A spectacular Chilean rose tarantula is to be named Snape, in honour of the Harry Potter star, by staff at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium. The six-month-old spider is the newest addition to the Rock-a-Nore Road attraction’s Jungle Room display which features a variety of exotic reptiles, insects and spiders from around the world. As its … Continued

A giant triggerfish which outgrew its tank at a local garden centre is enjoying a spacious new home at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium. Nicknamed ‘Queenie’, the queen triggerfish became a star attraction at Tenterden Garden Centre with some people coming in specifically to see her. However within a year she had grown too large for … Continued

Dozens of tiny baby poison dart frogs are thriving after being born at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium. The little froglets hatched out as tadpoles earlier in the year and have now metamorphosed in to miniature frogs, measuring just a few millimetres in length. Despite their minuscule size the rare phantasmal poison dart frogs are renowned … Continued

The newest arrival at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium has been named after Lord Voldermort’s favourite reptile companion. Staff have named the Biak green tree python Nagini in honour of the giant snake in Harry Potter. He is currently around 50cms in length and was bred in captivity.   When fully grown he could reach lengths … Continued

A giant octopus at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium has formed an unlikely attachment with a child’s toy given to him as a present on World Octopus Day (October 8th). Much to the delight of aquarists Count Oswald the giant Pacific octopus, has fallen under the spell of Mr. Potato Head. Originally launched by Hasbro in … Continued

Delighted aquarists at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium are celebrating the birth of nine rare phantasmal poison frog tadpoles – believed to be one of the most toxic amphibians on the planet. The World Conservation Union considers the phantasmal poison frog to be ‘Endangered’, which means that it faces a very high risk of extinction in … Continued

Delighted staff at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium are celebrating finding their own Nemos after the arrival of four captive-bred baby clownfish. The tiny orange and white striped fish – exact miniature replicas of their parents – gained worldwide fame thanks to the animated Disney/Pixar blockbuster Finding Nemo. The quartet are currently being looked after in … Continued

A female shark is to be named ‘Elsa’ in honour of the animated heroine from ‘Frozen’ following a competition at Hastings’ Blue Reef Aquarium. The Rock-a-Nore Road wildlife attraction invited youngsters to choose a suitable name for the young female shark after an earlier request to name a male shark proved popular. However staff weren’t … Continued

Keepers at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium are aiming to play matchmaker to a pair of shy chameleons. Staff at the Rock-a-Nore Road wildlife attraction are hoping the pair of Jackson’s chameleons will hit it off after moving in to their new home at the aquarium earlier this month. The pair, named Samuel L and Glenda, … Continued

A group of captive-bred big belly seahorses has gone on public display at Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium. The 20-strong colony were born at the Rock-a-Nore Road attraction’s sister aquarium in Bristol and are part of a new seahorse breeding programme. They are members of what’s thought to be the largest species of seahorse in the … Continued