SEA LIFE Michigan Welcomes More Creatures

A blacknose shark, whom the Aquarist team has named Nick due to the little chip in his dorsal fin, and a group of 550 pilchard fish joined the more than 5,000 other aquatic creatures at SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium this weekend. Nick has been introduced to the 120,000-gallon ocean tank, while the Pilchards have added to the stunning visual effect of the shoaling ring exhibit.

Pilchards, similar—and related to—sardines, but larger, come from the tropical Atlantic waters. They naturally stay close together in groups and follow the same general direction, a practice known as shoaling.

“An individual pilchard might not look like much, but they are actually fascinating creatures and when they shoal together in a group it’s an incredible sight,” said SEA LIFE Michigan Senior Aquarist Kelli Cadenas. “They’re very active so we have to feed them a lot.”

Blacknose sharks are a member of the Requiem shark family,“requin” being the French word for shark. They are found in the Atlantic Ocean as far north as the Carolinas and as far south as Brazil.

“Nick is a great addition to the SEA LIFE Michigan family,” said Lucy Handel, SEA LIFE Michigan’s displays curator. “He’s already showing us his unique personality by being very playful with the divers, taking a particular liking to Kelli and following her around whenever she gets in the tank.”