Trip to Fish Farms and SEA Aquarium.

During the elective, we visited two fish farms in Pasir Ris. It was my first time visiting these farms so I was very excited. There were many different types of marine life being sold at the fish farms, ranging from clownfish to shrimps. Most of the fishes were sourced from the Philippines and Indonesia. We even managed to catch a glimpse of a rare eel. Many hobbyists housed their aquariums at the fish farms. It was interesting to see how much effort these people put in to source fishes, water plants and corals for their aquarium. Their passion for marine life is captured in the aquariums that they own and display. The farm also grew their own water plants and corals. At the second farm that we visited, we managed to see different types of starfish and seahorses.

We also visited the SEA aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa. The place was the home of the largest aquarium in the world and all of us were itching to view it. However, there was still much to see before we got to that particular aquarium. My personal favorites were the dolphin lagoon and the numerous types of jelly fishes. The hammerhead sharks were also an eye-opening experience. The environment mimicked the natural habitat of the fishes with the numerous corals and water plants. One of the aquariums was even based around a ship wreck which is where many fishes gravitate to in the sea. At the Open Ocean aquarium which was the main highlight of the place, we were all awestruck. The aquarium  is home to gentle giants of the sea including the leopard shark, goliath grouper, saw fish, mahi mahi and a never-before-seen squadron of magnificent manta rays. It was truly a wonderful sight. Overall, the trips were extremely enriching and I learned a lot about the marine life around the world. This elective has made my passion for marine life much stronger. I have gained many valuable insights about the endangered marine animals.This has taught me more on the importance of marine conservation and many valuable lessons. We need to treasure what we have in the seas, rivers and oceans. 

Oarfish

Oarfish are large, greatly elongated, pelagic Lampriform fishes comprising the small family Regalecidae. Found in all temperate to tropical oceans yet rarely seen, the oarfish family contains four species in two genera. One of these, the king of herrings (Regalecus glesne), is the longest bony fish alive, at up to 17 metres (56 ft) in length.
The common name oarfish is presumably in reference to either their highly compressed and elongated bodies, or to the former (but now discredited) belief that the fish "row" themselves through the water with their pelvic fins. The family name Regalecidae is derived from the Latin regalis, meaning "royal". The occasional beachings of oarfish after storms, and their habit of lingering at the surface when sick or dying, make oarfish a probable source of many sea serpent tales.
Although the larger species are considered game fish and are (to a minor extent) fished commercially, oarfish are rarely caught alive; their flesh is not well regarded due to its gelatinous consistency.
Rare encounters with divers and accidental catches have supplied what little is known of oarfish behaviour and ecology. Apparently solitary animals, oarfish may frequent significant depths up to 1,000 metres (3,300 ft). An oarfish measuring 3.3 metres (11 ft 4 in) and 63.5 kg (140 lb) was reported to have been caught on 17 February 2003 by Ms Val Fletcher using a fishing rod baited with squid, at Skinningrove, United Kingdom. Oarfish feed primarily on zooplankton, selectively straining tiny euphausiids, shrimp and other crustaceans from the water. Small fish, jellyfish and squid are also taken. Large open-ocean carnivores are all likely predators of oarfish, and include the Oceanic whitetip shark.

Pistol Shrimps

Alpheidae is a family of caridean snapping shrimp characterized by having asymmetrical claws, the larger of which is typically capable of producing a loud snapping sound. Other common names of these species include pistol shrimp or alpheid shrimp. When in colonies, the snapping shrimp can interfere with sonar and underwater communication.The shrimp are considered to be a major source of noise in the ocean. The snapping shrimp grows to only 1–2 inches (3–5 cm) long. It is distinctive for its remarkably disproportionate large claw, larger than half the shrimp's body. The claw can be on either arm of the body, and unlike most shrimp claws does not have pincers at the end. Rather, it has a pistol-like feature made of two parts. A joint allows the "hammer" part to move backward into a right-angled position. When released, it snaps into the other part of the claw, emitting an enormously powerful wave of bubbles capable of stunning larger fish and breaking small glass jars. Some pistol shrimp species share burrows with goby fishes in a symbiotic relationship. Pistol shrimp have also been noted for their ability to reverse claws. When the snapping claw is lost the missing limb will regenerate into a smaller claw and the original smaller appendage will grow into a new snapping claw. Laboratory research has shown that severing the nerve of the snapping claw induces the conversion of the smaller limb into a second snapping claw. This phenomenon of claw symmetry in snapping shrimp has only been documented once in nature. The snapping shrimp competes with much larger animals such as the sperm whale and beluga whale for the title of loudest animal in the sea. The animal snaps a specialized claw shut to create a cavitation bubble that generates acoustic pressures of up to 80 kPa at a distance of 4 cm from the claw. As it extends out from the claw, the bubble reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and releases a sound reaching 218 decibels. The pressure is strong enough to kill small fish.

pistol shrimp and goby.