TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — The Tarpon Springs Aquarium will be moving in the next few months from the Sponge Docks, where it has operated for nearly three decades, to a much larger new facility that’s less than two miles away.
- Tarpon Springs Aquarium moving to new location
- Aquarium moving from sponge docks to Pinellas Ave
- New facility three times larger, allowing for new amenities
- Tarpon Spings Aquarium
"The aquarium was built my father and grandfather in 1990," said co-owner Paige Konger. "So, we've been here for 29 years and we are ready for an upgrade."
Paige said the new aquarium, located at 1722 N. Pinellas Avenue in Tarpon Springs, will be three times bigger than their current facility. It’ll feature two large open air tanks, that hold 120,000 gallons of saltwater each, along with a deck viewing area from above.
"On top of that deck area, we eventually want to let people snorkel in the tanks," said co-owner Grant Konger. "We're also going to have where people can get food to feed the fish.
"Some of our larger fish, such as the Tarpon for example… (will) jump up right out of the water and they’ll grab the food right out of the air. Which is really awesome."
The original Aquarium opened in 1990. (Josh Rojas, staff)
The aquarium also has a Goliath grouper, a variety of sharks and an assortment of other fish found in the Gulf of Mexico.
The brother and sister said their Dad, Scott Konger, has been pouring his life savings into the new aquarium. The Konger family said over the past two years they’ve done most the construction themselves, on what has become a labor of love.
"This is basically my Dad’s life project," said Grant. "We pretty much built it. It’s been our sweat and all that going into it and so we’re pretty proud of it."
The new aquarium will also have a gift shop, many more parking spaces, along with outdoor touch tanks for turtles, crabs, sea urchins, and stingrays. There will also be new exhibits for their large gator, baby gators that visitors can feed, Burmese Python and Alligator snapping turtle.
The new location will feature two large open air tanks, that hold 120,000 gallons of saltwater each, along with a deck viewing area from above. (Josh Rojas, staff)
"All of our animals are starting to outgrow their enclosures," said Paige. "We’ve purchased 27-acres. So, we’ll have lots of room to expand."
The aquarium also takes in rescue animals. The Konger family owns the new aquarium, they’ve been renting space at their current location. Paige said construction is 75-percent complete and they hope to move in by the end of May.
"It’s finishing touches," she said. "Getting the glass in place."
Until the big moving day arrives, the Tarpon Springs Aquarium will continue operating on the Sponge Docks, located at 850 Dodecanese Blvd., and will offer 40-percent off coupons to visitors for the new aquarium.
"It’s kind of like our old place on steroids," said Grant. "It’s going to be unbelievable."
Admission costs $7.75 for adults, $5.75 for seniors and $7 for children.