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Frequently Asked Questions About the Zoo's Coral Reef Exhibit

1.How thick is the glass surround at the coral reef?
The surround is actually acrylic (plastic) and is six inches thick. The window space is fifty-five feet long. The three panels were lowered into place through the roof.

2. How many gallons of water are in the Coral Reef?
The Coral Reef exhibit contains 82,500 gallons of water. Assuming a bathtub holds about 70 gallons of water, the Coral Reef water would fill almost 1200 tubs!

3. What are the dimensions of the Coral Reef?
The reef is 60 feet by 30 feet and averages 13 feet in depth.

4. How many different varieties of fish are there in the tank?
There are over 120 varieties of fish. Fish are typically added every 6 to 8 months.

5. Where are the replacement fish coming from?
There have been very few fish added to the reef over the last year or so. We do acquire fish from wholesalers who specialize in hand-caught fish. The fish are collected from a variety of locations including Hawaii, the Philippines, Guam and the Indian Ocean.

6. What kind of sharks are in the Coral Reef?
Zebra/leopard sharks, white-tip reef sharks, brown-banded bamboo sharks and epaulette cat sharks.

7. Where did the coral for the exhibit come from?
The coral in our exhibit is actually artificial and made from molds of live coral in our exhibits shop. No live coral was damaged in the process.

 

 

 

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