Pics from the Shedd Aquarium

[BennyFrank]

Took a trip to Chicago over the weekend and snapped a few pics at the Shedd Aquarium. Pretty nice aquarium overall, get there early.

 

[BennyFrank]

 

[BennyFrank]

This pic is blown out because I forgot to change back the settings after leaving the aquarium, but here is what the line looked like at about 1pm. If you look close it wraps all the way around to the other sidewalk. We got there when the line was 1/10th of this and waited around an hour. I can't even imagine how long these people waited.

 

[jd474]

Should have said you were going, could have gotten Mark to give you a behind the scenes tour. Looks like their reef tank is doing a little better, last time I was there it was covered in aiptasia. What's really funny is that tank is 5000 gal. and has a tiny GEO CaRx, and the Ca only runs about 340-360. I'd probably kill myself if our propagation tank was out in the public like theirs is.

 

[BennyFrank]

Should have said you were going, could have gotten Mark to give you a behind the scenes tour. Looks like their reef tank is doing a little better, last time I was there it was covered in aiptasia. What's really funny is that tank is 5000 gal. and has a tiny GEO CaRx, and the Ca only runs about 340-360. I'd probably kill myself if our propagation tank was out in the public like theirs is.

A behind the scenes tour would have been cool, maybe next time. I don't know if my wife could have handled it though, she was pretty "reefed out" by the time we left.

Is that their only prop. tank? I assumed it was just a public "education" exhibit and that they had something else brewing behind the curtains.

 

[xmasia]

nice pics any idea what the fish and coral is in the first photo? im gonna guess some kind of anthia or grouper. coral ?

 

[BennyFrank]

nice pics any idea what the fish and coral is in the first photo? im gonna guess some kind of anthia or grouper. coral ?

Thanks. The coral is Corynactis californica. Not sure on the fish but I will try to get an ID, I would say a grouper of some sort also.

 

[jd474]

A behind the scenes tour would have been cool, maybe next time. I don't know if my wife could have handled it though, she was pretty "reefed out" by the time we left.

Is that their only prop. tank? I assumed it was just a public "education" exhibit and that they had something else brewing behind the curtains.

Understandable. I took my girlfriend and her sister, and even they couldn't help but be sucked in by things like newly hatched zebra sharks (they're cute little buggers).

That's their only propagation, but it does serve as education as well. Mark is a SECORE member, so they have 1 or 2 other small tanks for their elkhorn coral, etc.

nice pics any idea what the fish and coral is in the first photo? im gonna guess some kind of anthia or grouper. coral ?

The fish looks like a canary rockfish, and yep, strawberry anemones (cold water tank).

 

[xmasia]

The fish looks like a canary rockfish, and yep, strawberry anemones (cold water tank).

thxs for the id guys guess i wont be getting the strawberry nems those are sweet looking tho.

 

[jd474]

It's unfortunate there are basically no cold water reefers, there are some absolutely spectacular animals to be kept, though it is an even bigger expense than our warm water tanks.

 

[BennyFrank]

...there are some absolutely spectacular animals to be kept...

Completely agree. Here is one, and the cool thing is he collects everything locally.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1796627

 

[lvpd186]

Nice pics! Yet another trip I'll have to make now .