Ten Renowned Aquariums in India

Indulge in an underwater adventure with India’s most renowned aquariums which can be a veritable treasure trove for all marine life enthusiasts. The aquariums in India is not only a extensive collection of marine life species , but a forum of conservation and awareness program where dissemination of the need of conserving our aquatic marine life is imparted to the mass audience. Indian aquariums are also a home to marine species congregate from several parts of the world.

Following are the top ten renowned aquariums in India

• Taraporewala Aquarium, Mumbai

Situated very close to Marine Drive, Taraporewala Aquarium was built in 1951 and maintained by the the Maharashtra State Government, India. The aquarium houses extensive variety of fresh and marine water fishes including several varieties of coral fishes from the Lakshadweep Islands, deadly Piranhas and huge sea turtles. Photography is strictly prohibited here and the aquarium remains closed on Mondays.

• Zoo Aquarium, Nandankanan

The Aquarium at the Nandankanan Zoological Park is considered to be the largest Zoo aquarium in India. It comprises eleven fresh water and four marine aquariums. The objective of the zoo aquarium is to disseminate the need of conservation of the aquatic ecosystem. A huge variety of fresh and marine water species is found here to create awareness. For the hassle free operation the aquarium is equipped with in-situ filtration and recycling mechanism.

• Marine Aquarium, Digha

Under the aegis of Marine Aquarium & Research Center, The Marine Aquarium is located on the Foreshore Road in Digha, West Bengal. This state-of-the-art Aquarium is equipped with advanced sea water circulation system and filtration unit. The species in the aquarium are categorized into three divisions – species those are important in terms of conservation, fresh water species and the local marine species.

• Sea World Aquarium, Ramanathapuram District

Just opposite the Rameswaram Bus Stand, you can catch a quick glimpse of an extensive variety of underwater creatures in their near natural habitat in the ‘Sea World Aquarium’, the only one of its kind in the state. The aquarium is filled with varied marine life including exotic species such as Octopus, Parrot fish, Snake fish, Sea lizard, Sea squid, Lion fish, Cow fish, Fire fish, Rabbit fish, Butter fish, Clown fish, Crabs, Lobsters, Sea Lotus, Prawns, Star Fishes, Beach Tamet, Sea Horses and Sharks. This is quite an eye-opener for young tourists & kids and marine life lovers.

• The Aquarium, Portblair

The aquarium or fisheries museum, near the Andaman Water Sports Complex, is a must watch spot while on a tour to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The aquarium exhibits more than 350 marine species along with rare varieties of coral. The aquarium exhibits here marine species that are peculiar to the islands and those found in the Indo-Pacific and Bay of Bengal. The aquarium is closed on Mondays and holidays.

• Aquarium Bagh- e-Bahu, Jammu

Designated as the India’s largest underground aquarium, the aquarium at Jammu`s Bagh-e-Bahu amazes both domestic and foreign tourists. Opened with the objective of disseminating awareness about the marine life, the aquarium-cum-awareness centre has 24 aquarium caves including 13 small caves that houses freshwater species, 2 large caves that has marine water fishes and 9 aquariums of medium size for marine as well as fresh water fishes. The aquarium exhibits 400 varieties of marine and fresh water fish.

• Government Aquarium, Bangalore

Located on the busy MG Road stretch in the heart of Bangalore, the Government Aquarium is run by the department of Fisheries. The aquarium was opened in 1983 and houses 70 varieties of fishes including exotic varieties like Striped Loach, Kissing Gouramy, Buenous-Aires Tetra, Serpant Treta and many more that are brought here south America and Japan. The aquarium remains closed on Mondays.

• Marine Aquarium and Museum, Ratnagiri

Marine Aquarium and Museum was established in 1985 by the Marine Biological Research Station of Ratnagiri. Located on the Ratnagiri – Bhagwati Mandir Road, next to Mandavi Beach, the aquarium is a home to both fresh water and marine water species. Adjoining the aquarium there lies an unique fisheries museum exhibiting important specimens inside the premises of Marine Biological Research Station.

• Datda Sea World, Mount Abu

Datda Sea World in Mount Abu, lone hill resort of Rajasthan amazes its visitors with the wide collection of fishes and sea shells. Recognized as the largest Aquarium in India, Datda Sea World comprises more than 100 small aquariums. The aquarium has a wide variety of fishes imported from Netherlands, Singapore, US, Kenya, Pakistan and many other countries. It has become a hot spot for visitors in Mount Abu.

• Marine Aquarium, Chennai

Located on the Santhome High Road in Chennai, The Marine Aquarium is housed at the Marine Biological Station within the grounds of Zoological Survey of India. Laid-out in a Singapore-style, the aquarium is fully air conditioned with a very nice light arrangement. It houses 18 glass fronted tanks with a myriad collection of marine animals..