Ice was placed in many of the exhibits in the Ocean Journey building to keep the animals comfortable. The Gentoo and Macaroni penguins seemed to enjoy the extra ice.
Unfortunately, four temperature-sensitive fish, and some of the sea anemones, sea stars, and urchins in living in the Vancouver Island exhibit succumbed to heat-stress in spite of efforts to chill the water with ice bags.
Some animals, like these jellies, were moved to other exhibits to keep cool
Air stones were added to the Secret Reef exhibit to keep dissolved oxygen at optimal levels
All departments helped out throughout the night and day. Aquarium staff is shown delivering ice bags to the River Journey building.
Tennessee Aquarium staff were called in late Thursday night in response to the water main break near downtown Chattanooga.
Its husbandry, operations and maintenance teams have been working since midnight to ensure the health of its animals. Unfortunately, it did lose four fish, some urchins, Anemones, and sea stars in the Vancouver Island exhibit.
These animals are very sensitive to warming waters and did not respond to attempts to chill the tank with ice.
The chillers in both buildings have been operational since 10 a.m. and all exhibits are back to their proper water temperatures," said Thom Benson. "We will re-open as soon as the water main near downtown Chattanooga has been repaired."
The Tennessee Aquarium would like to thank everyone for their concern. It will reopen when this water line is repaired.