The heroes of the rock pool

Rock pools are one of the UK’s more extreme habitats! With the tide coming in two times a day, causing crashing waves and powerful surges, some of the rock pool creatures must survive extreme conditions!

They must endure being splashed by the waves, blown with the wind, baked in the sun, rained and even snowed on. But who are these rock pool creatures that survive against the elements?

1. Limpets – these creatures hang on the rocks against the waves, seal themselves into a protective shell when left out to dry and even ‘dance’ to fight off hungry starfish!

2. Anemones - they feed on plankton and just about anything else that floats by when the tide is in. When in the rock pool, they will fight with other anemones that get close with their special fighting tentacles. If beaten by a fellow anemone, or if they simply want to move location, they can move and walk around.

3. Shannies – this rock pool creature is an expert at hiding and can even breathe through their skin when the oxygen starts to run out!

4. Octopus – a fun octopus fact is that they love to hunt in rock pools when the tide is in and can even climb out of the water into the next rock pool in the search for food!

5. Shrimps – hiding amongst the algae in rock pools, they look for food and avoid being eaten! They are also experts at surviving with almost no oxygen.

6. Hermit Crabs – this rock pool creatures uses their shell as their first line of defence, but this isn’t a shell they’ve grown themselves – they steal or find old snail shells to live in! As they grow, they need to keep finding new and bigger shells and will fight with other hermit crabs for the best one.

7. Dog Whelks – nothing to do with the dogs we have on land, this creature drills into mussels so they can eat them. They hide in the cracks of the rocks to avoid being swept away by the waves.

8. Mussels - they produce a special glue webbing that ties them to the rocks, and each other, so they don’t get washed away. They are filter feeders who wait for the tide to come in to have their feast!

9. Barnacles – a type of shrimp that builds a protective fort to hide inside. This keeps them safe from predators but also traps water inside, so when the tide goes out they can survive in their own private swimming pool. Living the dream!

10. Starfish – they hunt and live in the rock pool and are experts at hanging onto the rocks. They push their stomach outside of their body to digest food they find and then suck it all back in after (gross, right?). They have thousands of tiny feet and whilst they have no blood, they are able to regenerate lost limbs – cool!

11. Crabs – it’s hunt or be hunted for the crabs of the rock pools. Being experts at camouflage, they can climb out of the water when needed. Baby crabs love to hide in the cracks of rocks and in the algae.

12. Macro algae - most commonly known to us as seaweed. Fast-growing, strong to hold onto the rocks and very tough. A bonus - it's also very nutritious! 

Which of our rock pool creatures do you think deserves the crown? Our Rock Pool Explorer has recently re-opened and you can discover the perils of the UK’s most extreme habitat this February half-term at Sea Life London Aquarium.