Feeding time!

 This is what you see of this HUGE tank if you're the average joe walking through the Aquarium......

 Very cool huh?

 a random tree frog - Lea was doing her report on the red-eyed tree frog and this was the closest I saw in their tank. Cute little guy!

 AND THIS is what you see when you go behind the scenes: LUNCH TIME!!! 'So how do you keep the sharks from completing the circle of life and eating the smaller fish in the tank?' We feed them regularly, but it still happens that they eat a smaller fish - (that would be awesome to see).

 and we got to help!! Mantarays in the above picture

 Feeding the devil rays and the sharks!

 Ryan feeding the shark - somehow with the smallest possible tongs you could find to feed a shark.

 

Jeff got in on the action - even my mom took her turn feeding the sharks.

 So they trained the animals to go to a certain place to be fed. There are 4 sharks - 3 female and 1 male. The male shark has a hard time competing with the females and usually stays towards the wall where Ryan is putting the food out.

 I bet he's wondering if he can out swim the shark or what it might be like to ski in that water..... :)

 Another shark type is in the bottom of that swim-thru

 A view from the top

 my turn - had a hard time picking up the slimy fish food. Notice we have bigger food grabbers than those little green tongs - Ryan was the first one to go....

 Hungry?

 GOT IT!

 Waiting, waiting, waiting.....

 Purple fins and bubbles??? A diver who helps keep the tanks clean from the inside out! The divers are all volunteers - of all ages - they were taking a group around at the same time as us who were becoming volunteers to help out. Truly amazing what it takes to keep this place running - all the knowledge and skills from so many talented people.