This weekend will be a big one in Corpus Christi. Between the Selena commemoration and the Blue Angels air show, one would hope to check out a little bit of the aquatic flora and fauna over at the Texas State Aquarium.
Well, visitors might be somewhat disappointed – fish at the aquarium are dying by the boatload. It’s an issue that has some aquarium lovers in shock. Rachel Clow is a photojournalist for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, and a frequent visitor of the aquarium. She says the loss for the aquarium is immense.
“It’s so many fish they can’t really estimate the total,” Clow says.
As the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reports, the damage to the aquarium is extensive, especially in the Lionfish, Islands of Steel and Flower Gardens exhibits.
It all started nearly a year ago, when the aquarium found out a parasite was circulating around in its tanks. But it wasn’t until medicine was added to those exhibits in order to combat the parasite that the fish began to die.
“Unfortunately after they introduced it into their system, they started to see fish dying,” Clow says.
Now, the residents of Corpus, who’ve grown familiar with the sea life at the aquarium, are beginning to witness the devastating loss.
“We’ve seen an outpouring of grief from the community,” Clow says. And right now, the aquarium is looking for what to do next.
