How are your local public aquariums?

[J.Lake]

The Aquarium at the Mall of America in Minneapolis/St Paul is pretty decent. A big walk way under the whole shark/ray/saltwater tank, but its a lttle sparse. Amazon area is pretty cool as well. lots o variety!

Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth, MN is great for those into native cold water species, but ti can be hit or miss. Sometimes the exhibits are full and amazing and other times their population is down and the fish look rough. Been there a bunch, so I've seen both sides. A good show for those into Lake Superior and northern US species.

Yeah I all have is the West edmonton mall aquariums. Pretty cool actually but not a whole aquarium building. I watched a pbs special on the georgia aquarium I would love to check it out.

 

[rurry44]

Living in the San Fransisco Bay area we have Monteray Bay at the top of my list. The old Stienhart Aquarium was the best for the number of Central American Cichlids. Twenty years ago they had a pair of A. citrinillum that were the brightest cherry red I have ever seen in a fish. Unfortunately the Academy of Sciences was rebuilt along with the Aquarium and it was made into a monument to the achitect instead of being a world class aquatic display. I like the rainforest at Dallas World Aquarium.

 

[ceeej31]

Besides boston, I've been to qite a few other aquariums across the country and so far Shedd and Baltimore were my favorites

 

[frnchjeep]

I like the New England Aquarium and Atlantis on long island. Mystic is third ( I think).

 

[TMartinez]

none here except the "aquarium exhibit" which is like 200g total

 

[lix.ma14]

I want to know what the best public aquariums that you have seen are.

The Frankfurt zoo in Germany has an outstanding aquarium exhibit. I saw fish there, that I had no idea could get that large. I remember massive glass knife fish and an elephant nose that could easily eat an average tetra. They had like 14+ large exhibits, and a bunch of smaller species exhibits leading up to the reptile room above. They had an assortment of smaller fish (4' and under) that actually show up in the hobby from time to time instead of just the bread and butter aquarium fish such as sturgeons, pacus and electric eels.

The Aquarium of Niagara in Buffalo, NY pretty much sucks. They have mostly the bread and butter kinds of fish such as pacus, seahorses, RTCs, Electric Eels, sturgeons etc... Mostly the large trade in fish you see at your LFS.

So how are your local aquariums and other aquariums that you have visited?

When you said "massive glass knife fish and an elephant nose that could easily eat an average tetra", that isn't such a discription that describribes a monster fish. any carnivour 3 inch fish can eat a tetra (neon). LOL

 

[Kanta]

The Henry Doorly zoo in Omaha Ne

 

[davdev]

New England Aquarium is starting to show it's age though, especially the main tank, most of the glass is so scratched you can barely see through it. I took my daughter on her first trip there last week, she loved the smaller exhibits, especially the tidal one with the Diamond Back Terrapins.

They also have a couple of great South American displays with some gigantic Pacu's and RTC's. It also had the most enormous pleco I have ever seen, at least 4' long, and probably 2' tall. No idea what species it was though, sign just said Plecostomous.

The penguin exhibit is still great as well. But all in all, it could use a major upgrade.

 

[Reventon]

The shedd aquarium in chicago is pretty nice

 

[ceeej31]

New England Aquarium is starting to show it's age though, especially the main tank, most of the glass is so scratched you can barely see through it. I took my daughter on her first trip there last week, she loved the smaller exhibits, especially the tidal one with the Diamond Back Terrapins.

They also have a couple of great South American displays with some gigantic Pacu's and RTC's. It also had the most enormous pleco I have ever seen, at least 4' long, and probably 2' tall. No idea what species it was though, sign just said Plecostomous.

The penguin exhibit is still great as well. But all in all, it could use a major upgrade.

Renovation of the main exhibit is scheduled to start next year.
And I know exactly what pleco you're talking about, It's a gibbiceps and its about 2' long and 1' tall