Seattle Aquarium welcomes Tandu the humphead wrasse

Tandu, the humphead wrasse, a rescue from illegal trafficking, recently moved into his new home in the Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion! Tandu will serve as an ambassador for his endangered species and represent the new “Saving Face” conservation project.

Tandu’s journey to the Seattle Aquarium began when he was rescued after being illegally imported into Hong Kong. He spent two years at Ocean Park Hong Kong and four years at the Singapore Oceanarium before his transfer to Seattle.

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The “Saving Face” project aims to prevent humphead wrasse trafficking by using unique facial markings to identify and track individual wrasses.

“We’re ecstatic to welcome Tandu to The Reef alongside his new neighbors,” said Andy Sim, the Aquarium’s Curator of Tropical Fish and Invertebrates. “Our team has spent the last several months preparing him for the move through dedicated care and target training, ensuring he’s comfortable and confident in his new environment. Tandu is a fantastic addition to the habitat.”

Conservationists say Tandu could not be returned to the wild because they couldn’t confirm where he originally came from before he was trafficked.

The next step for the project is the launch of a new “Saving Face” app, which will utilize a community science approach. Users will be able to take photos and share locations of wrasse in fish markets and restaurants throughout Asia. The ultimate goal is to check these wrasse’s facial markings against a database to help authorities determine if fish were sold without the proper permits.

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“We’re proud to support this groundbreaking research,” Sim added. “As part of this initiative, Tandu serves as an ambassador for his species while also helping further efforts to curb the illegal fish trade.”

If you’d like to visit Tandu, the Seattle Aquarium is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.