Breeding successes at Underwater World

UNDERWATER World at Sentosa has bred about 15 species of fish and sharks successfully.

And many of these, like the checkered sea perch and eagle ray, have never been bred anywhere else.

In fact, a large number of the creatures swimming in the tanks are either parents or were hatched at the aquarium, said its curatorial director, Mr Bruce Mackay.

He said: 'Breeding marine creatures is very, very difficult.

'It's 99 per cent perspiration. It's not a matter of being lucky at all.

'After all our years of effort, we've managed to build up a lot of experience and expertise.'

Underwater World is 10 years old.

To breed the fish, the staff first need a brood stock of healthy, happy adult fish.

It often takes the fish several years to grow to adult size.

Then, the eggs they lay are collected and hatched in aquatic nurseries.

Various types of micro algae are grown at the facility to feed microscopic animals called rotifers, which are then fed to the larval fish.

Some of the species, such as the golden trevally and bamboo shark, have done so well that they are being bred by the thousand and sold commercially.

Not only does this bring in extra revenue, but it also saves the fish from being taken from the wild, which helps in their conservation, said Mr Mackay.

Apart from fish, Underwater World is breeding turtles, in collaboration with researchers in Nagoya, Japan.

The aquarium also serves as a haven for stranded and abandoned wildlife, and for those which are saved from poachers.

Take Gracie the dugong, which was found as a baby near Pulau Ubin in 1998, still trying to suckle her dead mother.

Gracie was fortified with loving care and formula milk, and is now three years old.

But she will not reach her adult size of 400 kg or so for another seven years.

Weighing in at a whopping 150 kg now, the healthy smooth-skinned beauty with its whiskery face and liquid eyes is a darling among staff and visitors alike.