Mixed species enclosures and other changes for Burgers Zoo

[Mr Gharial]

Alright, I think I'm going to need help with the North Sea aquarium. But I think I've finally found my weakness.

I really suck at aquariums



This is currently the upper floor, there's only two aquariums so far. Both also stretching to the lower floor.
There is a large, round tank with a staircase going down, similar to the one in Ecomare. The whole region is actually based on Ecomare, they're the main Wadden sea sanctuary in the Netherlands (I don't know of any in Germany). The upper floor only stretches half the actual aquarium, a balcony looks over a colossal open ocean aquarium. With a replica of the SS Leerdam, a victorian age steam ship, on the lower floor with internal viewing. If it's possible, I'm also thinking of maybe making it possible to be able to walk on top of the ship, with a glass dome for a full underwater experience. Though I fear that might be a nightmare to create.



On the lower floor, the two main tanks still remain for viewing. I'm also planning on making a mussel and oyster reef, devided into two tanks to walk through. There is also underwater viewing to the harbour seals and grey seals.

The main star of the Open ocean tank will be the mola molas, but this practically the only fish that I have certainty for.

I'll upload a seperate list of marine species. Maybe one of you can help me

 

[Westcoastperson]

I can try and help with the aquarium

 

[Mr Gharial]

Alright, so for the fish that I think should be fine in almost all the tanks (apart for the seal tank, obviously)

There are
- Tubot
- European plaice
- Common sole
- European sea sturgeon
- Garpike
- Asp
- Tub gurnard
- John dory
- Pollack
- Hooknose
- Thicklip grey mullet
- Snake blenny
- Cuckoo wrasse
- Great sandeel
- Lumpfish

Fish that I was planning for the mussel reef
- Snake pipefish
- Common starfish
- Common mussel
- Common oyster

Some open ocean fish
- Bonito
- Giant ocean sunfish

Some crusteceans
- North sea crab
- Long-legged spider crab
- European spider crab
- Langouste, on who I can barely find any information. But I've seen them in restaurant tanks all over Texel, which usually almost exclusively keep Wadden or North sea animals
- Common marine hermit crab
- North sea lobster

Some rays and sharks
- Nursehound
- Angel shark
- Tope shark
- Spotted torpedo ray
- Cuckoo ray
- Blue skate
- Pelagic stingray

Some other miscellaneous
- Atlantic wolffish
- European conger
- European cuttlefish

There's also compass jellyfish in their own tank, but I still have no idea where to put the aquarium.

Finally, there's two false aquariums. With harbour porpoises and White-beaked dolphin. I'm very much against keeping cetaceans, so these won't be real. Either those robot dolphins that are currently being made, or just under water exhibitions like the plastic exhibition in the ocean

 

[Mr Gharial]

Actually, I was maybe planning on putting the European congers inside of the ship in tanks connected by pipelines. Making it seem like they took over the ship when it sunk

 

[Westcoastperson]

Ok so here is my map for the top of burgers wad
Large rectangle tank: Bonito, Giant ocean sunfish
Large Rocky tank: Nursehound, Angel Shark, Tope Shark, Pelagic Stingray, Spotted Torpedo Ray, Atlantic wolfish, European conger
Long Rocky Tank: Tubot, European plaice, Common sole, European sea sturgeon, Garpike, Asp
Circular Tank: Tub gurnard, John dory, Pollack, Thicklip grey mullet, Cuckoo wrasse, Cuckoo Ray, Blue Skate Fish
Rocky tank in the center of all the small rocky tanks: Snake pipefish, Common starfish, Common mussel, Common oyster
Everything else can be found in the small rocky tanks

Light grey are stairs, brown are rocks, blue is water, and if a part of a tank does not have rock around it than it is glass

 

[Mr Gharial]

Ok so here is my map for the top of burgers wad
Large rectangle tank: Bonito, Giant ocean sunfish
Large Rocky tank: Nursehound, Angel Shark, Tope Shark, Pelagic Stingray, Spotted Torpedo Ray, Atlantic wolfish, European conger
Long Rocky Tank: Tubot, European plaice, Common sole, European sea sturgeon, Garpike, Asp
Circular Tank: Tub gurnard, John dory, Pollack, Thicklip grey mullet, Cuckoo wrasse, Cuckoo Ray, Blue Skate Fish
Rocky tank in the center of all the small rocky tanks: Snake pipefish, Common starfish, Common mussel, Common oyster
Everything else can be found in the small rocky tanks
View attachment 468239
Light grey are stairs, brown are rocks, blue is water, and if a part of a tank does not have rock around it than it is glass

Alright, I think the large amount of smaller tanks are not a good idea, since it would be difficult to see them all. Also, don't you think the giant open ocean tank is too empty? I know that mola mola are quickly preyed upon by almost all predators, but surely some of the rays and smaller fish can join them.

And what about the lower floor and the jellyfish tank?

 

[Mr Gharial]

Also, along with the White-beaked dolphins and Harbour porpoises, I thought of making a false giant oarfish aquarium. The herring king is pretty famous on Texel

 

[Mr Gharial]

Actually, I think it would be prettier if they were just hanging from the ceiling

 

[Westcoastperson]

Alright, I think the large amount of smaller tanks are not a good idea, since it would be difficult to see them all. Also, don't you think the giant open ocean tank is too empty? I know that mola mola are quickly preyed upon by almost all predators, but surely some of the rays and smaller fish can join them.

And what about the lower floor and the jellyfish tank?

Ok then the Sea Sturgeon and the tub gurnard will go in the open ocean tank.
I tried to make the little tanks in a circle surrounding the mussel reef but I can make it more circular if you would like
I still have the first drawing open so I will make the other level when we finnish

 

[Mr Gharial]

Ok then the Sea Sturgeon and the tub gurnard will go in the open ocean tank.

Don't you think some of the other, smaller fish could also go in there? I thought a large school would look cool.

I tried to make the little tanks in a circle surrounding the mussel reef but I can make it more circular if you would like

Actually, the two longer tanks on the bottom floor are the mussel reef. You walk between two tanks

 

[Mr Gharial]

Alright, update.

I thought of doing a jellyfish tunnel, I've seen them done a few times (though sadly not in person). Mainly with moon jellies, but surely compass jellyfish would be fine too, right?



Instead of doing the SS Leerdam I thought of maybe doing the TESO, the ferry from the mainland to Texel. A small one, obviously. As the real ferry is absolutely huge

 

[Westcoastperson]

Don't you think some of the other, smaller fish could also go in there? I thought a large school would look cool.



Actually, the two longer tanks on the bottom floor are the mussel reef. You walk between two tanks

Ok so I noticed you don't have Golden Grey Mullet and European Bass so add those to the open ocean tank
So I have shrunk down and gotten rid of some of the small rocky tanks, I will also specify the species in each tank

1.Langouste, North Sea Crab
2.Hooknose
3.Snake Blenny, Great Sandeel
4.European Cuttlefish
5.North Sea Lobster, European Spider Crab
6.Lumpfish
7.Long-legged spider crab, common marine hermit crab
8.Blue Skate, Cuckoo Ray, Tub Gurnard (I'm gonna move them out of the open ocean now that there are more fish)

 

[Mr Gharial]

Ok so I noticed you don't have Golden Grey Mullet and European Bass so add those to the open ocean tank
So I have shrunk down and gotten rid of some of the small rocky tanks, I will also specify the species in each tank

That does look better, but are we sure some of these species can't mix?

The monterey bay aquarium has a huge open ocean tank with whale sharks, groupers, mola molas, rays, turtles, and huge groups of schooling fish and I've seen cuttlefish kept in shared tanks

 

[BerdNerd]

That does look better, but are we sure some of these species can't mix?

The monterey bay aquarium has a huge open ocean tank with whale sharks, groupers, mola molas, rays, turtles, and huge groups of schooling fish and I've seen cuttlefish kept in shared tanks

Sorry to burst your bubble, but at no point in MBA’s history have they housed Whale Sharks. The only aquarium in North America to exhibit these massive fish is the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

[Mr Gharial]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but at no point in MBA’s history have they housed Whale Sharks. The only aquarium in North America to exhibit these massive fish is the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Really? Damn. The internet has lied to me!

But still, Lisbon oceanium has them with sharks and a bunch of other fish

 

[Westcoastperson]

Really? Damn. The internet has lied to me!

But still, Lisbon oceanium has them with sharks and a bunch of other fish

Ok then the tope sharks can be added to the open ocean exhibit and if you want to go big you could include basking sharks but the tank would have to be wider

 

[Mr Gharial]

Ok then the tope sharks can be added to the open ocean exhibit and if you want to go big you could include basking sharks but the tank would have to be wider

I'm pretty sure they aren't kept in captivity, but no either way. As you said, the tank would need to be way bigger. It can be added to the list of animals on the ceiling though

 

[Mr Gharial]

Alright, I can't really find any proper articles on Mola Molas sharing enclosures. But I did find this in the North Sea Oceanarium Denmark

Google Maps

You can see how many species the mola mola shares it's tank with. Including rays, flatfish, and sharks

 

[Westcoastperson]

Alright, update.

I thought of doing a jellyfish tunnel, I've seen them done a few times (though sadly not in person). Mainly with moon jellies, but surely compass jellyfish would be fine too, right?

View attachment 468283

Instead of doing the SS Leerdam I thought of maybe doing the TESO, the ferry from the mainland to Texel. A small one, obviously. As the real ferry is absolutely huge

You still want me to map out this part and add like a land area for the seals?

 

[Mr Gharial]

You still want me to map out this part and add like a land area for the seals?

I'd like to see your ideas, and I've already made the land area. I'll upload that when it's done. I did add a few more fishes, by the way. Give me a second to upload the updated version