Quirky fishes added to S.E.A. Aquarium's collection, will feature at Halloween event

SINGAPORE - Fancy meeting vampire fishes and ghost sharks this coming Halloween?

These two fishes are among the four new species that have been added to the S.E.A Aquarium's collection in the last four months, and will feature at the aquarium's upcoming Halloween event.

Visitors to the aquarium, located at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), can learn about these fishes at the annual Spooky Seas event, which will take place from Sept 1 to Oct 28, said S.E.A. Aquarium in a statement on Thursday (Aug 23).

The vampire fish, otherwise known as the payara, is found in the Amazon basin. It derives its name from its sharp fangs, which can grow up to 5cm long.

The ghost shark, which is also known as elephant shark, is actually not a shark, but a member of the chimaera family. Chimaeras are a primitive group of fish that are distant cousins of sharks and rays, and have existed even before dinosaurs appeared. It has a trunk-like snout that it uses to probe for food, and swims in such a way that it seems to be flying through water.

The bumphead parrotfish and the American paddlefish are the other new fishes to feature at the aquarium.

The parrotfish can grow up to 1.3m in length. It has a bulbous forehead, and is also known as a "sand machine" for its ability to grind the corals into sand as it eats the algae on the corals.

Meanwhile, the paddlefish, which is usually about 1.5m long, and is recognised by its large mouth and elongated snout.

Singapore residents hoping to see these fishes will be able to enjoy discounts on bundled packages to RWS' attractions from Sept 1 to Oct 31. These include two adult one-day tickets to S.E.A. Aquarium and the Maritime Experiential Museum at $60, down from the usual $78.