National Aquarium in Baltimore National Aquarium Species List

[red river hog]

Hi everyone! I visited the National Aquarium yesterday and thought I'd make a species list. The aquarium has a lot of species and it's hard to keep track of them all, so feel free to correct any of my mistakes!

Large entrance tank:
Brook Trout, Rosyside Dace, Eastern Blacknose Dace

ANIMAL PLANET AUSTRALIA: WILD EXTREMES: This wonderful exhibit is the first guests will encounter. It's themed as an Australian river gorge and has lots of rare turtle species, some of which are the only outside of Australia.

Large mixed species reptile exhibit:
Plains Death Adder, Central Bearded Dragon, Shingleback, Northern Blue-tongued Skink, Spiny-tailed Monitor, Hosmer's Spiny-tailed Skink

Small terrarium under previous exhibit:
Three-lined Knob-tailed Gecko

Small tank:
Triops sp.

Large reptile exhibit:
Black-headed Python

Free-flight birds:
Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Common Emerald-Dove, Fawn-breasted Bowerbird, Laughing Kookaburra, Mulga Parrot, Pied Imperial-Pigeon, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Crested Pigeon, Scarlet-chested Parrot, Black-throated Finch, Wompoo Fruit Dove, Wonga Pigeon, Eastern Rosella, Masked Lapwing

Large tank with waterfall:
Blue Salmon-Catfish, Silver Cobbler, Barramundi, Kimberly Snake-necked Turtle, Mary River Turtle, Broad-shelled River Turtle, Irwin's Turtle

Smaller tank:
Northern Red-faced Turtle, Northern Yellow-faced Turtle, Banded Rainbowfish, Sharpnose Grunter, Macleay's Glassfish, Hyrtl's Catfish

Very large tank:
Toothless Catfish, Sooty Grunter, Spotted Scat, Gulf Saratoga, Long Tom, Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle, Red-faced Turtle, Saw-shelled Turtle

Tank with land area:
Freshwater Crocodile, Red-bellied Short-necked Turtle, Irwin's Turtle, Kimberley Snake-necked Turtle, Eastern Rainbowfish

Semi-aquatic tank:
Empire Gudgeon, Threadfin Rainbowfish, Water Python, Olive Python, Eastern Carpet Python, Australian Red-claw Crayfish

Small aviary among the cliffs:
The species in this aviary are constantly changing and every visit, something different is in there. Yesterday I saw:
Blue-faced Honeyeater

Semi-aquatic tank:
Merten's Water Monitor

Large tank:
Kimberly Snake-necked Turtle, Krefft's River Turtle, Pig-nosed Turtle, Common Archerfish, Australian Lungfish, Spangled Grunter, Butter Jew, Mouth Almighty

 

[red river hog]

BLACKTIP REEF: Blacktip Reef is a large open-topped reef. It's the cornerstone of the building, so there are many viewing areas.

Very large reef exhibit:
Silver Moonyfish, Emperor Angelfish, Orbicular Batfish, Highfin Snapper, Short-nosed Unicornfish, Zebra Shark, Orange-band Surgeonfish, Blacktip Reef Shark, Green Chromis, Giant Grouper, Regal Tang, Round Ribbontail Ray, Reticulate Whipray, Titan Triggerfish

 

[red river hog]

MARYLAND: MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA: This gallery is where you can find much of the aquarium's native collection.

Tank with small waterfall:
American Bullfrog, Wood Turtle, Rainbow Darter, Central Stoneroller, Tessellated Darter, Fantail Darter, Rosyside Dace, Northern Hogsucker, Greenside Darter, Swallowtail Shiner, Eastern Blacknose Dace

Seashore-themed tank:
Mummichog, Blue Crab, Skilletfish, Striped Blenny, Sheepshead Minnow, Banded Killifish, Naked Goby

Seashore-themed tank:
Northern Kingfish, White Mullet, Twospot Flounder, Northern Puffer, Lookdown, Striped Burrfish, Atlantic Spadefish

Large ocean tank:
Snowy Grouper, Clearnose Skate, Pinfish, Gag, Black Drum, Summer Flounder, Oyster Toadfish

 

[red river hog]

LIVING SEASHORE: Living Seashore is a beach-themed area with multiple touch tanks.

Small tank with many shells:
Long-wristed Hermit Crab, Thinstripe Hermit Crab, Gray Hermit Crab

Main touch tank:
Little Skate, Atlantic Horseshoe Crab, Knobbed Whelk, Atlantic Stingray, Clearnose Skate, Northern Moon Snail, Shark Eye, Chenneled Whelk

Cylindrical tank:
Planehead Filefish, Striped Burrfish, Orange Filefish, Northern Searobin, Gulf of Mexico Ocellated Flounder

Jelly touch tank:
Common Jellyfish

 

[red river hog]

SURVIVING THROUGH ADAPTATIONS: This is the aquarium's largest gallery. It highlights how different aquatic life have adapted to their environment.

Large river tank:
Shovelnose Sturgeon, Alligator Gar, Pallid Sturgeon, Shortnose Gar, Spotted Gar, Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle, Longnose Gar, Redear Sunfish

Rift Lake tank:
Lepidolamprologus hecqui, Lemon Cichlid, Blunthead Cichlid, Altolamprologus calvus, Cuckoo Catfish, Convict Julie

Eel tank:
Lemon Tetra, Electric Eel

Heavily planted tank:
Freshwater Butterflyfish, Black Ghost Knifefish, Congo Tetra, Krib, Blotched Upside-down Catfish, Golden Otocinclus

Rocky tank:
Elegant Coris, Arc-eye Hawkfish, Hawaiian Dascyllus

Large reef tank:
Urticina grebelyni, Ceratostoma foliatum, Purple Sea Urchin, Kelp Perch, Red Abalone, Giant Green Anemone, Green Sea Urchin, Giant Plumose Anemone, Shiner Perch, Penpoint Gunnel, California Sea Cucumber, Blackeye Goby, Grunt Sculpin, Fish-eating Anemone, Cribinopsis albopunctata

Rocky tank:
Giant Pacific Octopus, Purple Sea Star, Bat Star

Small tank:
Lined Seahorse

Small tank with land feature and plants:
Atlantic Mudskipper

Small tank:
Predaceous Diving Beetle sp.

Small rocky tank:
Fire Shrimp, Red Reef Hermit Crab

Small tank:
Banggai Cardinalfish, Lime Urchin

Small tank under renovation:
Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Rocky tank:
Barred Moray, Gulf Toadfish, Reef Stonefish, Dragon Moray

Tropical tank:
Red Grouper, Royal Gramma, Honeycomb Cowfish, Creole-Fish, Bluehead

Large reef tank:
Open Brain Coral, Tomato Clownfish, Azure Damsel, Yellow Tang, Saddle Butterflyfish, Green Chromis, Maroon Clownfish, Ocellaris Clownfish, Red Sea Sailfin Tang, Banggai Cardinalfish, Neon Damsel, Candy Cane Coral, Brittle Star, Bullseye Coral, Disc Coral, Blackeye Rabbitfish, Raccoon Butterflyfish, Peppermint Basslet, Yellowtail Clownfish, Sailfin Tang, Doubleband Surgeonfish, Pajama Cardinalfish, Nimble Spray Crab, Lime Urchin, Pacific Cleaner Shrimp, Octopus Coral

Smaller reef tank:
Powder Blue Tang, Harlequin Tuskfish, Purple Tang, Raccoon Butterflyfish, Cinnamon Clownfish, Threadfin Butterflyfish, Blueface Angelfish, Longnose Butterflyfish, Flame Angelfish, Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish

Large river tank:
Striped Bass, American Eel

Smaller reef tank:
Blackbar Soldierfish, Scyllarides nodifer, Reef Squirrelfish, Dusky Squirrelfish, Twospot Cardinalfish, Flamefish

Rocky tank:
Japanese Pineapplefish

Cave tank:
Cave Tetra

 

[red river hog]

NORTH ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC: This smaller gallery houses animals from colder regions.

Seabird exhibit:
Atlantic Puffin, Black Guillemot, Razorbill

Kelp forest tank:
Striped Surfperch, Rainbow Surfperch, Vermillion Rockfish, Blue Rockfish, California Moray, Purple Sea Star, Rock Wrasse, Yellowtail Rockfish, Senorita, Pile Perch, Black Rockfish, Flag Rockfish, Blacksmith, Painted Greenling, Quillback Rockfish, Pink Sea Star, Treefish, Horn Shark, Copper Rockfish, Bat Star, China Rockfish, Leather Star

Large reef tank:
Bladder Coral, Blue Linckia, Briareum asbestinum, Squarespot Anthias, Sinularia sp., Flame Hawkfish, Green Chromis, Powder Blue Tang, Cauliflower Coral, Sea Goldie, Acropora valida, Copperband Butterflyfish, Regal Tang, Whitecheek Surgeonfish, Kole Tang

 

[red river hog]

AMAZON RIVER FOREST: The Amazon River Forest is a nice series of four exhibits showcasing a variety of fish and reptile species.

Lush semi-aquatic exhibit:
Cotinga River Toadhead Turtle, Arrau Turtle, Banded Leporinus, Silver Arowana, Pirapitinga, Silver Prochilodus, Heros efasciatus, Tiger Shovelnose Catfish, Red-headed River Turtle, Big-headed Turtle, Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle, Big-headed Amazon River Turtle, Ripsaw Catfish, Pterogoplichthys gibbiceps, Pseudacanthicus sp., Amazon Sailfin Catfish, Xingu River Ray

Lush semi-aquatic exhibit:
Redhook Myelus, Silver Dollar, Raphael Catfish, Big-headed Amazon River Turtle, Redtail Catfish, Giant Talking Catfish, Smooth-fronted Caiman, Arrau Turtle, Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle, Rummy-nose Tetra, Royal Panaque, Colombian Tetra, Angelfish, Goldie Pleco

Smaller planted tank:
Angelfish, Rummy-nose Tetra, Corydoras sp., Cardinal Tetra, Blue Discus, Golden Pencilfish, Common Hatchetfish, Twig Catfish

Large mixed-species exhibit:
Splash-backed Poison Frog, Emerald Tree Boa, Giant Monkey Frog, Sabana Surinam Toad

Hollowed tree branch with viewing window inside previous exhibit:
Chilean Rose Tarantula

 

[red river hog]

UPLAND TROPICAL RAINFOREST: The Upland Tropical Rainforest is a large tropical rainforest with a variety of different species.

Free-roaming:
Golden Lion Tamarin, Phantasmal Poison Frog, Amazonian Motmot, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot, Boat-billed Heron, Golden Grosbeak, Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth, Paradise Tanager, Red-capped Cardinal, Scarlet Ibis, Scarlet Macaw, Screaming Piha, Silver-beaked Tanager, Sun Parakeet, Turquoise Tanager, White-tailed Trogon, Bay-headed Tanager, Green-and-gold Tanager, Sunbittern, Smooth-sided Toad

Perch:
Yellow-headed Amazon

Tank with waterfall:
Bucktooth Tetra, Marbled Headstander, Red-bellied Piranha

Very small yard:
Yellow-footed Tortoise, Central American Wood Turtle

Hollowed tree branch with viewing window:
Tarantula (unspecified)

Pool with waterfall:
Hilaire's Toadhead Turtle

 

[red river hog]

HIDDEN LIFE: Hidden Life is a small room filled with many different amphibian species. National Aquarium has one of the largest poison frog collections in the United States and the second largest breeding group of Panamanian Golden Frogs in the world IIRC.

Lush exhibit:
Panamanian Golden Frog

Lush exhibit:
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog, Yellow-banded Poison Dart Frog

Lush exhibit:
Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog

Lush exhibit:
Mission Golden-eyed Tree Frog, Dyeing Poison Dart Frog

Lush exhibit:
Yellow-striped Poison Frog, Black-legged Poison Frog, Golden Poison Frog, Harlequin Poison Frog

Lush exhibit:
Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog, Lovely Poison Frog, Strawberry Poison Frog

Lush exhibit:
Anthony's Poison Arrow Frog, Yellow-banded Poison Dart Frog, Mimic Poison Frog, Mourning Gecko

 

[red river hog]

ATLANTIC CORAL REEF: The Atlantic Coral Reef is a two-story tall, O-shaped tank. The shape of the tank literally puts visitors inside the tank.

Two-story, O-shaped reef tank:
Blue Blanquillo, Lookdown, Barred Hamlet, Blue Hamlet, Epinephelus ascensionis, Scamp Grouper, Graysby, Stoplight Parrotfish, Atlantic Spadefish, Bluehead, Creole Wrasse, High-Hat, Jack-Knifefish, Spotted Drum, Dusky Squirrelfish, Longspine Squirrelfish, Bar Jack, White-spotted Filefish, Mahogany Snapper, Saucereye Porgy, Hogfish, Spanish Hogfish, Cownose Ray, Southern Stingray, Bonnethead Shark, Queen Triggerfish, Sargassum Triggerfish, Black Triggerfish, Foureye Butterflyfish, Spotfin Butterflyfish, Spotfin Porcupinefish, Queen Angelfish, Bermuda Blue Angelfish, Gray Angelfish, French Angelfish, Atlantic Spadefish, Sergeant Major, Brown Chromis, Green Moray, Doctorfish, Ocean Surgeon, Atlantic Blue Tang, Smallmouth Grunt, French Grunt, Porkfish, Creole-Fish

 

[red river hog]

SHARK ALLEY: Situated directly below Atlantic Coral Reef, Shark Alley has a nearly identical design, but this time three stories high. There is also a viewing window from Blacktip Reef.

Three-story, O-shaped tank:
Largetooth Sawfish, Sandbar Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Crevalle Jack, Nurse Shark

 

[red river hog]

DOLPHIN DISCOVERY: Dolphin Discovery is National Aquarium's oceanarium for their pod of 6 dolphins.

Large cetacean show pool:
Common Bottlenose Dolphin

 

[red river hog]

JELLIES INVASION: Jellies Invasion is an Sci-Fi invasion themed room with the aquarium's jelly collection.

Jelly tank:
Pacific Sea Nettle

Cylindrical jelly tank:
Spotted Jelly

Jelly tank:
Jelly Blubber

Cylindrical jelly tank:
Upside-Down Jellyfish

Cylindrical jelly tank:
Common Jellyfish

Jelly tank:
Japanese Sea Nettle

Jelly tank:
Bay Nettle

Jelly tank:
Flower Hat Jelly

Jelly tank:
Lion's Mane Jellyfish

And that sums up the National Aquarium species list!

 

[geomorph]

Thank you so much for taking the time and detail to post this, it brings back memories of my visit there in 2008! I don’t remember the number of species being so impressive in the Upland Tropical Forest free-flight area!

 

[red river hog]

Thank you so much for taking the time and detail to post this, it brings back memories of my visit there in 2008! I don’t remember the number of species being so impressive in the Upland Tropical Forest free-flight area!

You’re welcome Definitely a tedious task for such a large collection! I believe some of the species in the Upland Tropical Rainforest are fairly new and I may have even missed a few!

 

[biggiesmalls]

Thank you for the list! This is my favorite aquarium in the country by far, the sheer variety and the overall quality of exhibits is insane. Blacktip Reef has many more species in it than what they have listed, it's at least 70. I've tried to get a list from curators and people affiliated with the aquarium, but no luck so far

 

[red river hog]

Thank you for the list! This is my favorite aquarium in the country by far, the sheer variety and the overall quality of exhibits is insane. Blacktip Reef has many more species in it than what they have listed, it's at least 70. I've tried to get a list from curators and people affiliated with the aquarium, but no luck so far

Your welcome! I agree, the National Aquarium is my favorite aquarium in the US, as well. I really like that the aquarium isn't just diverse in fish, but also birds, reptiles (especially turtles), and amphibians. I did think I saw other species in Blacktip Reef, but I was unsure of the species.

 

[red river hog]

UPLAND TROPICAL RAINFOREST: The Upland Tropical Rainforest is a large tropical rainforest with a variety of different species.

Free-roaming:
Golden Lion Tamarin, Phantasmal Poison Frog, Amazonian Motmot, Blue-and-yellow Macaw, Blue-headed Parrot, Boat-billed Heron, Golden Grosbeak, Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth, Paradise Tanager, Red-capped Cardinal, Scarlet Ibis, Scarlet Macaw, Screaming Piha, Silver-beaked Tanager, Sun Parakeet, Turquoise Tanager, White-tailed Trogon, Bay-headed Tanager, Green-and-gold Tanager, Sunbittern, Smooth-sided Toad

Perch:
Yellow-headed Amazon

Tank with waterfall:
Bucktooth Tetra, Marbled Headstander, Red-bellied Piranha

Very small yard:
Yellow-footed Tortoise, Central American Wood Turtle

Hollowed tree branch with viewing window:
Tarantula (unspecified)

Pool with waterfall:
Hilaire's Toadhead Turtle

Note that I also saw a Crested Oropendola free flying in the Upland Tropical Rainforest.

 

[TinoPup]

The signs at the bottom of blacktip reef have a few more species, like wobbegong; you can also see a lot of the bottom dwellers down there.

 

[NAIB Volunteer]

I have received a number of inquires about an updated species list over the last several months and have provided a 2023 update broken down by building and exhibit. These lists continually change and I only listed species which are exhibited and viewable to the public. I also wanted to provided that update here in this thread that @red river hog created which was an excellent 2021 species list.

Please feel free to make any corrections regarding the scientific naming. I copied most of these from a spreadsheet and so many may not have transferred over correctly. Also note that due to the copy/paste feature here, the scientific name is not being properly transcribed and I did not think it worth to italicize or underline each species here in the thread. So each species is represented by Family; Genus; Species; Common name

Glass Pavilion

Maryland Waterfall - Glass Pavilion
Salmonidae Salvelinus fontinalis Brook trout

Australia: Wild Extremes - Glass Pavilion
Birds
Alcedinidae Dacelo novaeguineae Laughing kookaburra

Cacatuidae Nymphicus hollandicus Cockatiel

Charadriidae Vanellus miles Masked lapwing

Columbidae Ducula bicolor Pied imperial pigeon

Meliphagidae Entomyzon cyanotis Blue-faced honeyeater

Psittaculidae Melopsittacus undulatus Budgerigar
Psittaculidae Platycercus eximius Eastern rosella
Psittaculidae Psephotus varius Mulga parrot
Psittaculidae Trichoglossus haematodus Coconut lorikeet
Psittaculidae Trichoglossus moluccanus Swainson’s lorikeet

Ptilonorhynchidae Chlamydera cerviniventris Fawn-breasted bowerbird

Fishes
Ariidae Neoarius graeffei Blue salmon catfish
Ariidae Neoarius midgleyi Silver cobbler catfish

Ambassidae Ambassis macleayi Macleay's glassfish

Apogonidae Glossamia aprion Mouth almighty

Ariidae Neosilurus hyrtlii Hyrtl's tandan catfish
Ariidae Neosilurus ater Black tandan catfish

Belonidae Strongylura krefftill Long tom

Latidae Lates calcarifer Barramundi

Melanotaeniidae Iriatherina werneri Threadfin rainbowfish
Melanotaeniidae Melanotaenia australis Western rainbowfish
Melanotaeniidae Melanotaenia s. splendida Eastern rainbowfish
Melanotaeniidae Melanotaenia trifasciata Banded rainbowfish

Neoceratodontidae Neoceratodus forsteri Australian lungfish

Osteoglossidae Scleropages jardinii Gulf saratoga

Plotosidae Anodontiglanis dahli Toothless catfish

Scatophagidae Scatophagus argus Spotted scat

Terapontidae Hephaestus fuliginosus Sooty grunter
Terapontidae Syncomistes butleri Butler’s grunter

Toxitidae Toxotes chatareus Spotfin archerfish
Toxitidae Toxotes jaculatrix Banded archerfish

Invertebrates
Parastacidae Cherax quadricarinatus Australian red-claw crayfish

Reptiles
Carettochelyidae Carettochelys insculpta Pig-nosed turtle

Carphodactylidae Nephrurus amyae Knobtail gecko

Chelidae Chelodina walloyarrina Kimberly snake-necked turtle
Chelidae Chelodina kurrichalpongo Darwin snake-necked turtle
Chelidae Chelodina expansa Broad-shelled turtle
Chelidae Elseya albagula Southern snapping turtle
Chelidae Elseya dentata Northern Australian snapping turtle
Chelidae Elseya irwini Irwin's turtle
Chelidae Emydura victoriae Northern red-faced turtle
Chelidae Emydura tanybaraga Northern yellow-faced turtle
Chelidae Emydura subglobosa Red-bellied short-necked turtle
Chelidae Elusor macrurus Mary river turtle
Chelidae Myuchelys latisternum Saw-shelled snapping turtle

Crocodylidae Crocodylus johnstoni Johnston’s freshwater crocodile

Elapidae Acanthophis hawkei Plains death adder

Pythonidae Aspidites melanocephalus Black-headed python
Pythonidae Liasis fuscus Water python
Pythonidae Morelia s. mcdowelli Eastern carpet python

Scincidae Egernia hosmeri Hosmer's skink
Scincidae Tiliqua rugosa Shingleback skink

Varanidae Varanus acanthurus Spiny-tailed monitor
Varanidae Varanus mertensi Mertens’ water monitor