Little Weedies are a Big Deal

CLEVELAND, Jan. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Greater Cleveland Aquarium (2000 Sycamore Street, Cleveland, OH 44113; 216.862.8803; greaterclevelandaquarium.com) invites the public to join them in celebrating the arrival of newborn weedy sea dragons, a species that has proven to be exceedingly difficult to rear. Since the first successful weedy sea dragon hatching in 2001 at the Aquarium of the Pacific, fewer than 20 facilities worldwide have had any level of success with mating and only an estimated dozen of those have seen fry survive.

A delicate species whose survival has been tested by habitat degradation, weedy sea dragons are native to the cold coastal waters of south and west Australia.

"These births would be a point of pride for any animal care facility, but it's a particularly exciting for an aquarium of our size and age," says General Manager Stephanie White, who has been with the Aquarium since it opened in January of 2012.

Greater Cleveland Aquarium is housed in a brick building dating back to 1892, and Curator Ray Popik believes the creativity required to reimagine the historic space contributed to his team's success breeding sea dragons. "We were able to home the sea dragons in a very deep exhibit built into a structure that likely served as an air duct or a coal chute when this building was an operational powerhouse," says Popik, explaining, "Its depth provided an optimal habitat for the seahorse relatives who court with an elaborate vertical dance."

After the female weedy lays her eggs, they are transferred to the male's tail and he is responsible for fertilizing and carrying them until they hatch. A mating attempt in September of 2021 resulted in fry popping out between late-October and the beginning of November. The hatchlings were moved behind-the-scenes. "There's no parental involvement after birth and it's incredible that any of these tiny offspring survive when they're left to fend for themselves in the ocean," says Mallory Haskell, the primary aquarist responsible for their monitoring and delicate care. Not particularly strong swimmers, weedy sea dragons' leaf-like appendages blend in with kelp and seagrass help hide them from predators.

The Aquarium plans to put some of the young on-view soon for guests just down the corridor from the adult weedy sea dragons. "We're learning so much," says White, adding, "It has been amazing to watch these animals develop, so we want to give that opportunity to others if we're able."

The process has been full of ups and downs, but Haskell is optimistic. "We know there are challenges ahead, but we hope we will see a number of these sea dragons reach adulthood," she says.

Greater Cleveland Aquarium has been energizing curiosity about aquatic life and the environment to inspire positive action since 2012. Click here for weedy sea dragon photos and b-roll.

Media contact:
Samantha Fryberger
[email protected] 
216-862-8803 x7716

SOURCE Greater Cleveland Aquarium