When looking at the species page of the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, I noticed the relatively large number of deeper sea fish that are fished in fairly large volumes off southern Australian. I realize that bringing such species alive to aquariums involves some challenges, but it is doable, at least if limiting it to species found locally/periodically in depths shallower than 300 m. It seems like an education opportunity (fishing, sustainability, ecology, etc) just waiting to be utilized by an aquarium. I know that the Tasmanian giant crab and elephant shark are kept, but has anyone seen an exhibit in Australia with any of the others? * Sawshark (Pristiophorus spp) – not to be confused with the tropical shallow-water sawfish like this. * Gemsfish (Rexea solandri). * Ocean perch (Helicolenus barathri + H. percoides). * Alfonsino (Beryx splendens). * Redfish (Centroberyx affinis). * Bight redfish (Centroberyx gerrardi). * Blue grenadier (Macruronus novaezelandiae). * Pink ling (Genypterus blacodes). * Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides). * Mackerel icefish (Champsocephalus gunnari). * others from deeper waters off southern Australia that aren't mentioned? Do you know of any aquarium in Australia that has exhibited or does exhibit any of these? Notice that this does not include species from deeper waters elsewhere (e.g. nautilus, pineconefish, Japanese spider crab). In most in the above list, either the exact species or close relatives have been kept for longer periods in aquariums elsewhere, mainly Japan, showing that it is possible to do it (even breeding for sawshark and icefish). I'm not aware of anyone keeping/having kept close relatives of blue grenadier and pink ling anywhere, and only scientific (non-public) facilities for the Patagonian toothfish.
Sorry for replying to a really old thread (4 years!). The Alfonsino is kept (albiet not in Australia) at several aquariums in Japan, and I believe the Mackerel Icefish has been kept short-term at Tokyo Sea Life Park, with both adults and larvae exhibited. Pristiophorus japonicus (although not Australian), is kept at a handful of Japanese aquariums, No Centroberyx gerrardi, but the similar Centroberyx affinis (also called Redfish) is kept at Osaka Aquarium and Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium (previously called Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World). Also no Helicolenus barathri but the similar Helicolenus hilgendorfi is kept at a handful of aquariums.
By the way elephant sharks aren’t solely deep water species, every Autumn they come into the bays in fairly shallow water (15-2m of water)
