Pictured are tanks of food in the Aquaculture Kitchen at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro, where grunion and other small fish are fed special meals from "tiny" food containing the smallest organisms and nutrients that little fish require.

GRUNION CITY, CALIF. -- There's no actual place called Grunion City, but if there was the town would make a fortune! People have an insatiable curiosity and fascination for a little fish of the silversides family that spawns at night in the sands of California beaches, mostly in the Southern part of the state. An entire sub-culture exists, based on the love of the grunion fish. Pictured is the Aquaculture Kitchen at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro. If there's one place that could rightfully take the name, Grunion City, this facility would be it. Why?

1. Grunion Greeters: The trained docents annually welcome thousands of guests, walking with them to the beach (on site) and show them what grunion look like during grunion runs. Events are so popular, they usually sell out.

2. Grunion Dance: In San Pedro some years ago the Grunion Dance was created similar to the Chicken Dance people do during Oktoberfest. It's a cute little wiggly, squiggly dance that anyone can learn.

3. Grunion Tanks: At Cabrillo Marine Aquarium they have studied grunion for many decades and they actually keep tanks (subject to change) with grunion in them. Located in the Aquaculture Kitchen where food is made for the littlest sea creatures, the grunion at the facility live well and visitors can come see them without having to stay up at night to attend a grunion run taking place usually between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

4. Grunion Runs: Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and Cabrillo Beach offer the most user-friendly experience for seeing grunion during runs.