Tennessee Aquarium Newsroom

contact: Kathie Fulgham
or Katrina Craven

Video/DVD Release of Fishy Tale Prompts
Tennessee Aquarium Visitors to Ask
“Where’s Nemo?”

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (Oct. 30, 2003) – Take two tiny fish, a diving dentist and a surfer turtle and you’ve got the makings of an animated film that sets the high-water mark of all time for Disney ticket sales.

The next wave in “Nemo’s” popularity comes ashore Nov. 4 when the film is released on video and DVD, and the Tennessee Aquarium is helping visitors find the real fish behind the flashy undersea antics of characters like “Nemo” and “Dory.”

In addition to an online coupon to the Aquarium and a Nemo-themed Web site page (http://www.tnaqua.org/VisitorInfo/Nemo.asp) full of fun links, “Fin”-atical fish fans will be issued a “Finding Nemo” locator card at the Aquarium that displays the real creatures, where they live at the Aquarium and fun facts about each species.

“The fish facts in the film are surprisingly accurate,” said Thom Demas, curator of fishes at the Aquarium. “Amphiprion percula, or clownfish, is a type of anemone fish. The clownfish and the anemone live together and they both gain protection from predators.”

“Although clownfish only grow to be about three inches long, they can be aggressive and territorial,” said Aquarist Shelly Scott, who acquired the much-sought-after clownfish for the Aquarium. “As the ‘Dad’ character ‘Marlin’ portrays, the clownfish is very shy. They’re not a schooling fish and are rarely seen in numbers more than two. And they usually stay close to the coral reef and their anemone digs – unlike the adventuresome set in the film.”

“Marlin” displays the practice of brushing his scales against the anemone so the anemone will not sting him when he returns. This behavior is also observed in the wild. The clownfish coats itself with the anemone’s venom to build a tolerance, then continues the practice to insure a safe return home.

“Dory” leaves quite an impression on you with her forgetfulness and cheery personality. The Paracanthurus hepatus or blue tang is very active and always on the move. Blue tangs are not schooling fish, though they travel in small groups. Blue tangs are deep-bodied surgeonfish with sharp incisor teeth used to scrape animals and algae from the corals. Juvenile blue tangs are actually yellow. The blue color is acquired as an adult. These fish are typically found in coral reefs.

“Finding Nemo” characters at the Tennessee Aquarium:

Clownfish (“Nemo” and “Marlin”) – Philippines exhibit, Level A
Blue tang (“Dory”) – Gulf of Mexico exhibit
Starfish (“Peach”) – several exhibits, Level A
Seahorse (“Sheldon”) – Seahorse gallery, Level A
Cleaner shrimp (“Jacques”) – Caribbean Reef exhibit, Level A
Royal gramma (“Gurgle”) -- Caribbean Reef exhibit, Level A
Green sea turtle (“Crush” and “Squirt”) – Gulf exhibit
Bonnethead shark (relative of “Anchor”) – Gulf exhibit
Pufferfish (“Bloat”) – Gulf exhibit
Southern stingray (relative of “Mr. Ray”) -- Gulf exhibit
And, of course, visitors will find “Nemo” and friends in the Aquarium’s gift shop

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Todd Stailey Tennessee Aquarium Clownfish (Nemo)	Todd Stailey Tennessee Aquarium Pacific Blue Tang (Dory)

ONLINE press kits & downloadable images: http://www.tnaqua.org/newsroom/newsroom.html

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