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.
