I visited the Belle Isle Aquarium in Michigan on June 15, 2025. It's a small but beautiful aquarium in a historic building that was renovated in 2020. It is possibly best known for two things: its history as the oldest aquarium in the United States, and for its collection of gar. The Belle Isle Aquarium houses all 7 species of gar, the only such public collection in North America.
Please note: the following species list is based on signage, as fish are not my strong suit when it comes to ID. There were several fish species that were not signed, but I will leave those for a more knowledgeable Zoochatter.
The layout of the aquarium is roughly a cross, with a single lane path taking you all the way around the building. There is a donation box at the entrance with a suggested donation of $5. The aquarium is broken up into sections, with each section's signage being color-coded.
Rivers of the World
Giant gourami
Clown knifefish
Perruno catfish
Alligator gar
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Peacock gudgeon
Tiger barb
White cloud minnow
Harlequin rasbora
Odessa barb
Florida gar
Spotted gar
Tropical gar
Niger tetra
Congo tetra
Mbu pufferfish
Ocellate river stingray
Cuban gar
Center tank
Cuckoo squeaker
Fourspine cichlid
Tiger nasuta
Butterfly splitfin
Mexican dwarf crayfish
Bichir
Elephantnose fish
African butterflyfish
Leopard ctenopoma
Lakes and Rivers of North America
Round goby
Goldfish
Common carp
Darters (specific species not signed, family Etheostomatinae)
Minnows (specific species not signed, family Cyprinidae)
Longnose gar
Shortnose gar
Lake sturgeon
Walleye
Largemouth bass
Yellow perch
Black crappie
Smallmouth bass
Bowfin
Bluegill
Redear sunfish
Rainbow trout
Into the Blue
Garden eel
Mantis shrimp
Royal gamma
Hawkfish
Dusky pipefish
Pencil sea urchin
Snowflake eel
Dwarf lionfish
Sea anemone (specific species not signed, order Actiniaria)
Blue hippo tang
Clownfish (specific species not signed but probably Amphiprion ocellaris)
Feather duster worm
Yellow bristletooth tang
Yellow boxfish
Common bristlestar
Tropical Oasis
Silver arowana
Reticulated freshwater stingray
Ocellate river stingray
BLack spot piranha
Redhook
Oscar
Silver dollar
Texas cichlid
Electric eel
South American lungfish
Blue phantom pleco
Cardinal tetra
Leopold's angelfish
Discus (specific species not signed, genus Symphysodon)
Axolotl
Africa
Bichir
Lake Malawi cichlids (specific species not signed)
Ruby green cichlid
Featherfin squeaker
Blunthead cichlid
White spotted cichlid
African lungfish
Sardine cichlid
Humphead cichlid
Brown julie
Daffodil cichlid
Lake Bermin tilapia
African clawed frog
Electric catfish
Please note: the following species list is based on signage, as fish are not my strong suit when it comes to ID. There were several fish species that were not signed, but I will leave those for a more knowledgeable Zoochatter.
The layout of the aquarium is roughly a cross, with a single lane path taking you all the way around the building. There is a donation box at the entrance with a suggested donation of $5. The aquarium is broken up into sections, with each section's signage being color-coded.
Rivers of the World
Giant gourami
Clown knifefish
Perruno catfish
Alligator gar
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Peacock gudgeon
Tiger barb
White cloud minnow
Harlequin rasbora
Odessa barb
Florida gar
Spotted gar
Tropical gar
Niger tetra
Congo tetra
Mbu pufferfish
Ocellate river stingray
Cuban gar
Center tank
Cuckoo squeaker
Fourspine cichlid
Tiger nasuta
Butterfly splitfin
Mexican dwarf crayfish
Bichir
Elephantnose fish
African butterflyfish
Leopard ctenopoma
Lakes and Rivers of North America
Round goby
Goldfish
Common carp
Darters (specific species not signed, family Etheostomatinae)
Minnows (specific species not signed, family Cyprinidae)
Longnose gar
Shortnose gar
Lake sturgeon
Walleye
Largemouth bass
Yellow perch
Black crappie
Smallmouth bass
Bowfin
Bluegill
Redear sunfish
Rainbow trout
Into the Blue
Garden eel
Mantis shrimp
Royal gamma
Hawkfish
Dusky pipefish
Pencil sea urchin
Snowflake eel
Dwarf lionfish
Sea anemone (specific species not signed, order Actiniaria)
Blue hippo tang
Clownfish (specific species not signed but probably Amphiprion ocellaris)
Feather duster worm
Yellow bristletooth tang
Yellow boxfish
Common bristlestar
Tropical Oasis
Silver arowana
Reticulated freshwater stingray
Ocellate river stingray
BLack spot piranha
Redhook
Oscar
Silver dollar
Texas cichlid
Electric eel
South American lungfish
Blue phantom pleco
Cardinal tetra
Leopold's angelfish
Discus (specific species not signed, genus Symphysodon)
Axolotl
Africa
Bichir
Lake Malawi cichlids (specific species not signed)
Ruby green cichlid
Featherfin squeaker
Blunthead cichlid
White spotted cichlid
African lungfish
Sardine cichlid
Humphead cichlid
Brown julie
Daffodil cichlid
Lake Bermin tilapia
African clawed frog
Electric catfish
