South Carolina Aquarium List Of Species On Exhibit 5/28/19

geomorph

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
This is an attempt to list every species on exhibit at South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, South Carolina during my visit on 5-28-19. I am including species for which there is a sign on each exhibit, and using the map going along the suggested route from the aquarium entrance to its named zones. This list may be of more interest to those already familiar with the aquarium since I am not arranging the species by animal type. I will post each zone separately for clarity.




MOUNTAIN FOREST: (7 Exhibits)
This zone is reached by visitors entering the Great Hall and then ascending an escalator to its upper floor to begin their route. The first two exhibits seen are still in the Great Hall, while the remainder are located beyond a door in a large mesh-enclosed room open to the elements that is composed of simulated rocky walls along a narrow path and live trees planted amongst them. The space is very tall and capped by an angled roof that is a significant design element of the whole front of the aquarium building.


Open-topped room-sized exhibit enclosed by tall harp wire in front and a wall in back:
Bald Eagle

Small-sized open-topped pond:
Turtle (unsigned, unidentified)

The remainder of the exhibits are inside the naturalistic tall room:

Large-sized tall walk-through room with simulated rocky walls and live trees, enclosed with mesh, for free-flight birds:
American Crow
Mourning Dove
Northern Bobwhite
Wild Turkey

3 small-sized open-topped pond aquariums with waterfalls, signage unclear as to which species occupied each exhibit:
Bluehead Chub
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Central Stoneroller
Rainbow Trout
Smallmouth Bass
White Sucker
Yellowfin Shiner


Medium-sized simulated rocky-walled yard viewed through two large glass panels, with pond for underwater viewing:
River Otter

 
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PIEDMONT: (6 Exhibits)
Visitors exit the Mountain Forest into a typically unadorned modern twisting hallway containing small exhibits for the next two zones.

Small-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Piedmont Shores':
Fieryblack Shiner
Seagreen Darter
Warpaint Shiner
Whitetail Shiner

Small-sized room exhibit with plain walls and enclosed with fine mesh in front, titled 'Scenic Overlook':
American Kestral


Small-sized angled wall aquarium, titled 'Piedmont River':
Bluehead Chub
Robust Redhorse
Yellowfin Shiner

Medium-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Reservoir':
Bluegill
Channel Catfish
Largemouth Bass
Longnose Gar
Redbreast Sunfish
Redear Sunfish
Striped Bass


Small-sized open-topped shallow wall aquarium, titled 'Shifting Shorelines':
Lesser Siren

Small-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Brownwater Swamp':
Bannerfin Shiner
Bluehead Chub
Chicken Turtle
Dollar Sunfish
Dusky Shiner
Golden Shiner
 
COASTAL PLAIN: (7 Exhibits)
This is another set of exhibits in a small modern dark hallway.

Medium-sized square corner wall terrarium with pond, titled 'Swamp Snakes':
American eel
Banded Water Snake
Chicken Turtle
Eastern Cottonmouth

Medium-sized room exhibit with large pond and simulated cypress knees, viewed through large underwater viewing panel, titled 'Blackwater Swamp':
American Alligator (the individual was an albino named Alabaster, who has deceased since my visit)


Medium-sized wall terrarium with shallow pond, titled 'Carolina Bay':
Green Treefrog
Southern Leopardfrog
Southern Toad

Small-sized room exhibit with pond, viewed through underwater viewing panel, titled 'Rice Fields':
American Alligator


Medium-sized wall terrarium:
Canebreak Rattlesnake
Copperhead
Eastern Diamondback

Medium-sized wall terrarium with adjoining burrow view:
Eastern Indigo Snake
Gopher Tortoise

Small-sized square pedestal aquarium, titled 'Ponds':
Blackbanded Sunfish
Bluespotted Sunfish
Golden Topminnow
 
KIDS COAST: (1 Exhibit)
The suggested path emerges into the upper floor of the Great Hall and leads to a small play area with activities; a single tank is nearby.

Small-sized wall aquarium, titled 'BricksAlive', decorated with plastic brick-style toys:
Bannerfish (unsigned, unidentified)
Blue Tang (unsigned)
 
SALT MARSH: (4 Exhibits)
Similar in design to the Mountain Forest room seen earlier on the other side of the building, this walkthrough mesh-enclosed room features a free-flight area and three open-topped pond habitats, this time with a great view of the harbor.


Large-sized tall walk-through room with beach landscape, enclosed with mesh, for free-flight birds:
Empty ('Renovations In Progress' signs were posted so perhaps birds returned shortly after my visit?)

Medium-sized open-topped pond exhibit with underwater viewing panels:
Atlantic Stingray (signed, but not present)
Fish (unsigned, unidentified)
Turtle (unsigned, unidentified)
Southern Stingray (signed, but not present)


Medium-sized open-topped pond exhibit with underwater viewing panels:
Empty (was being filled with water that day, 'Renovations in Progress' signs posted)
Small-sized open-topped pond exhibit with underwater viewing panels:
Empty


Small-sized open-topped pond exhibit with underwater viewing panels:
Empty
 
TOUCHTANK: (7 Exhibits)
After re-entering the building from the Salt Marsh zone, this adjoining area to the Great Hall upper floor is reached.


Small-sized open-topped touchtank:
Chain Dogfish

Small-sized open-topped touchtank:
Sea Star (unsigned, unidentified)
Urchin (unsigned, unidentified)

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Sea Star (unsigned, unidentified)

3 small-sized wall aquariums:
Decorator Crab (unsigned, unidentified)
Fish (unsigned, unidentified)
Southern Stargazer

Small-sized wall terrarium:
Eastern Box Turtle
 
COAST: (8 Exhibits)
The path continues into another modern dark twisting hallway gallery with a variety of tanks.

Small-sized bubble-shaped wall aquarium, titled 'Seahorse':
Lined Seahorse
Northern Pipefish

2 small-sized adjoining shelf aquariums, one with a dark sandy bottom and one with a light sandy bottom, titled 'Camouflage':
Southern Flounder
Southern Flounder and unsigned unidentified octopus

Medium-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Balanced Ocean':
Goliath Grouper

Large-sized narrow wall aquarium viewed from both sides in center of room, titled 'Aquatic Invaders':
Lionfish
Slipper Lobster
Spotted Moray

Medium-sized shelf aquarium, titled 'Bottom Dwellers':
Caribbean Spiny Lobster


Small-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Marine Debris':
Shrimp (unidentified)

Medium-sized round column aquarium, titled 'Schooling Fish':
Atlantic Bumper

 
OCEAN: (9 Exhibits)
The hallway continues to a few more small exhibits before opening up into a dramatic 2-story space with a grand staircase connecting the exhibits in this zone and viewing the showpiece tank.

Small-sized wall aquarium titled 'Sargassum':
Sargassumfish

Small-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Open Ocean':
Fish (unsigned, unidentified)

Small-sized round wall aquarium:
Comb Jelly

Medium-sized wall aquarium:
Moon Jelly

Very large-sized feature tank that is 42 feet deep with a sign claiming to be the deepest tank in North America, with simulated coral outcroppings, a dramatic two-story viewing panel, and 2 large rectangular viewing panels (one on each level), titled 'Great Ocean Tank':
Bar Jack
Barracuda
Belted Sandfish
Bermuda Chub
Black Sea Bass
Blacktip Shark
Blue Angelfish
Blue Runner
Cobia
Crevalle Jack
Florida Pompano
Gag Grouper
Gray Angelfish
Gray Snapper
Graysby Grouper
Greater Amberjack
Green Moray Eel
Grey Triggerfish
Horse-eye Jack
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Nurse Shark
Permit
Porcupine Puffer
Porkfish
Queen Triggerfish
Rainbow Runner
Red Drum
Red Grouper
Sandbar Shark
Sand Tiger Shark
Scamp
Sergeant Major
Sheepshead
Spadefish
Spottail Pinfish
Squirrelfish
Tarpon
Tomtate
Tripletail
Vermilion Snapper
White Grunt
Yellowtail Snapper





Large-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Offshore' and 'Rocky Reef':
Atlantic Blue Tang
Bandtail Puffer
Blackbar Soldierfish
Blue Parrotfish
Clown Wrasse
Dusky Squirrelfish
Harlequin Bass
Highhat
Porkfish
Puddingwife
Ocean Surgeonfish
Ocean Triggerfish
Porcupinefish
Reef Butterflyfish
Sergeant Major
Sharpnose Puffer
Spanish Hogfish
Spotfin Hogfish
Trunkfish
Yellowhead Wrasse


Large-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Offshore':
Bank Sea Bass
Black Sea Bass
Rock Sea Bass
Scup
Spottail Pinfish
Tomtate
White Grunt


Large-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Offshore':
Atlantic Spadefish
Florida Pompano
French Grunt
Hogfish
Jolthead Porgy
Knobbed Porgy
Ocean Triggerfish
Palometa
Red Grouper
Red Porgy
Spotfin Hogfish
Vermilion Snapper
White Grunt

Medium-sized wall aquarium, titled 'Offshore':
Lionfish
Squirrelfish
 
This aquarium seems to be relatively unknown in the Zoochat community. What did you think of it? Is it a worthwhile destination for zoo nerds traveling through South Carolina?
 
This aquarium seems to be relatively unknown in the Zoochat community. What did you think of it? Is it a worthwhile destination for zoo nerds traveling through South Carolina?
i've been to many stupid places, even in SC, but i always passed up on the chance to go here because it's expensive and i heard small and not worth while. Could not reccommend more highly the Center for Birds of Prey in nearby Awendaw with it's incredible collection.
 
I visited the South Carolina Aquarium on Wednesday, July 25th, 2012, and it would be interesting to hear from @geomorph in terms of what has changed in recent years.

2012 Review:

South Carolina Aquarium is an AZA-accredited facility in Charleston, South Carolina, and it opened in 2000. The building is 93,000 square feet and there are over 60 exhibits. It is against the law to keep dolphins and whales in captivity in the state of South Carolina, and so like most aquariums of this size the largest and most popular animals are sharks, sea turtles, otters and crocodilians. The annual number of visitors is 450,000.

THE BEST:

Great Ocean Tank – This tank holds 385,000 gallons of water and contains hundreds of animals. The stars of the habitat are blacknose sharks, nurse sharks, bonnethead sharks, sand tiger sharks, pufferfish, a loggerhead sea turtle and many other smaller species. The tank can be viewed from both levels of the aquarium and while it is not wide it is certainly tall and still hugely impressive. In the Great Hall near the Ocean Tank is a 15,000 gallon Carolinas Tank that features many colourful local fish.

Mountain Forest – This is generally the first gallery that visitors enter as they take the escalator to the second floor, and a rehabilitated bald eagle is displayed in the corridor. Her name is Liberty and she was seriously injured and nursed back to health about a decade ago. A fake eagle nest and a couple of small terrariums (with zero signage) are also in the entrance foyer. Passing through into the mountains area there is a high rocky wall with large fish tanks at its base that contain trout, bass and other local species. River otters have a deep pool and as usual they were entertaining visitors with their antics.

THE AVERAGE:

Madagascar Journey – This is a brand-new gallery that opened in 2012, and there are many average exhibits amongst some innovative and popular items such as a pop-up bubble in the lemur exhibit; a couple of large fish tanks; a safari jeep that kids can clamber into; and décor that makes it appear as if visitors are at first walking through someone’s house. This area is not large and the Nile croc does not have a great deal of space, but it certainly had visitors reading the signs and being entertained by the lemurs. Species list: ring-tailed lemur (4 on loan from Duke Lemur Center), Vasa parrot, Nile crocodile, Madagascar hissing cockroach, common spider tortoise, Madagascar tree boa, tomato frog, Madagascar giant hognose snake, green mantilla frog, Madagascar day gecko and Madagascar leaf-tailed gecko.

The Piedmont & Coastal Plain Galleries – These two areas were renovated in 2009 and they seemingly run together into one large area. The Piedmont (French for “foothills”) has life supported by streams, rivers and human-made reservoirs and Piedmont Shoals contains various darters and shiners; an eastern screech owl has a small enclosure with such thin wire encasing that it first appears to be wide open; a standard-sized tank has robust redhorse, yellowfin shiner and bluehead chub; and other species in various tanks include striped bass, largemouth bass, white bass, longnose gar, redbreasted sunfish and channel catfish. An open-topped greater siren exhibit features crystal clear water and Brownwater Swamp has chicken turtles and various sunfish and shiners. A banded water snake, yellow rat snake, chicken turtle and spotted turtle share a tank as the pathway leads into a Coastal Plain area with a star attraction of a white alligator in an exhibit that is too small for its inhabitant. Other species in this gallery include: green treefrog, broad-head skink, American alligator, yellow-bellied slider, gopher tortoise, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake and copperhead.

Salt Marsh – This is the only section of the aquarium that is outdoors, although it is still enclosed via a thin metal wire. A large touch tank has southern stingrays and Atlantic stingrays, while a long, narrow, open-topped exhibit that has a massive river in the background has several species of fish and turtle but zero signage so I frustratingly could not find out exactly what species they are. There are even a few gulls inside this area and the view to a unique-looking bridge is quite splendid. An indoor touch tank has the usual assortment of crabs, urchins and anemones.

The Coast – This gallery has a Schooling Fish tank with Atlantic bumper; a long habitat with leopard searobin, Atlantic needlefish, palometa, Florida pompano and striped hermit crab; lined seahorses gracefully inhabit a small tank; southern flounders are in a camouflage-themed environment; and a loggerhead sea turtle shares space with scorpionfish and giant hermit crabs. Moon jellies and Atlantic sea nettles are also found near this area.

Something’s Fishy Kid Zone – There is a boat that kids can climb into and pretend to navigate through treacherous waters, but the aquarium lacks a notable children’s area and this small zone can rapidly become crowded.

THE WORST:

Nothing deserves to be in this category.

OVERALL:

South Carolina Aquarium lacks a real knockout exhibit, although the two-level Great Ocean Tank is close. The themed building is neat in that visitors begin in the mountains, and move through streams, rivers, coastal plains, a salt marsh, the coast and then finally the ocean. I’m not sure how many people will truly appreciate the cool design of the aquarium, especially now that Madagascar is the final section and that might confuse folks. Almost the entire list of exhibits are on the top floor of the building and for the size and space available one flaw is that the South Carolina Aquarium should add on even more exhibits to help fill out the emptiness. Overall it is a decent aquarium that does not take long to see (1.5 hours), and there is a strong emphasis on ecosystems rather than star animals.
 
SEA TURTLE RECOVERY: (5 Exhibits)
Back on the first floor of the aquarium, this zone is the most recent to be opened and is a large room with a considerable amount of interpretive exhibits as well as large viewing windows into the aquarium's sea turtle hospital. Since I think there were 5 tanks closest to the windows, I will count this zone as 5 exhibits for:
Green Sea Turtle (they currently had 11 patients)
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (they currently had 7 patients)


 
GREAT HALL: (1 Exhibit)


Large-sized floor-to-ceiling column tank:

Atlantic Blue Tang
Blackbar Soldierfish
French Grunt
Orange Filefish
Queen Angel
Reef Butterflyfish
Spotfin Butterflyfish
Spotted Moray

 
THE SHALLOWS: (1 Exhibit)
The final exhibit is located in a sheltered overhang of the building after visitors exit a backdoor of the Great Hall that faces the harbor.

Large-sized open-topped touchtank with several underwater viewing panels:
Cownose Ray
Horseshoe Crab
Southern Stingray (unsigned, probably the missing ones from the Salt Marsh exhibit?)


 
SUMMARY:
By my count, the total number of exhibits currently at South Carolina Aquarium is: 56

By my count, the total number of species in permanent exhibits with identification signs is: 162
The number of species I counted can be broken down into the following categories:
Mammals: 1
Birds: 6
Reptiles: 14
Amphibians: 4
Fish: 126
Invertebrates: 11
 
This aquarium seems to be relatively unknown in the Zoochat community. What did you think of it? Is it a worthwhile destination for zoo nerds traveling through South Carolina?

I enjoyed the aquarium and recommend any Zoochatter should visit it, it has a considered presentation of local aquatic life. The feature exhibit is truly impressive in its depth, I don't think my pictures convey that aspect very well but being there does. Most of the smaller exhibits are of average quality and detail, but together they compose a nice cohesive experience. The facility shares a riverside area of development called Liberty Square, with its closest neighbor being the visitor center/boat dock for trips to historic Fort Sumter where the first battle of the civil war took place. This proximity does not make the aquarium any better but it makes it convenient for us sightseers! I rank the aquarium at #29 of the 66 aquarium facilities I have visited, just behind Seattle Aquarium and just ahead of ABQ Biopark Aquarium.
 
I visited the South Carolina Aquarium on Wednesday, July 25th, 2012, and it would be interesting to hear from @geomorph in terms of what has changed in recent years.

2012 Review:

South Carolina Aquarium is an AZA-accredited facility in Charleston, South Carolina, and it opened in 2000. The building is 93,000 square feet and there are over 60 exhibits. It is against the law to keep dolphins and whales in captivity in the state of South Carolina, and so like most aquariums of this size the largest and most popular animals are sharks, sea turtles, otters and crocodilians. The annual number of visitors is 450,000.

THE BEST:

Great Ocean Tank – This tank holds 385,000 gallons of water and contains hundreds of animals. The stars of the habitat are blacknose sharks, nurse sharks, bonnethead sharks, sand tiger sharks, pufferfish, a loggerhead sea turtle and many other smaller species. The tank can be viewed from both levels of the aquarium and while it is not wide it is certainly tall and still hugely impressive. In the Great Hall near the Ocean Tank is a 15,000 gallon Carolinas Tank that features many colourful local fish.

Mountain Forest – This is generally the first gallery that visitors enter as they take the escalator to the second floor, and a rehabilitated bald eagle is displayed in the corridor. Her name is Liberty and she was seriously injured and nursed back to health about a decade ago. A fake eagle nest and a couple of small terrariums (with zero signage) are also in the entrance foyer. Passing through into the mountains area there is a high rocky wall with large fish tanks at its base that contain trout, bass and other local species. River otters have a deep pool and as usual they were entertaining visitors with their antics.

THE AVERAGE:

Madagascar Journey – This is a brand-new gallery that opened in 2012, and there are many average exhibits amongst some innovative and popular items such as a pop-up bubble in the lemur exhibit; a couple of large fish tanks; a safari jeep that kids can clamber into; and décor that makes it appear as if visitors are at first walking through someone’s house. This area is not large and the Nile croc does not have a great deal of space, but it certainly had visitors reading the signs and being entertained by the lemurs. Species list: ring-tailed lemur (4 on loan from Duke Lemur Center), Vasa parrot, Nile crocodile, Madagascar hissing cockroach, common spider tortoise, Madagascar tree boa, tomato frog, Madagascar giant hognose snake, green mantilla frog, Madagascar day gecko and Madagascar leaf-tailed gecko.

The Piedmont & Coastal Plain Galleries – These two areas were renovated in 2009 and they seemingly run together into one large area. The Piedmont (French for “foothills”) has life supported by streams, rivers and human-made reservoirs and Piedmont Shoals contains various darters and shiners; an eastern screech owl has a small enclosure with such thin wire encasing that it first appears to be wide open; a standard-sized tank has robust redhorse, yellowfin shiner and bluehead chub; and other species in various tanks include striped bass, largemouth bass, white bass, longnose gar, redbreasted sunfish and channel catfish. An open-topped greater siren exhibit features crystal clear water and Brownwater Swamp has chicken turtles and various sunfish and shiners. A banded water snake, yellow rat snake, chicken turtle and spotted turtle share a tank as the pathway leads into a Coastal Plain area with a star attraction of a white alligator in an exhibit that is too small for its inhabitant. Other species in this gallery include: green treefrog, broad-head skink, American alligator, yellow-bellied slider, gopher tortoise, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake and copperhead.

Salt Marsh – This is the only section of the aquarium that is outdoors, although it is still enclosed via a thin metal wire. A large touch tank has southern stingrays and Atlantic stingrays, while a long, narrow, open-topped exhibit that has a massive river in the background has several species of fish and turtle but zero signage so I frustratingly could not find out exactly what species they are. There are even a few gulls inside this area and the view to a unique-looking bridge is quite splendid. An indoor touch tank has the usual assortment of crabs, urchins and anemones.

The Coast – This gallery has a Schooling Fish tank with Atlantic bumper; a long habitat with leopard searobin, Atlantic needlefish, palometa, Florida pompano and striped hermit crab; lined seahorses gracefully inhabit a small tank; southern flounders are in a camouflage-themed environment; and a loggerhead sea turtle shares space with scorpionfish and giant hermit crabs. Moon jellies and Atlantic sea nettles are also found near this area.

Something’s Fishy Kid Zone – There is a boat that kids can climb into and pretend to navigate through treacherous waters, but the aquarium lacks a notable children’s area and this small zone can rapidly become crowded.

THE WORST:

Nothing deserves to be in this category.

OVERALL:

South Carolina Aquarium lacks a real knockout exhibit, although the two-level Great Ocean Tank is close. The themed building is neat in that visitors begin in the mountains, and move through streams, rivers, coastal plains, a salt marsh, the coast and then finally the ocean. I’m not sure how many people will truly appreciate the cool design of the aquarium, especially now that Madagascar is the final section and that might confuse folks. Almost the entire list of exhibits are on the top floor of the building and for the size and space available one flaw is that the South Carolina Aquarium should add on even more exhibits to help fill out the emptiness. Overall it is a decent aquarium that does not take long to see (1.5 hours), and there is a strong emphasis on ecosystems rather than star animals.

The only major change is that the Madagascar section is removed and I assume in its place is the Sea Turtle Recovery, which is an educational look at rehabilitation efforts that is a nice 'finale' of the exhibit path (although if visitors choose, they can veer into this zone near the entrance to make it their first stop).
 
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