The Pier has closed for good, the restaurants empty and all the equipment sold, but there are some residents that couldn’t make an escape without a little help. The 60 fish species and 200 invertebrates that made the old Pier Aquarium so interesting are gettin’ out while the gettin’s good. 

With the ultimate closing of the Pier, the Aquarium animals had to be moved. A group of the largest fish have been moved to a new location at the USF St. Pete University Center, where there is a 1,100 gallon tank. Other locations include the USF College of Marine Science, Madeira Beach Recreation Center and Suncoast Aquarium Supply. Eventually, some of these animals will be moved to Pinellas County’s new marine attraction, Secrets of the Sea Marine Exploration Center and Aquarium at John’s Pass in Madeira Beach, which will open in the fall of 2013.

Photo via Matthew Paulson 

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