Florida Aquarium's $200,000 Exhibit Destroyed by Errant Vehicle at Tampa Airport

By Tom Wagner

Tampa, FL - The Florida Aquarium responded to a call from Tampa International Airport (TIA) Monday night at approximately 10 p.m. after a vehicle crashed into the Indo-Pacific salt water aquarium in the Blue Baggage Claim at TIA.

The 1,500-gallon aquarium featured 30-40 fish from the Indo-Pacific region representing more than a dozen species including clownfish, blue tang and angel fish. As of Tuesday morning, more than 90-percent of the fish had not survived.

When biologists arrived on the scene, the tank, which as been at the airport for more than 10 years, was completely drained and airport officials had done their best to rescue the animals and gather as much of the spilled salt water as they could.

The extent of the damage is unclear and will need further assessment before an actual dollar figure can be determined.

The fish that were alive last night have been brought to The Florida Aquarium and are currently in quarantine receiving the best care possible.

The Florida Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution whose mission is to entertain, educate and inspire stewardship about our natural environment.

To view Florida Aquarium's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to:  http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-508-The_Florida_Aquarium