Anthias, Convict Tangs and a Coral Beauty Angel and all of these fish and marine inverts will be moved to the Ocean Pavilion (The Aquariums newest expansion) upon opening.

The Black Saddled Toby is an interesting fish, as it shares a very similar appearance to not one, but two different species of fish! It's primary purpose is to mimic the Valentini Puffer, a poisonous puffer that truly packs a punch.