Top 10 Interesting Facts about Sumida Aquarium

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Sumida Aquarium

Tokyo_Soramachi_photo by Kakidai —Wikimedia

The Sumida Aquarium is an urban facility and was built on the commercial complex “Tokyo Solamachi” in the Tokyo sky tree. Its managed by Orix real estate cooperation.

The Sumida aquarium facility houses 7,000 living creatures on the 5^th and 6^th floors of Tokyo Solamachi.

The aquarium has a seawater purification system developed by the Nagaoka University of Technology and Taisei Corporation, the majority of the tanks are operated only by artificial seawater.

The aquarium is located in an attractive spot, drawing in all kinds of events not only within the same complex of Tokyo sky tree but also combining sightseeing and cultural experiences as the aquarium is a walking distance from Asakusa.

The aquarium is a world of aquatic wonder that draws people in with its magnificent beauty. Here are the top 10 Interesting facts about Sumida Aquarium.

1. It has a display of natural waters cape

aquarium fish photo by Antoine-Peltier-Unsplash

The 1^st display of the Sumida aquarium is a natural water escape that is filled with aquatic plants and freshwater fish.

The tank maintains the living conditions of aquatic plants and fish by supplying carbon dioxide to stimulate the photosynthesis of the plants and, the fish generate oxygen in this reproduction of a natural ecosystem.

The tank undergoes daily maintenance as it is with many other aquariums, harmful substances like ammonia and nitrates are regularly produced mainly through fish metabolism as excretory products.

The wastes keep accumulating, sometimes exceeding the carrying capacity of aquaria water and becoming lethal to the aquatic life, that’s why the tanks at the Sumida aquarium undergo daily maintenance.

2. The aquarium uses artificial seawater in its tanks

Fishes_in_Sumida_Aquarium_photo by Hal 0005—Wikimedia

The aquarium has achieved the complete use of artificial seawater in all its tanks with the use of a proprietary artificial seawater production system.

The Sumida aquarium as well as the Kyoto aquarium use an artificial seawater production system, making them japans 1^st inland aquarium, Sumida has been the second.

The system suppresses carbon dioxide emissions generated when transporting sea water in large quantities while helping to maintain consistent water quality throughout the year.

3. The tanks of the aquarium have environmental friendly LED lights

The aquarium tanks are illuminated by bright LEDs that make the aquatic scene look like moving CG art and complete the beautiful life of the aquatic world.

Aquarium lighting is important for most aquariums, and LED is any type of artificial lighting used to illuminate an aquarium led.

LEDs are used in the tanks as they use less electricity than other aquarium lights, a step towards conserving the environment.

LED lights came in a variety of colors used to accent the tanks in an interesting way that makes the aquatic ecosystem look more like a wonderland and gives a memorable experience for the viewers.

4. The aquarium has a jellyfish zone

Jellyfish_in_Sumida_Aquarium2 photo by Hal 0005—Wikimedia

The Sumida aquarium has an area dedicated to displaying jellyfish in large tanks. There is a seven-metering tank referred to as a big “petri dish”.

The large tank is shaped like a scientific gadget and roughly has 500 jellyfish, swimming around in all their translucent splendor.

Guests can even take a walk on the transparent floor of the illuminated glass slay deck which hangs over the petri dish.

The jellyfish appear as though they are glowing due to the special lighting, the sight it provides is breathtaking, it sheds light on why the Japanese called this jellyfish Kurage meaning ocean moon.

Another feature of the aquarium is three large drum tanks on the side walls around the petri dish, where one can get an up-close look at the three species of jellyfish housed in the aquarium.

The moon jellyfish which is the highlight of the jellyfish zone has a translucent 10 to 16 bell, with a fringe of short tentacles and is carnivorous in feeding.

Most jellyfish live solitary lives and scientists believe they communicate with one another using chemicals released into the water.

5. The aquarium has an exhibit of a penguin pool

The most iconic feature of the Sumida aquarium is the penguin pool, where visitors can view Magellanic penguins swimming freely in one of the largest indoor open pool aquariums in Japan.

The penguin pool is a two-story construction and allows visitors to see penguins from all angles.

Environmentally friendly LED’s are used for lighting and it changes as the day progresses.

During the day people can watch penguins frolicking in the water in lighting that is bright enough to stimulate natural lights. At night the lighting changes and one can view the penguins sleeping calmly.

Penguins are known to generally mate for life and are believed to have a “divorce rate” of about 3% after producing offspring.

The penguins at Sumida aquarium are peculiar in that they have a triangular relationship, one male and two females, confusing to determine which pairs have mated.

5 . There is a pool of south American Fur Seal

Neighboring the penguins is a pool for south American fur seals where people can watch the seals slide down a slope coming down from the upper floor.

South American fur seals have dark grey or brown coat of fur. The male adults are much larger than the females and have thicker necks. Interestingly the fur seals communicate using vocal noises.

The fur seals have a pool in the Sumida aquarium known as a fur sea tunnel and they slide recurrently through the same route and one can see them swimming back and forth many times.

7. There is a rich coral reef at the aquarium

There are many diverse scenes portrayed by the beauty of the Sumida aquarium. There are four big reef coral tanks and they are 360 degrees.

The tanks are displayed in such a way that one can observe from all directions and angles as though one is diving underwater through them.

The rooms of the coral reefs are dark giving focus to the tanks for a better view.

8. The aquarium tanks reproduce the seas around Ogasawara islands

The Sumida aquarium main tanks replicate the waters of the islands of Ogasawara created in collaboration with Ogasawara village.

The aquarium also aims to develop a “turtle cradle” to nurture Ogasawara-born baby turtles until they are strong enough to return to the wild.

9. There is an exhibition of goldfish at the edorium of the aquarium

Another interesting feature of the aquarium is a display area where a variety of goldfish of different forms and shades swim in the aquarium.

There are about 20 types of goldfish exhibited at the aquarium, amazingly it’s close to the Edogawa ward, one of japans three major goldfish production areas.

10 . The Sumida aquarium has garden eels

Garden eels at Sumida aquarium photo by Hal 0005 —Wikimedia

The aquarium has 3 types of garden eels, spotted, white-spotted, and orange barred each has a different length, anywhere from 30 to 70 cm.

Interestingly visitors can watch the eels feeding, which is an entrancing site as they jump out of the sand to capture pieces of food floating down through the water.