Growing Sunflower Stars
In our full-scale conservation aquaculture facility, our laboratory team is currently growing juvenile sunflower stars to aid in the recovery of this species, as well as microalgae and purple urchins as food for our animals.
Our animals are from the ‘Cupid Cohort’ fertilized on Valentine’s Day 2024 at Birch Aquarium with gametes spawned from adult sunflower stars held at Birch and Aquarium of the Pacific. Sunflower Star Laboratory played a vital role in facilitating the spawning, cryopreservation, and fertilization efforts.
A juvenile sunflower star at our lab in June 2024
Our Facility
Our main aquaculture area houses three independent saltwater recirculating systems, complete with filtration systems, water pumps, and chillers. The space is intended to be able to raise multiple species to support the rearing of larval, juvenile, and adult sunflower stars.
Larval Rearing
Our laboratory houses an independent saltwater system for larval rearing and juvenile research. This system includes a network of cone-bottom tanks, temperature control, and industry-standard filtration.
The Algae Room
Our laboratory’s algae room grows essential first feeds for sea star in their larval form. We maintain specific temperature and light levels to ensure the health of our algae cultures. Algal densities are calculated under a microscope, and multiple cultures are grown concurrently to ensure redundancy.