Archerfish Exhibit

Archerfish have a specialized mouth that allows them to spit water up 10 feet to shoot at insects and other small animals. They are accurate in their shooting and will almost always hit their target on the first shot. The insects and small animals will then fall into the water where the archerfish will be able to eat them.  Archerfish learn by observational learning and need to practice when they are younger.

If their prey is close enough, then they may leap out of the water to grab the insect.  With these abilities, archerfish prefer to be closer to the surface of the water.

They are able to live in both fresh water systems as well as brackish, a mix of salt and fresh water, systems like estuaries and mangroves.

The Trumpet Snail has an elongated conical shell with 10-15 whorls and an operculum.  The operculum acts like the trap door that will open and close to help protect its body.

They are primarily a burrowing species that tend to be more active at night.  Trumpet Snails are normally a freshwater snail but have become very tolerant of brackish water.  The lethal water temperature for them is 122 degrees F which is important in the disinfection of fishing gear and research equipment.  This is important so as not to spread these snails to uninfested waters.

There are about 80 different species of mangrove trees.  They grow in low-oxygen soil where there are slow-moving waters.  Mangroves grow at tropical and subtropical latitudes near the equator.  With their tangle of prop roots, the trees appear to be standing on stilts above the water which allows for them to handle the rise and fall of tides.  Mangroves stabilize the coastline by reducing erosion.  With these root systems, it provides a comfortable environment for a variety of fish and other organisms that seek food and shelter from predators.