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Tropical Rainforest

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

What Will You Discover?

Stroll through this leafy refuge where you're sure to cross paths with unusual four-eyed fish, adorable axolotls, deadly poison dart frogs, and stingrays from the Amazon!

Arapaima Arapaima

Arapaima

One of the largest freshwater fish in the world, arapaima are obligate air breathers, meaning they need to surface to breathe every 10-20 minutes. They usually make a large surface disturbance when they breathe and frequently make a loud noise when they capture prey at the surface. When not on the move, they may be seen resting on the bottom among plants or drifting near the surface. When hunting, they can leap out of the water to capture prey from low-hanging tree branches!

Size

Up to 15 feet

Range

Amazon River basin

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, birds, reptiles, mammals

Did You Know?

Male arapaima stay with their offspring for three months, even communicating with them by exuding a special pheromone from their head. The pheromone makes the tiny fish stay close to their parents, where they can be protected from predators.

Yellow Lab Yellow Lab

Yellow Lab

The yellow lab belongs to a large group of fish in Lake Malawi called Mbuna, which means "rockfish" in the native language of the local Tonga tribe. As the name implies, these fish are found in groups among rock piles in the shallow edges of the lake. Yellow lab spawning is similar to that of many cichlid species; the male excavates a pit in the sand within his territory, wherein the female lays the eggs. The female then takes these eggs into her mouth for fertilization. This species is a maternal mouthbrooder, meaning the eggs are carried, hatched, and developed in the mother's mouth.

Size

Up to 4 inches

Range

Lake Malawi in East Africa

Diet

Insects, crustaceans, snails, algae

Did You Know?

Lake Malawi stretches 350 miles through Eastern Africa and is home to more than 500 cichlid species not found anywhere else. They evolved from a few species that likely entered the lake about 3 million years ago and now display very different behaviors and inhabit well-defined niches throughout the lake.

Orangespot River Stingray Orangespot River Stingray

Orangespot River Stingray

Orangespot river stingrays prefer calm waters with sandy substrate, particularly the edges of brooks, streams, and lagoons, where they are often found partially buried with just their eyes poking out. Stingrays have eyes positioned on the dorsal surface of the head and oriented in opposition to one another, giving a nearly 360° field of vision.

Conservation Status

Data Deficient

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, mollusks, insects, worms

Range

Amazon, Mearim, and Orinoco River Basins of South America

Did You Know?

The dorsal coloration is typically beige or brown, with numerous yellow-orange spots and dark rings. Its exact color and the arrangement and size of its spots can vary significantly, both from individual to individual and depending on location.

Peacock Bass Peacock Bass

Peacock Bass

Peacock bass are ambush hunters who prefer slightly calmer waters with plants, driftwood or rocky formations that they use for cover when lying in wait for prey. These fish have evolved perfectly for their environment with color patterns that enable them to blend into their surroundings. They also have long, sleek bodies and powerful fins, which they use to maintain ambush positions in flowing river waters.

Size

Up to 29 inches

Diet

Fish, insects, amphibians, crustaceans

Range

Marowijne and Essequibo drainages in the Guianas and Suriname

Did You Know?

In 1984, the Florida Fish and Game Commission introduced 10,000 peacock bass to the lakes and rivers of Miami-Dade County, in south Florida, which has successfully aided in managing and controlling invasive tilapia and oscar populations that once were a threat via overpopulation. They have also become one of the most popular sportfish in Florida, bringing millions of game fishermen to the area each year, spending about eight million dollars combined in resources and efforts.

Red-Bellied Pacu Red-Bellied Pacu

Red-Bellied Pacu

Red-bellied pacu are a shoaling fish whose behavior is dictated by seasonal variations in rainfall, preferring to live in shallow, slow-moving waters with plenty of vegetation.

Size

Up to 35 inches

Diet

Fruit, fish, insects

Range

Amazon and Orinoco River basins

Habitat

Flooded forests, streams, and rivers

Did You Know?

Juvenile red-bellied pacu display the typical red belly their name suggests and are often mistaken for their red-bellied relative, the piranha. However, as they grow older, the red fades and these fish become difficult to differentiate from their close relative, the black pacu.

Redtail Catfish Redtail Catfish

Redtail Catfish

The striking redtail catfish can be typically found waiting motionless in a sheltered spot all day, transforming into a voracious and active predator at night.

Size

Up to 70 inches

Habitat

Rivers, lakes, streams

Range

Amazon and Orinoco River basins

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, fruit, worms, insects

Did You Know?

The redtail catfish has three pairs of barbels, one large pair on its upper jaw and two small pairs on its lower jaw, which it uses to sense prey in the darkness.

Ripsaw Catfish Ripsaw Catfish

Ripsaw Catfish

Found throughout many of the major river systems of northern South America, the ripsaw catfish uses its downward-facing mouth to sift through the mud and rubble of the river bottom in search of edible morsels.

Habitat

Rivers

Size

Up to 39 inches

Diet

Crustaceans, insect larvae, detritus

Range

River systems of northern South America

Did You Know?

More than deserving of its name, the ripsaw catfish has an armory of razor-sharp thorns running down both sides of its body!

Silver Arowana Silver Arowana

Silver Arowana

Silver arowana are formidable predators, even able to leap from the water to capture prey in low-hanging branches. However, more commonly they slurp up floating insects using their drawbridge-like mouths.

Size

Up to 47 inches

Range

Amazon River basin

Habitat

Flooded forests, rivers

Diet

Fish, crustaceans, insects

Did You Know?

The silver arowana is a paternal mouthbrooder with the male holding the eggs, and later fry, in his mouth for around two months.

White-Blotched River Stingray White-Blotched River Stingray

White-Blotched River Stingray

Most active at night, the white-blotched river stingray can be found on sand banks in the shallows of major rivers and slow-moving tributaries with substrates of mud or sand. They will also move into areas of flooded forest during the annual wet season and can later be found in terrestrial lakes and ponds formed by the receding flood waters.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Diet

Crustaceans, worms, mollusks, fish

Range

Xingu River Basin in central Brazil

Did You Know?

Many ray species are ovoviviparous, meaning the female produces eggs that hatch inside her body; the pups then develop inside the mother and are fully formed when they are born. Baby stingrays are about three inches wide at birth.

Axolotl Axolotl

Axolotl

The word "axolotl" originates from the ancient Aztec language, translated to mean "water-dog", these endearing aquatic salamanders are characterized by three pairs of external gill stalks behind their head used to uptake oxygen from the water.

Conservation Status

Critically Endangered

Range

Lakes of Mexican Central Valley

Diet

Mollusks, fish, crustaceans, insects

Did You Know?

The enigmatic axolotl is an odd conservation story, as they are nearly extinct in the wild due to habitat destruction, and yet there may be a million or more in captivity, many of which are used in developmental research. Nearly all modern day captive axolotls can be traced back to just a handful of animals shipped from Mexico to France in 1864.

Dyeing Poison Dart Frog Dyeing Poison Dart Frog

Dyeing Poison Dart Frog

The dyeing poison dart frog prefers a dark, moist environment, living only near small streams among moss-covered rocks, typically on the ground but occasionally in trees. Their bright coloration serves as a warning to would-be predators of its poisonous properties. Their skin is covered with an array of glands that secrete alkaloid poisons capable of paralyzing or even killing predators.

Diet

Insects

Range

Suriname

Size

Up to 3 inches

Did You Know?

The pattern of spots is unique to each frog and thus serves as a "fingerprint" to differentiate between individuals.

Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog

Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog

The green and black poison dart frog is a shy species, usually found deep in the lowland rainforest interior. They move by a series of hops, stopping briefly and hopping again when disturbed. They are found on the forest floor near pools or streams, but they are also excellent climbers, with individuals climbing over 100 feet above the ground.

Diet

Insects

Size

Up to 2 inches

Range

Columbia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama

Did You Know?

In 1932, the green and black poison dart frog was introduced to Oahu, Hawaii, as a means for mosquito control and continues to thrive there.

Yellow Striped Poison Dart Frog Yellow Striped Poison Dart Frog

Yellow Striped Poison Dart Frog

The yellow striped poison dart frog is typically found amongst the leaf litter of lowland rainforest in Colombia, often around streams. As with many poison frog species, they lay their eggs in the leaf litter, and males transport the newly emerged tadpoles on their backs through the forest in search of temporary pools where the tadpoles will develop.

Diet

Insects

Range

Columbia

Size

Up to 1.5 inches

Did You Know?

These frogs eat ants that have high quantities of alkaloids in their tissues. The frogs then accumulate those alkaloids in their skin, which is what makes them poisonous. When kept in captivity and fed a diet of insects without alkaloids, the frogs will lose their toxicity.

Blackcheek Tonguefish Blackcheek Tonguefish

Blackcheek Tonguefish

Named for the black spot near its gill opening, the blackcheek tonguefish is a small, flat fish with a curved mouth and two small eyes on the left side of their body; it is commonly found resting eye-side up on soft sediment. Juveniles occur in shallow marshes and estuaries, with adults moving to deeper water as they grow, though typically less than 100 feet. Mature adults spawn inshore and move shore afterward.

Size

Up to 8 inches

Diet

Crustaceans, worms, mollusks

Range

Western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico

Did You Know?

The blackcheek tonguefish can tolerate a very wide range of water salinity, from 0 parts per thousand, which is freshwater, all the way to 43 parts per thousand! The average salinity in the ocean is 35 parts per thousand, so this fish is remarkably adaptable to varying environmental conditions.

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
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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!