27th E.U.A.C Meeting (02nd – 06th October 2010)
The story of a Cuttlefish
WP1 Metadata workshop and 2nd ODEMM meetingWelcome to |
 |
Live Silver-cheeked Toadfish at Cretaquarium 
Until recently the Silver-cheeked Toadfish, a visitor from the tropical seas, made front-page news whenever it was caught by Greek fishermen. This was because Lagocephalus Sceleratus has certain features that make it unique as a species.The fish belongs to the Tetradontidae family, known to us as balloonfish because of their habit of inflating when threatened. All species in the family, including the Silver-cheeked Toadfish, carry a paralytic poison in their innards and skin which renders them highly dangerous, if not lethal, when consumed by humans.
For some days now a Silver-cheeked Toadfish has been held in one of the Cretaquarium display tanks, thanks to the concerned reaction of local fisherman and the immediate response of Cretaquarium scientists. The Toadfish was caught by chance in fishermen’s nets off the northeast coast of Crete, by Sitia. Since they were already well-informed of the fish’s unique nature, the fishermen kept it alive and then informed Cretaquarium.
Though frightened, the fish was in perfect condition, so Cretaquarium scientists raced against the clock to transport it live from the fishing boats to the specially designed quarantine tanks in the aquarium. Following intensive efforts, once the toadfish had acclimatized and overcome its initial shock at the change of environment, adaptation to living in captivity began. It was a long-term, highly difficult business, since very little is known about the biology of the species and its life in aquarium conditions. Once the required adaptation period had elapsed and the animal’s behaviour permitted it, scientists gave the go-ahead for it to be moved to a specially designed tank in the Lessepsian migrant section of the Cretaquarium exhibition.
Where it is now, visitors to Cretaquarium can get to know this new, very handsome aquarium guest at close quarters – without running the slightest risk, of course.
Share it....  |
Bookmark Cretaquarium site
 |
