The annual stock-take is taking place over the February Half Term holidays (Feburary 11th-19th) at Hastings Blue Aquarium with their own version of a ‘fishy census!’
Staff at the Rock-a-Nore Road aquarium are inviting visitors to volunteer to help spot and record the number of certain species including sharks, rays and seahorses.
The experts at the aquarium will then do an official check and the child who most accurately reports the number of animals will win a free Family Ticket to the aquarium.
Blue Reef Aquarium’s Leanna Lawson said: “This has traditionally always been the time of year when we do an official check on all our stock numbers.
“We thought it would be a great fun to involve the visitors in the count as well and turn it into an interactive activity that everyone can take part in.
“Obviously some creatures will be easier to count than others; the sharks are usually fairly straightforward, although there are a number of species that swim extremely fast and others that hide under the sand.
“Seahorses can be a little tricky because there are so many and hermit crabs are always something of a guesstimate as it’s difficult to tell which shells are inhabited and which are currently vacant!” she added.
Hastings Blue Reef Aquarium takes visitors on an undersea voyage from the drama of the British coastline to the spectacular ‘underwater gardens’ of the Mediterranean and the dazzling beauty of exotic tropical reefs.
Highlights include the open top ray tank showcasing local species and the spectacular ocean reef display, complete with its own 15-metre-long underwater walkthrough tunnel.
More than 40 other naturally themed displays are home to a variety of marine and freshwater species from around the world including giant octopus, seahorses, stingrays, archerfish, lobsters and crabs.