Aquarium in Cornwall welcomes unusual visitor

Tourists in Cornwall are flocking to an aquarium in Newquay to see a bizarre toxic apple from Australia, as part of a new display at the popular attraction.

The Blue Reef Aquarium is currently hosting an apple-shaped sea cucumber which is related to urchins and starfish. A brightly coloured creature to warn off predators to its extremely deadly toxins, it is related to urchins and starfish and has many extraordinary tricks in order to maintain survival. 

Unusual features include the ability to release internal organs which cause a distraction for potential predators and consuming large amounts of water to swell nearly twice their size enabling to move to a new area of water, using sea currents.

They are in their own display because they are too dangerous for other creatures and deserve their own separate enclosure due to their unorthodox habitual regime, according to curator Matt Slater, who told the Falmouth Pocket: “It’s quite unusual to have an aquarium display without any fish in it but these are such bizarre creatures that we felt they deserved it”.

Just one of many attractions littered all over the county, the Blue Reef Aquarium can keep families entertained whilst on their Cornwall holidays.