Pics of my trip to the Aquarium Of The Pacific

[MrSquid]

Last Saturday I was invited to tag along on a trip to the Aquarium Of The Pacific in Long Beach. I was pleasantly surprised by their tanks after having been to the Shedd several times. (the times I've been to the Shedd it was all fake coral except for one sickly looking tank)

Here are some pics - if you want to see the entire album (~50 pics), you can check it out here on Photobucket.

Yes - that's a GIANT tank of SPS and LPS. For scale, the big purple SPS were about 18" across.

Top to bottom, this hammer was about 2' high

This clam was easily 2' long - maybe bigger

This is the SPS that's about 18" across

What's the coral above the shroom?

It's HUGE! (that tank is about 4' across)

My friend Matt and his daughter found Nemo and Dory - and Nemo and Dory, and Nemo and Dory and Nemo and Dory and..... aw screw it - TONS of blue tangs and clowns!

 

[MrSquid]

I LOVED this deepwater display. Easily the nicest tank I've ever seen.

Wicked cool anthias tank

Small LPS tank

Mixed SPS/LPS tank. Nah... just kidding - this one is mine! :tongue:

 

[Blackhawk Fan]

I love that deepwater tank too. The colors are so bright. Thanks for sharing these pics with us.

 

[MrSquid]

I love that deepwater tank too. The colors are so bright. Thanks for sharing these pics with us.

Yeah - in person it's absolutely stunning. Pictures - at least from my camera - can't do it justice. I've seen Kevin's tanks at the Divers Den "coral farm" a couple of times and I honestly think that this tank is just a PINCH nicer than his. (sorry Kevin... :angel

I can't imagine keeping up on water quality in a home environment on a tank like that. You'd have to just dump TONS of food in all the time to keep all those sun corals fed

 

[TonyB]

I LOVE that deep water tank. It was in last months issue of CORAL magazine. Definitely worth a read.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Fishcrazy06]

Last CORAL magazine had a write up about the deep water tank and was a very interesting article! Thanks for sharing the pics Again Mike! I like the last picture of the mixed tank. I see some fish and LPS I like in there!

Eric

 

[customcolor]

:adore: im jealous

 

[Fishcrazy06]

Oh and you know me and my Love for LPS I will take the "small" LPS tank.

Eric

 

[MrSquid]

Eric - that small LPS tank was MAYBE 2'x2'x2'. Probably smaller. Gives you an idea of how big those meat/doughnut/_____ corals are on the bottom.

 

[acronautical]

I'm thinking the "coral above the mushroom" is possibly a merulina. Nice pics, and yes, the deepwater tank is pretty cool.

 

[Brad Syphus]

Long Beach is my favorite, besides Waikiki. Those 2 are on top of my list.

 

[Brad Syphus]

The last picture of your tank is as impressive as the others. Nice job.

 

[Bri Guy]

WOW, thankx for sharing!

 

[softiegirl]

gorgeous pics! dont you think those places should let people bring their sleeping bags and stay overnite???!!!! wouldnt that be cool??!!!!!!!!

 

[2FarNorth]

Great Pictures! They are on my list of places to visit in the next couple of years!

 

[PrisonCityReef]

Very nice squid! Any free samples??????

 

[jlinzmaier]

Thanks for the pics Mike!

I agree that the coral above the shrooms is likely a merulina.

Jeremy

 

[ziggy]

Wow. that looks like it would have been a great time!