Ripley's aquarium and FAT fish!!

[jmccown]

Just got back from a weekend trip to Pigeon Forge. Got a chance to visit Ripley's aquarium, it's been 4 years or so since we've been so things have really changed. My purpose for this post is to ask if anyone knows what they feed their fish because they were all beyond healthy - they were OBESE!!!! I will post up some pics later but man were ALL of the fish fat or what. The most apparent were their pacu displays. I am familiar with the Pacu species and I know these fish aren't suppose to be 10-12" wide and nearly 4' long. They looked like big floating brains or something. On their marine animals, namely the tangs I noticed that in about all of their displays (which were simply phenomenal) they had large clips of romaine lettuce. I've always heard before that this isn't good for the fish since it isn't in their natural habitat and so forth. But all of their colors were the brightest I've ever seen. Again, pics are forthcoming. Let's discuss romaine for our fish. I've fed it before and they loved the stuff. I only discontinued because of a post on RC that it was totally non-beneficial to them because their digestive system couldn't process it properly.

[Tazbader]

I always thought romaine was ok just not other leaf lettuce. Also blanched peas and zucchini and squash.... maybe this has changed... i dunno

[jmccown]

OK, here's some pics

the pacu, now I know they aren't suppose to get this fat...
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3417.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3449.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3451.jpg

[IMG]http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3446.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3444.jpg

[jmccown]

and more

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3446.jpg[/IMG]
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3447.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3448.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3453.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3454.jpg
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3457.jpg

and a couple of me and the fam
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3420_edited-1.jpg

My big girl in the puffer tank being silly...pretending she's holding her breath
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3432.jpg

[jmccown]

hard to tell from the pics, but the Sohal's were 15-18" long and about 3" thick. The Naso's about the same size but the streamers on some were a good 6-8" long. There was one Annularis angel that was a good solid 18-20" long. Sorry for the crappy pics. Anyhow, the display was spectacular and kudos to their caretakers because they were extremely healthy.

[jmccown]

Some bonus pics. Here's the new addition to the family, now 3 weeks old. Trying to get her interested at a young age, lol. Note how she hid from the camera. Hilarious.

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3428_edited-1.jpg

Finally, me and my daughter tearing up the go cart track.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o45/jmccown1/100_3475.jpg
It was a good time with the family.

[1ucky]

Great pics and congrats on your new baby girl!

[LisaD]

I enjoyed the pics of the fish, but love the pics of you and the family, especially the last one of you and your daughter in the go-cart. That's priceless! Reminds of every year when my family goes to Emerald Isle, NC for a week. We are four, so my younger daughter and I race my older daughter and husband. We're going next week, your post has me psyched. :)

[Runner]

Howdy. I have been visiting this aquarium over the last few years (I have annual passes for me and my boys). The fish are healthy is some of the tanks (like the big lagoon and the tang tank and the freshwater falls tank). In others, though, they routinely kill off the fish and replace them. Some things are hard to keep.

They finally figured out their small (about 180G?) live coral tank, too. They had a lot of troubles in the begining keeping them alive. They used to have different sets of coral in there every month. The last 3 years, though, they have had about 80% of the same corals and clams and fish. It has been interesting to watch it grow.

[jmccown]

Runner, any idea what they feed their tangs?

[Runner]

Not really. I've seen some slimy looking white stuff (blended something) pumped in there from time-to-time, but no idea what it is. A diver occasionally puts on a show and hand feeds them something, too. But, again, I do not know what it is.

[firefish2020]

Actually that's about right for a really healthy Pacu, they have some the same size in Baltimore as well.

[joyski58]

Some suggest that the romaine lettuce be either blanched/steamed or frozen to aid in the fish's digestion of it.