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Shark Lagoon

Dive with creatures of the deep as you explore Ripley's reef via a moving glidepath, coming face-to-face with sharks, sawfish, and green sea turtles!

What Will You Discover?

Travel underwater and feel like you're swimming right alongside thousands of fish spanning every shape and size — including long and winding green moray eels, always-hungry giant tarpons, green sea turtles, and some seriously large sharks!

Atlantic Nurse Shark Atlantic Nurse Shark

Atlantic Nurse Shark

The nurse shark is a nocturnal hunter that rests on sandy bottoms or in caves and rock crevices during the day, generally found around coral reefs, grass flats or mangrove islands. They typically return to the same resting places day after day.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Diet

Fish, mollusks, crustaceans

Range

Tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean

Did You Know?

Nurse sharks are suction feeders capable of generating suction forces that are among the highest recorded for any aquatic vertebrate to date.

Atlantic Spadefish Atlantic Spadefish

Atlantic Spadefish

Atlantic spadefish are found schooling near coastal reefs, wrecks, mangroves and pilings, which helps protect them from predators. If upright on their tail, their overall body shape reflects the spade found within a typical deck of playing cards, thus the common name spadefish.

Size

Up to 36 inches

Diet

Crustaceans, mollusks, worms, plankton

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Juveniles will mimic the look and behavior of a dead leaf, drifting in shallow water to fool predators.

Atlantic Tarpon Atlantic Tarpon

Atlantic Tarpon

Atlantic tarpon are often found near coral reefs but also live in bays and mangrove lagoons, sometimes traveling up rivers into freshwater. Tarpon can actually breathe air by gulping from the surface; the air enters their swim bladder, which acts as a primitive lung, allowing them to tolerate low oxygen environments.

Size

Up to 98 inches

Diet

Fish, crustaceans

Range

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Tarpon are one of the oldest living fishes, with fossils dating back over 130 million years.

Bar Jack Bar Jack

Bar Jack

The bar jack is highly mobile and is usually found cruising in shallow waters above or adjacent to coral reefs.

Habitat

Coral reefs

Size

Up to 29 inches

Diet

Fish, crustaceans

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

The bar jack is most easily distinguished by a black stripe which runs along the back and down the lower lobe of the tail, often accompanied by a blue stripe immediately below it.

Bermuda Chub Bermuda Chub

Bermuda Chub

The Bermuda chub forms large schools on shallow reefs, often feeding on plankton near the surface. It also occurs over algal reefs, seagrass beds, and reef flats. Juveniles, which often shelter among floating Sargassum seaweeds, can disperse across vast distances.

Size

Up to 30 inches

Range

Worldwide in tropical waters

Diet

Algae, crustaceans, mollusks, plankton

Did You Know?

Bermuda chub have been documented to feed on the feces and vomit of spinner dolphins in the southeast Atlantic. They're not picky eaters to say the least.

Blacktip Reef Shark Blacktip Reef Shark

Blacktip Reef Shark

The blacktip reef shark prefers shallow water coral reefs occupying a small home range where they spend most of their time. They are typically seen swimming back and forth along reef ledges, making occasional short forays onto sandy flats.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Range

Indo-Pacific region

Diet

Fish, cephalopods, crustaceans

Did You Know?

As an apex predator of the coral reef environment, the blacktip reef shark plays a vital ecological role by maintaining a healthy balance on the reef.

Blue Runner Blue Runner

Blue Runner

Blue runner can be found inshore around coral reefs or under floating seaweed as juveniles, then moving shore to lead largely pelagic lives as adults.

Size

Up to 20 inches

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, zooplankton

Habitat

Coral reefs, wrecks, open water

Range

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Named for their iridescent blue and green colors, which can change depending on the light and their surroundings.

Blue Tang Blue Tang

Blue Tang

The beautiful blue tang may be found alone, protecting and tending a small reef territory, or in peaceful groups, foraging the reef for algae.

Habitat

Coral reefs

Diet

Algae, plankton

Size

Up to 15 inches

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Juvenile blue tang are actually yellow, slowly changing to blue as they grow. When viewed under ultraviolet light, they actually appear neon green due to a process called biofluorescence, which may be used to signal members of their own species.

French Grunt French Grunt

French Grunt

French grunts form large schools that can number thousands and can be found over rocky substrates, coral reefs, or under ledges. Adults are nocturnal feeders, often leaving their daytime habitat where they separate from their schools, moving to nearby seagrass beds and mangrove areas to forage.

Size

Up to 12 inches

Diet

Crustaceans, worms, mollusks

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Their name ‘grunt’ comes from the noise they make by grinding their teeth together.

Green Moray Green Moray

Green Moray

During the day, the green moray can often be found poking out of a rock cave on a coral reef, preferring to hunt at night. Though the gaping teeth-filled mouth of this fish may seem intimidating to a scuba diver, they are actually just pumping water across their gills, essentially the act of breathing.

Size

Up to 98 inches

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, cephalopods

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

Although they appear green, moray eels have brownish or grey skin covered with a layer of yellow mucus, which results in their green appearance.

Green Turtle Green Turtle

Green Turtle

The green turtle is commonly found near the coastline, living in bays and protected shores, especially in areas with seagrass beds and coral reefs. Juveniles are carnivorous, often eating worms, crustaceans and aquatic insects, while adults are essentially herbivorous.

Conservation Status

Endangered

Diet

Algae, seagrass

Range

Worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters

Did You Know?

Juveniles are known to spend several years drifting in the open ocean as they grow and mature. Once matured, they will return to the beach where they were born to mate.

Laced Moray Laced Moray

Laced Moray

One of the two largest Indo-Pacific morays, the laced moray can often be found in holes with cleaner wrasses or shrimps during the day. At night, this fish uses its serpentine body to weave in and out of crevices in the reef, searching for hiding prey.

Size

Up to 118 inches

Diet

Fish, cephalopods

Range

Indo-Pacific region

Did You Know?

The interesting black spots on these animals will vary in size and shape depending on the individual and their location. Lace morays living in clear coral reef environments may have fewer spots than those in more turbid environments.

Largetooth Sawfish Largetooth Sawfish

Largetooth Sawfish

The largetooth sawfish is one of five species of sawfishes. Although sawfishes have shark-like bodies, they are actually a type of ray. They are named after their "saws" (rostra)—long, flat snouts edged with teeth. The largetooth sawfish has the largest historical range of all sawfish species, but its populations have dramatically declined worldwide.

Size

Up to 23 feet

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

Diet

Fish, molluscs and crustaceans

Range

Circumglobal in tropical and subtropical waters, including estuaries and rivers

Did You Know?

Their rostra contain electro-sensory organs, which can sense the weak amount of electricity produced by other animals. These organs help sawfish identify when prey is nearby.

Ocean Surgeon Ocean Surgeon

Ocean Surgeon

Ocean surgeonfish can usually be found in groups picking algae on the reef. They are often confused with doctorfish, but, unlike doctorfish, ocean surgeonfish have 10-12 vertical bars on their sides.

Diet

Algae

Habitat

Coral reefs

Size

Up to 14 inches

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

These fish have a gizzard-like organ in their intestines that contains hard, abrasive particles, such as sand and coral debris. These particles help to grind up the tough algae that the surgeonfish eat.

Red Drum Red Drum

Red Drum

The red drum is often found in coastal waters above seagrass and muddy or sandy bottom areas, migrating between inshore and shore waters with the tides. During the spawning season, male red drum will aggregate in large groups and produce a drumming sound with their swim bladder to attract females.

Size

Up to 61 inches

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, mollusks

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico

Did You Know?

The most distinguishing mark on the red drum is one large black spot on the upper part of the tail. Found on many different fish species, this marking is called a false eye-spot which may fool predators into attacking the tail rather than the head, allowing the fish to escape.

Sand Tiger Shark Sand Tiger Shark

Sand Tiger Shark

The sand tiger shark can be found at all levels in the water column. Where food is plentiful, these sharks may aggregate in groups 80 or more strong!

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, squid

Range

Worldwide in temperate waters; absent from eastern Pacific Ocean

Did You Know?

Sand tiger sharks are the only sharks known to maintain neutral buoyancy by gulping air at the water's surface and holding it in their stomach. This allows them to hover motionless in the water.

Sandbar Shark Sandbar Shark

Sandbar Shark

Sandbar sharks are a bottom-dwelling, shallow coastal water species seldom seen at the water’s surface. The species is considered highly migratory, moving to warmer waters during winter.

Conservation Status

Endangered

Habitat

Shallow coastal waters

Diet

Fish, mollusks, crustaceans

Range

Worldwide in tropical and temperate waters

Did You Know?

Like many shark species, sandbar shark reproduction is defined by small litter size, slow growth rate, and a relatively long gestation period. These factors coupled with ever increasing recreational and commercial fishing pressure have resulted in a steep decline in sandbar shark populations.

Sergeant Major Sergeant Major

Sergeant Major

The sergeant major is commonly observed forming large feeding aggregations of up to a few hundred individuals.

Size

Up to 9 inches

Habitat

Coral reefs, seagrass beds

Diet

Zooplankton, algae, crustaceans, fish

Range

Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea

Did You Know?

After a courtship ritual, the male sergeant major will build a nest which he will fiercely defend against all intruders, even scuba divers that get too close!

What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby

What's Inside

Exhibits Nearby

Ocean Realm

Be amazed by life under the sea and mesmerized by schooling fish, camouflaged flounders, and much more!

Meet the Species
  • Ocean Realm

    Ocean Realm

    Be amazed by life under the sea and mesmerized by schooling fish, camouflaged flounders, and much more!

    Meet the Species
  • Shark Lagoon

    Shark Lagoon

    Dive with creatures of the deep as you explore Ripley's reef via a moving glidepath, coming face-to-face with sharks, sawfish, and green sea turtles!

    Meet the Species
  • Touch A-Ray Bay

    Touch A-Ray Bay

    Make a new friend and reach out to a ray as they glide through this tropical lagoon.

    Meet the Species
  • Tropical Rainforest

    Tropical Rainforest

    Step into one of the oldest living ecosystems on the planet to discover poison dart frogs, arapaima, piranhas, and more!

    Meet the Species
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Swirling Pinstripe backdrop

Woah! The Aquarium sounds like alotl fun! But what are you doing all the way down here with the axolotls – some of the most secretive salamanders in the world?!

Did you know the Great Smoky Mountains are considered the Salamander Capital of the World? Salamanders are abundant in the Smokies and outnumber human visitors on even the park’s busiest days!