Visited the Oklahoma Aquarium...

[OliveFish05]

Hi! I visited some family last week, and they had a family pass to the Oklahoma Aquarium, so they decided to take me. I was very unimpressed with a lot of the tanks. They were all tall but hardly any footprint, and most were overstocked. Most of the fish looked healthy, but there were definitely a few suffering from poor water quality (i Saw a few with fin rot in disgusting water) I thought I’d share a few of the photos I took while I was there though. They weren’t all bad, some of the tanks were pretty good (mostly the saltwater ones) but I’ll start with the ones that especially made me like “ummmmm theres no way that’s right”

First is these black knife ghost fish. That does not look like a tank suited to their needs at all?

then there is this touch tank full of clownfish. It was so crowded and they had nowhere to hide. I’m not too sure of clowns needs, so if I’m wrong in thinking this looks like a sad way to live, please correct me!

This one was a photo I took of a fish with fin rot, the water quality (as you can see) was awful.

There were some fish in tanks where they didn’t even have room to turn around.

 

[OliveFish05]

Now for the saltwater ones! @PheonixKingZ i think you would think some of these are cool!

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Hi! I visited some family last week, and they had a family pass to the Oklahoma Aquarium, so they decided to take me. I was very unimpressed with a lot of the tanks. They were all tall but hardly any footprint, and most were overstocked. Most of the fish looked healthy, but there were definitely a few suffering from poor water quality (i Saw a few with fin rot in disgusting water) I thought I’d share a few of the photos I took while I was there though. They weren’t all bad, some of the tanks were pretty good (mostly the saltwater ones) but I’ll start with the ones that especially made me like “ummmmm theres no way that’s right”View attachment 139421
First is these black knife ghost fish. That does not look like a tank suited to their needs at all?


View attachment 139422
then there is this touch tank full of clownfish. It was so crowded and they had nowhere to hide. I’m not too sure of clowns needs, so if I’m wrong in thinking this looks like a sad way to live, please correct me!
View attachment 139423
This one was a photo I took of a fish with fin rot, the water quality (as you can see) was awful.

There were some fish in tanks where they didn’t even have room to turn around.

That’s just sad - about the knives and the clowns.

Now for the saltwater ones! @PheonixKingZ i think you would think some of these are cool! View attachment 139425View attachment 139426View attachment 139427View attachment 139428View attachment 139429View attachment 139430View attachment 139431

Super cool!

Some monster colony’s right there - took YEARS to grow those bad boys.

 

[OliveFish05]

That’s just sad - about the knives and the clowns.

Exactly what I thought

Super cool!

Some monster colony’s right there - took YEARS to grow those bad boys.

thats what I figured! Absolutely massive. Their saltwater tanks were pretty awesome, they looked really well established. I am starting to consider a saltwater tank now it was honestly so cool to be able to go to an aquarium and be able to say “that’s a red tail catfish, it’ll get twice the size it is now” “those are black knife ghost fish and that tank is not a suitable setup” “those are seahorses and they have such a low bio load it IS ok to keep that many in thatspace”

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Exactly what I thought

thats what I figured! Absolutely massive. Their saltwater tanks were pretty awesome, they looked really well established. I am starting to consider a saltwater tank now it was honestly so cool to be able to go to an aquarium and be able to say “that’s a red tail catfish, it’ll get twice the size it is now” “those are black knife ghost fish and that tank is not a suitable setup” “those are seahorses and they have such a low bio load it IS ok to keep that many in thatspace”

I haven’t been to an aquarium in a hot minute… I can’t wait to go to one and stump the employ with useless trivia on coral.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I am starting to consider a saltwater tank now

If you live money… don’t start a sw tank. It’s SOOO more addictive than freshwater. The corals are literally like drugs - once you get one, you can’t stop yourself!

 

[OliveFish05]

I haven’t been to an aquarium in a hot minute… I can’t wait to go to one and stump the employ with useless trivia on coral.

HA! We haven’t got any here at home, except this place called SeaQuest, but theirs is mostly rescued mammals and reptiles. My cousin was impressed when I pointed out every freshwater plant in the tanks, the different snails, and bunches of the fish (mainly the Amazon fish, like the pacu, pleco, and red tailed catfish) by name. It felt good to see their confused faces when they realized the fish had names

If you live money… don’t start a sw tank. It’s SOOO more addictive than freshwater. The corals are literally like drugs - once you get one, you can’t stop yourself!

I bet! I wish I had the money. I’m currently broke with a list of the things I need to buy or build, like a new rabbitry setup, a new hamster cage, and new paints supplies (I’ve been doing landscapes, it’s too fun lol) I feel like there are just too many things I want to do sometimes

 

[Colin_T]

I haven’t been to an aquarium in a hot minute… I can’t wait to go to one and stump the employ with useless trivia on coral.

I was at AQWA (aquarium of Western Australia) many years ago and they started doing a lecture on rescuing sea turtles. The lady doing the talk asked the audience if anyone knew where they should take injured sea turtles or who they should call. Nobody responded for a minute so I said I know. The lady said yes, I pointed to the sign above her head and said I contact you lot and Dr whatever his name is at the vet on that sign above your head. The sign said "if you find a sick or injured sea animal, call AQWA or a vet clinic on a number". The sign was big too so I don't know why nobody else saw it.

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then there is this touch tank full of clownfish. It was so crowded and they had nowhere to hide. I’m not too sure of clowns needs, so if I’m wrong in thinking this looks like a sad way to live, please correct me!

Anemonefish (clownfish) normally live in pairs with an anemone. There might be juvenile fish there too but there will be a dominant pr with the female in charge. She will have a male who is smaller than her. Then any other anemonefish at that anemone will be neither male nor female and will be considered subordinate juveniles.

If the female of the breeding pr dies, the breeding male becomes a female and all the juvenile fish move up one spot, and the most dominant juvenile becomes a male and becomes the new partner.

If the breeding male dies, the female remains in charge and all the subordinate juveniles move up one spot, with the most dominant juvenile turning into a male and becoming the new breeding male.

That marine pond full of anemonefish is not good and each group of fish is stressed. Anemonefish usually have a territory that covers at least 1 meter (3 feet) square. Having that many mature fish that close together is really bad for them.

 

[ClownLurch]

This the place in Jenks, Tulsa?
It may take them a few attempts to get stuff right. After all it took them two goes to set up their Twitter account! Have a look

We could maybe give their twitter account a few gentle nudges in the right direction
“Unfortunately word reaches me here in London that your care of freshwater fish isn’t up to the excellent standards you apply to your saltwater collection. Until this improves I’m afraid Tulsa will no longer be on my next US travel itinerary. Stay safe”
Gotta keep it polite and self mocking. Probably too many letters for Twitter though.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I was at AQWA (aquarium of Western Australia) many years ago and they started doing a lecture on rescuing sea turtles. The lady doing the talk asked the audience if anyone knew where they should take injured sea turtles or who they should call. Nobody responded for a minute so I said I know. The lady said yes, I pointed to the sign above her head and said I contact you lot and Dr whatever his name is at the vet on that sign above your head. The sign said "if you find a sick or injured sea animal, call AQWA or a vet clinic on a number". The sign was big too so I don't know why nobody else saw it.

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Anemonefish (clownfish) normally live in pairs with an anemone. There might be juvenile fish there too but there will be a dominant pr with the female in charge. She will have a male who is smaller than her. Then any other anemonefish at that anemone will be neither male nor female and will be considered subordinate juveniles.

If the female of the breeding pr dies, the breeding male becomes a female and all the juvenile fish move up one spot, and the most dominant juvenile becomes a male and becomes the new partner.

If the breeding male dies, the female remains in charge and all the subordinate juveniles move up one spot, with the most dominant juvenile turning into a male and becoming the new breeding male.

That marine pond full of anemonefish is not good and each group of fish is stressed. Anemonefish usually have a territory that covers at least 1 meter (3 feet) square. Having that many mature fish that close together is really bad for them.

Yes, that pond looked horrible.

 

[OliveFish05]

This the place in Jenks, Tulsa?

Yes