Loveland Living Planet Aquarium List of Species on Exhibit 9-16-15

geomorph

geomorph

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
This is an attempt to list every species on exhibit at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium during my visit on 9-16-15. I am arranging the list by the current visitor map by the named zones. I am including species for which there is a sign on each exhibit. This is not intended to be a full account of the collection. Also, species on exhibit are sometimes moved, so some that were there one day may have disappeared from public view the next. This list may be of more interest to those already familiar with the aquarium since I am not arranging the species by animal type. It should be noted that some of the aquatic exhibits seemed to have unsigned species in addition to those with signs; I have listed them as 'Fish' in the exhibits that have an especially notable number of unsigned species. Many of the exhibits have species identification signs in the form of screens that scroll through the species, sometimes serving multiple exhibits on each side, and that several of the screens were off or not working during my visit. All exhibits are indoors, except for the small outdoor portion of the North American River Otter Exhibit in the Discover Utah zone. Please note that this list is incomplete for 2 reasons: I failed to note all the species in the largest exhibit (Sharks exhibit in the Ocean Explorer zone) and since my visit a new zone has opened called Expedition Asia which is not included in this list. I will list each zone in a separate entry in the thread for clarity.

JOURNEY TO SOUTH AMERICA: (22 Exhibits)
These exhibits are set in a large two-story room lit from a massive undulating wall of glass on two sides. The room is mostly well-detailed with tropical rainforest theming. The visitor path weaves around the first floor, and this tour will generally go clockwise around the room before following the long ascending path of ramps to the second floor and its balconies overlooking the large space.

First floor:
Medium-sized wall aquarium and terrarium:
Black Ghost
Bumblebee Catfish
Caiman Lizard
Marbled Headstander
Pictus Catfish
Striped Headstander
Southern Striped Rapheal
Whitebarred Catfish

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Electric Eel

Largish-sized wall aquarium and terrarium:
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
Giant River Turtle
Hilaire's Side-neck Turtle
Yellow Spotted River Turtle

Medium-sized wall aquarium and terrarium:
Green Anaconda
Red Bellied Piranha

Small-sized shallow open-top aquarium at base of simulated tree trunk:
Fish (multiple unsigned and unidentified)
Mata Mata

Long-sized shallow and narrow open-top aquarium in simulated rock stream:
Cardinal Tetra
Columbian Tetra
Gold Dust Molly
Jewel Tetra
Sailfin Molly
Southern Platy
Swordtail

Largish-sized shallow open-top aquarium with waterfall cascading into it:
Fish (unsigned and unidentified)
White-faced Whistling Duck (unsigned)

Medium-sized corner aquarium and terrarium in temple wall:
Plumed Basilisk

Largish-sized shallow open-top aquarium with serpent-like simulated stone front ledge: (was divided into two areas by gate but I will count as 1 exhibit)
Chocolate Cichlid
Fish (unsigned and unidentified)
Ripsaw Catfish
River Stingray

Small-sized wall aquarium in temple wall:
Bristlenose Plecostomus
Caecilian
Corydoras Catfish
Freshwater Angelfish
Silver Hatchetfish

3 small-sized wall terrariums in temple wall, containing 1 species in each:
Goliath Birdeater
Amazon Pinktoe
Giant Cave Cockroach

Largish-sized wall aquaium called 'River Giants', also viewed from above water surface later:
Arapaima
Arawana
Barred Sorubim
Black Pacu
Peacock Bass
Red Belly Pacu
Redtail Catfish

Second floor:
2 small-sized open-air perches, containing 1 species on each:
Blue & Gold Macaw
Scarlet Macaw

Medium-sized netted aviary:
Swainson's Toucan
Tortoise (unsigned and unidentified)

Small-sized wall terrarium:
Amazon Milk Frog
Amazon Tree Boa
Cane Toad
Smokey Jungle Frog
Twist-neck Turtle

Tiny-sized wall terrarium:
Greenbottle Blue Tarantula OR Pinktoe Tarantula (conflicting signs)

Small-sized wall terrarium near rope bridge:
Amazon Milk Frog

Small-sized wall terrarium near rope bridge:
Green and Black Dart Frog
Lemur Frog

Medium-sized wall terrarium near rope bridge:
Dyeing Dart Frog Azureus
Dyeing Dart Frog Cobalt
Dyeing Dart Frog Giant Orange
Golden Poison Arrow Frog - Mint
Golden Poison Arrow Frog - Yellow
Hourglass Treefrog
Mimic Poison Frog
Ranatomeya vanzolinii
Red-eyed Tree Frog
Yellow Banded Dart Frog
 
DISCOVER UTAH: (20 Exhibits)
These native exhibits are set along a mostly one-way route with various detailed theming from around the state.

Tiny-sized wall terrarium in simulated slot canyon:
Vinegaroon

Tiny-sized wall terrarium in simulated slot canyon:
Darkling Beetle
Death Feigning Beetles

Small-sized wall terrarium in simulated slot canyon:
Sonoran Mountain Kingsnake

Small-sized wall terrarium in simulated slot canyon:
Canyon Treefrog
Red-spotted Toad

Smallish-sized open-top yard sheltered by simulated cave overhang:
Desert Tortoise

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Desert Sucker
Speckled Dace
Virgin Spinedace
Virgin River Chub
Woundfin

Medium-sized wall aquarium, called 'Utah Game Fish':
Bluegill Sunfish
Large Mouth Bass
Northern Pike
Redear Sunfish
White Bass
White Sturgeon

Medium-sized wall aquarium, called 'Utah Native Fish':
Bonytail
Colorado Pikeminnow
Humpback Chub
Razorback Sucker

Smallish-sized open-top aquarium with waterfall, called 'Flaming Gorge Reservoir':
Brook Trout
Brown Trout
Burbot
Lake Trout
Splake
Tiger Trout

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Arctic Grayling
Cutthroat Trout
Mountain Whitefish

2 small-sized wall terrariums, containing 1 species in each:
Western Banded Gecko
Gopher Snake

Large-sized room exhibit behind glass with underwater viewing of pond and adjoining small-sized outdoor walled yard with second pond:
North American River Otter

Medium-sized wall aquarium? across from otters, boarded up:
Empty

Small-sized wall aquarium adjacent to otter exhibit:
Bear Lake Sculpin
Bonneville Cisco
Bonneville Whitefish
Utah Sucker

Small-sized wall aquarium and terrarium:
Columbia Spotted Frog

Medium-sized shallow open-top pond:
Fish? (did not see a sign or notice any inhabitants)

Medium-sized shallow open-top pond with narrow back ledge and log perches:
Bluegill Sunfish
Green Sunfish
Pumkinseed Sunfish
Wood Duck

Tiny-sized half-column aquarium:
Brine Shrimp

Small-sized wall terrarium:
Tiger Salamander
 
ANTARCTICA ADVENTURE: (2 Exhibits?)
These exhibits are entered on the first floor through a doorway in the bow of a simulated ship, modeled after the aquarium research vessel called 'Endurance'. A dark room with education exhibits leads to an underwater viewing window for the Gentoo Penguin Exhibit, before the visitor path ascends several ramps in a mural-filled hallway to the second floor's simulated research station for the above-water views of the penguins.

Closed-off small room in lower bow of simulated ship during my visit, with unknown number of jellies exhibits; their website lists their collection as having at least:
Pacific Sea Nettle Jellyfish

Largish-sized room behind glass with narrow rocky ledges and walls, deep pool, and underwater viewing from two levels:
Gentoo Penguin
 
OCEAN EXPLORER: (24 Exhibits)
These exhibits are mostly set in two adjoining large halls with spare theming outside of the exhibits; then a plain narrow hall with shark graphics leads to the final and largest exhibit.

Left side of first hall:
Medium-sized shallow open-top aquarium, tidepool theme: (screen sign was off)
Ray (unsigned and unidentified)
Sea Star (unsigned and unidentified)

Medium-sized wall aquarium set in simulated tidepool rockwork, called 'Kelp Forest': (partial list from backlit sign, screen sign was off)
Bat Ray
Buffalo Sculpin
Fish (multiple unsigned and unidentified species)
Horn Shark
Wolf Eel

Small-sized wall aquarium in dark cave passage:
Dwarf Cuttlefish

Medium-sized tall wall aquarium in dark cave passage:
Chambered Nautilus

Medium-sized wall aquarium in dark cave passage:
Aggregating Anemone
Giant Pacific Octopus
Plumed Anemone

Medium-sized wall aquarium across from Touchpool described later:
Blackspotted Puffer
Fimbriated Moray
Ornate Wobbegong
Red Lionfish
Silverspot Squirrel Fish
Tete Sea Catfish
Whitespotted Bamboo Shark
Zebra Moray

Right side of first hall:
Small-sized wall aquarium set in rocky outcrop on left:
Bat Star
Crescent Gunnel
Grunt Sculpin
Pacific Spiny Lumpsucker
Penpoint Gunnel
Purple Urchin
Saddleback Gunnel
Sailfin Sculpin

Small-sized wall aquarium set in rocky outcrop on right:
Bat Star
Graceful Rock Crab
Kellets Whelk
Long Armed Sea Star
Northern Kelp Crab
Ochre Sea Star

Medium-sized aquarium and terrarium with simulated mangrove roots:
Archerfish
Atlantic Mudskipper
Spotted Scat

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Blood Shrimp
Blue Tuxedo Urchin
Chocolate Sea Star (unsigned)
Emerald Crab
Lined Seahorse
Razorfish
Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
Tigertail Seahorse

Tiny-sized wall aquarium:
Caribbean Pipefish
Dwarf Seahorse

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Potbelly Seahorse

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Picasso Triggerfish
Raccoon Butterfly
Saddle Wrasse
Two-lined Monocle Bream
Valentin's Sharpnose Puffer
Yellowback Butterfly

Small-sized wall aquarium: (screen sign was off)
Fish (multiple unsigned and unidentified species)

Medium-sized wall aquarium:
Giant Clam

Touchpool hall:
Largish-sized shallow open-top touchpool with visitor access on 3 sides:
Fish (multiple unsigned and unidentified species)
Ray (unsigned and unidentified species)
Sea Star (unsigned and unidentified species)

Small-sized wall aquarium at far right, called 'Lionfish Invasion':
Fuzzy Dwarf Lionfish
Long-spined Sea Urchin
Sailfin Snapper
Snowflake Moray

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Blue Tuxedo Urchin
Bubbletip Anemone
Carpet Green Anemone
Clown Anemonefish
Hairy Mushroom Coral
Pink Anemonefish
Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp
Sebae Anemone
Yellow Clownfish
Yellowtail Anemone (fish)

Small-sized wall aquarium, called 'Invertebrates':
Banded Serpent Star
Banggai Cardinalfish
Black Longspine Urchin
Bumblebee Snail
Collector Urchin
Emerald Crab
Green Brittle Star
Murex Snail
Pincushion Urchin

Small-sized wall aquarium:
Garden Eel

Small-sized wall aquarium: (screen sign was off)
Chocalate Sea Star (unsigned)

Small-sized wall aquarium: (screen sign was off)
American Lobster (unsigned)

Small-sized wall aquarium on far left:
Slate Pencil Urchin
Zebra Mantis Shrimp

Large-sized wall aquarium with underwater viewing tunnel, stepped seating area with 2 large windows, and large window from private function room, called 'Sharks': (I made a major blunder by only photographing the home page of the touchscreen for species identification, which lists four categories: Sharks, Turtles, Fish, and Stingray)
Blacktip Reef Shark
Fish (multiple unidentified species by me)
Shark (several unidentified species by me)
Stingray (unidentified species by me)
Turtle (unidentified species by me)
Unicorn Tang
Whitetip Reef Shark
Zebra Shark
 
SUMMARY:

By my count, the total number of exhibits currently at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium is: 68

By my count, the total number of species in permanent exhibits is: 205 (their website's history page says they have 450 species of animals in total)
The number of species I counted can be broken down into the following categories:
Mammals: 1
Birds: 6
Reptiles: 16
Amphibians: 21
Fish: 116 (actual number is probably triple this)
Invertebrates: 45 (actual number is probably higher)
 
Another impressive thread! You know what I'm going to ask...what was your overall impression of the aquarium? Where would you rank it on your all-time list?
 
snowleopard, I enjoyed the aquarium more than I thought I would, I had the impression going in that it would be a slightly amateur-ish presentation and collection, wrapped in a fancy eye-catching freeway-friendly architectural package. Although I found the lobby to be rather clumsy, each of the exhibit zones were mostly entertaining and informative and well-detailed. The collection was also better than expected, with Ocean Explorer having a greater focus on invertebrates than many standard collections I have seen.

I rank it at #22 of the 50 aquarium facilities I have seen (remember that I include the aquarium part of zoos when they have a significant one, and those are often further down the list due to their smaller size: a good example would be those at Houston Zoo or San Antonio Zoo). I liked it slightly less than Shark Reef in Las Vegas, NV which is smaller and less comprehensive but has impressive theming. I liked it slightly better than Albuquerque Aquarium in Albuquerque, NM which for me is starting to become a distant memory of its merits.

I suspect that if I had seen the new Expedition Asia addition, my ranking might change to a slightly higher position.
 
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