Here are some more questions from Waimanalo School sixth-graders:

Michelle Adrincula wants to know, "How does the ocean turn blue?"

The ocean looks blue because it reflects the blue light rays from the sun. The sea gets darker the deeper you go. Most sunlight is absorbed in the top 30 ft. of water. No light at all reaches below 3,000 ft. even on the sunniest day.

Ku'upuamae'ole Kapahu asks, "What is the smallest fish you know of?"

The smallest known sea fish is the dwarf goby from the Indian Ocean.

Adults are only about 1/3 in. long--smaller than a fingernail. Another dwarf goby from Samoa is the world's lightest fish. It would take 14,175 adults to weigh one ounce!

Regina Cummings wondered "How old is the oldest fish that lived?"

The whale shark is thought to live for 70 years or more. It is also the largest fish--about 60 ft. long and weighs 20 tons (40,000 lbs.). And it has the thickest skin of any animal--like tough rubber about 4 inches thick. Inspite of its large size, the whale shark only eats tiny sea snimals and is harmless to humans.

Nathan Hashimoto wrote, "How long have polyps been building the reefs?"

For thousands of years coral reefs have been built by tiny animals called polyps. They use chemicals from sea water to build hard skeletons around their soft bodies. The polyps live in vast colonies. When they die, layers of hard coral skeletons are left.

LeShay Keliiholokai asks, "Do all fish need to have certain kinds of food?"

Yes, most fish are carnivores They eat animal material such as other fish or invertebrates. Some examples are jacks (ulua), eels (puhi), and sharks (mano). Other fish are herbivores. They eat vegetable material like seaweed, plants, and algae. Convict tangs (manini) and parrot fish (uhu) are herbivores. Then there are fish that eat both plants and animals like goat fish (weke). They are called omnivores. At Sea Life Park we feed the fish a mixed diet: cut-up fish and squid, seaweed, lettuce, and a plant-based gelatin, so they all get the kind of food they need.

Waylon Kepa, "What would happen if a whale gets sick?"

We don't know very much about what happens when whales in the ocean get sick. Sometimes they strand themselves on a beach and die. Scientists are trying to learn more about why this happens. At Sea Life Park if a whale is sick, we call our veterinarian. He takes a blood sample from the whale's tail (fluke) and prescribes medicine--like when you get sick--but it takes a lot more medicine, since our whales weigh about 1,000 pounds. Our animals get daily vitamins and regular check-ups to help keep them healthy.

We'd like to have your questions about ocean life. Send them to Sea Smarts, Education Center, Sea Life Park, 41-202 Kalanianaole Hwy. #7, Waimanalo, HI 96795 or FAX 259-7373.