Shipwreck / Artificial Reef

Long Island Aquarium’s Shipwreck/Artificial Reef Exhibit features a variety of fish frequently found on, or around, shipwrecks, including grouper, angelfish, and lionfish (Pterois volitans).

Shipwrecks provide a hospitable environment for a variety of marine life. The walls, rooms, and compartments of a sunken ship provide protection against currents, light, and predators, allowing fish to thrive. At the same time, they offer hiding places for fish looking to ambush prey.

Poseidon’s Treasure Room

Poseidon’s Treasure Room houses several periodically changing freshwater and saltwater displays. It provides a fascinating view of unusual marine creatures and life, including:

• Sharks and Egg Cases – Developing shark embryos in their egg cases let you witness the miracle of life as it unfolds.
• Asian Hillstream Fishes – Many of these fish have special adaptations to help them not get swept away from swift currents.
• African Lungfish (Protopterus annectens) – An air-breathing fish that could actually drown if no air were left at the top of its display tank.
• Mexican Blind Cave Fish (Astyanax fasciatus mexicanus) – Fish whose eyes become covered as young fish mature.
• Filter Feeding – A display that illustrates how sponges and other creatures sieve plankton by creating water currents.
• Cerianthus anemone, tube anemone – Creatures that look like living lava lamps!
• Lionfish (Pterois volitans) – Fish that have been carried to Long Island from the Carolinas by the Gulf Stream, and caught as part of a scientific capture program.
• Frogfish – Short and stocky, these fish are often covered in bodily extensions to make them blend in with the ocean floor.
• Tropical Lagoon – A display that illustrates how tropical lagoons provide protected nursing grounds for reef fishes.

Our Treasure Room gives us a way to focus on some of the smaller, more delicate fish that might get lost in our larger exhibits.