As You Assumed, Life In A Fishbowl Is Stressful

The fish in the $750,000 tanks at the St. George Ferry Terminal are barely surviving in the stressful environment:

They’re the bright spot in the St. George Ferry Terminal, luring tourists and commuters alike to stop and admire their colorful beauty.

But brightness around the clock is exactly what’s killing off the fish in the two saltwater tanks in the terminal waiting room, as disturbed sleeping cycles stress the fish and make them more susceptible to disease.

“It’s like they’re driving with their brights on all day long,” said Wayde King, president of Acrylic Tank Manufacturing Inc., the Las Vegas-based company that installed the tanks.

Whether they were eaten by other fish or scooped out dead — or alive, removed from the tank and relocated after exhibiting aggression toward other fish — the population has dwindled to about 60 or 70 fish per tank, down from about 200 in each during the unveiling in February. The $750,000 tanks were funded through Borough President James Molinaro’s capital budget.

Curious kids and adults who bang on the tank walls also have disturbed the fish, who are unable to rest while being on display 24 hours a day in the busy transportation hub.

Furthermore, the constant light has caused a formidable algae bloom, leaving a brown film on the glass and the colorful coral inside.

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Meanwhile, nearly a dozen members of SIcoLab’s Federation For Ferry Fish Freedom, a group of artists and musicians, banded together to fight for the rights of the fish with a “Fish-In” yesterday morning in the waiting room.

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New railings are being considered to keep guests at a distance. And curtains are being designed to give the animals a restorative night cycle. “It darkens them up and lets them know it’s bedtime,” King said, adding the fish will be healthier if allowed a few hours of quiet.

And to tackle the algae, quarter-sized Turbo Snails will be introduced into the tank. “They’re like constant little scrubbers,” cleaning all the nooks and crannies of the tank and the coral reef inside, said Bob Kurtz, acting curator at the Staten Island Zoo, which will take over the maintenance of the tanks as planned in January.

Location Scout: St. George Ferry Terminal.