Publisher’s Note: When Donna Parrey began working on her story about the new Secrets of the Sea for the April issue of TR, she thought about the day she carried her new goldfish home from a pet store in a plastic bag years ago and became interested in learning about the actual mechanics of executing such a large move of sea life from their home at The Pier Aquarium to John’s Pass in Madeira Beach. “Anyone who has gazed up at the three tall acrylic cylinders, teeming with marine life in the lobby of the St. Petersburg Pier, might wonder just how it is going to happen,” she wrote. So she talked with Butch Ringelspaugh, curator of exhibits at The Pier Aquarium, to get some answers.

TIR: Exactly how big is this job?BR: Altogether, we’ll be moving approximately 400 animals, including various fish, corals, anemones and other invertebrates, and close to 2,000 pounds of live rock and coral. Additionally, nearly 3,000 gallons of s altwater from our current home at The Pier Aquarium will need to be handled. About half of that will be moved to our new home in Madeira Beach, as we will use this opportunity to do a nice water change for all of the animals. We will then need to make close to another 13,000 gallons of synthetic seawater to fill all of the new exhibits and holding/quarantine aquaria since we’re creating a much larger environment for the marine life and acquiring new species. We currently have about 2,000 square feet of space, but our new home is more than six times that size, with 12,500 square feet of space.

TIR: Let’s start with those iconic acrylic tube aquariums in the lobby of the Pier. How in the world do you remove the fish from that environment? Pull a plug and let them swoosh out to a waiting tank truck? Vacuum them up to the top? Catch and release?

BR: Marine life loves to hide beneath rocks and coral, so the first task will be to remove as much of that environment as possible. Because of the unique configuration of these tanks, I’ll probably scuba dive them to net the fish.

TIR: In addition to the three tubes, how many other aquariums have occupants that will need to be captured and moved?

BR: There are 15 other tanks – 13 displayed in The Pier Aquarium, one small quarantine tank and the aquarium on display at the Columbia Restaurant. For these aquariums, after removing the rocks and coral, we’ll also lower the water level so the fish have less territory. We’re quite accustomedto the art of catching them quickly in nets.

TIR: What then? How do they get from here to there?

BR: The process is not as different as you might think from what people do when they bring store-bought fish home to introduce to their own aquariums. The secret is in preparing the new environment to be as close to the environment the animals are already accustomed to.

TIR: What are the steps involved in facilitating the relocation of the aquatic residents of The Pier Aquarium to their new home?

BR: The first step will be to set up the system that will eventually be home to our current population of animals as well as the rocks, corals and other items that make up their marine environment. Then we’ll create a quarantine area to be ready for the fish. We’ll begin to acclimate the new environment by dripping water from the system into their temporary homes until the environments match up perfectly.

TIR: I know that water temperature is important for tropical fish. What temperature are you aiming for?

BR: We typically keep our aquarium waters between 72 and 80 degrees. That’s the range of most tropical waters.

TIR: What else do you need to match?

BR: Two other important factors are the salinity (level of salt in the water) and the pH level (the range from acidic to basic). For saltwater fish, it’s easier for them to go from a high-salinity environment to a low-salinity environment than vice versa, which can be very stressful to the fish. In the course of our normal maintenance, we change out 15-30 percent of the total tank water volume each month, so creating safe water conditions is part of our daily work.

TIR: Tell us more about the sea life’s temporary homes. What happens between the time they’re happily swimming in the tanks that have been home to them and the time they arrive at the new center?

BR: Well, just like pet tropical fish are transported in bags of water, our animals will be transported in a variety of containers, depending on their size. The really small guys will be in plastic bags; others will be in buckets; and larger specimens will be in containers that range up to 50-gallon barrels, even trash cans on wheels! All will have powerful aerators to ensure they get the oxygen they need to breathe.

TIR: How long can the fish be safe in those temporary environments?

BR: You’d be surprised. Tropical fish from around the globe are transported in plastic bags and successfully make their journeys to pet stores on the other side of the world, sometimes spending two days in their bags.

TIR: What about the coral and rock? Is that easier to move?

BR: No, actually rock is very demanding and requires stable water quality. The coral also needs to be monitored. Some of our colonies have grown to a pretty significant size. While some pieces may break off in the move, the fragments are used to grow more coral.

TIR: What is the timeline for accomplishing the move?

BR: We expect the move process to take about two months, beginning in early 2013, with our grand opening planned in the spring.

TIR: What will become of the acrylic tube aquariums in the Pier lobby?

BR: The cylinders have had plenty of life. At fifteen years, they are past their prime and will be retired. We’ve had inquiries from artists and other facilities about those tubes, but they’ll be behemoths to move.

TIR: With all the expanded room at the John’s Pass facility, what new features can visitors expect to see?

BR: Currently, our largest tank is 500 gallons, but in Secrets of the Sea, we’ll have a 6,000 gallon aquarium. This will allow us to bring in some bigger animals, such as bonnet sharks, large grouper and drums. Our touch tank will be grander, too.

TIR: Thank you for sharing some of your own “secrets” of the sea. 

Donna J. Parrey is a freelance writer based in St. Pete Beach, Florida, and the founder of Write Brain Wordsmiths. She can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .