Inland Aquatics' primary mission is the conservation of our ocean resources. By constructing elaborate model ecosystems, we are not only able to properly care for and maintain delicate marine organisms, but study their behavior and reproductive strategies, and captively breed and propagate many of them. Captively bred animals are better adapted to life in an aquarium and reduce the need to collect specimens from the wild. In this way, we strive to ensure the safety of the great reefs of the world and promote an environmentally sound means of supplying organisms for the marine hobbyist, marine biologist, medical researcher and others.

Who We Are
Inland Aquatics is a locally owned and operated mariculture facility located in Terre Haute, Indiana. At Inland Aquatics, we have over 35,000 gallons of saltwater dedicated to the propagation, rearing, and holding of ornamental marine fish, hard and soft corals, live rock, live sand, and a variety of marine plants and invertebrates. We utilize Bio-concepts and the latest Eco-technology at our mariculture facility. These techniques allow us to not only simulate a coral reef ecosystem but also to manipulate the developed ecosystem which enhances our efforts at propagation of various species.

This technology was selected because of its efficiency in maintaining stable water quality parameters, reduced nitrate loads, and high dissolved oxygen levels. Inland Aquatics is located in a 13,000 square foot facility located on the banks of the Wabash River. Our facility is divided into a retail/wholesale store, sterile breeding/food stock laboratory, classroom, a workshop used to create new and adapt existing mariculture/aquarium hardware, and the field station used for breeding, propagation, and holding of our wildlife.


What We Have Been Doing
Inland Aquatics is still very early in its development. We continue to experiment with methods, techniques, and technologies to further our efforts in the propagation of marine life. We are confident that by carefully monitoring and evaluating our day-to-day process we can continue to build upon the successes we have already achieved. We have established viable methods for the asexual propagation of both hard and soft corals.

We are currently experimenting with different methods for grow out and are determining what our rates of growth may be from initial cutting to a properly developed specimen suitable for commercial distribution. We also utilize lunar light cycles coordinated with actual lunar events to induce sexual spawning of our brood stock corals. We have successfully propagated many varieties of marine plants and invertebrates including several types of macro algae, zooanthids, and anemones. We have also been able to develop both live rock and live sand in our closed systems.

We continue to be very encouraged by our abilities to spawn and rear many species of ornamental marine fish. Our efforts have resulted in the propagation of several clown species, three basslet species, neon gobies, dwarf seahorses, jawfish, and royal grammas. We hope to continue to experiment with various propagation techniques and to expand the tank raised varieties that we currently offer on a commercial level.


How We Support Ourselves
Inland Aquatics is supported in part by our sales in both retail and wholesale and also by our educational program. This, however, only finances a portion of this mariculture research facility. We are also funded by donations from our patrons and by the owner. We are confident that our facility will ultimately be a financially viable, self supporting operation. Our retail and wholesales continue to grow in equity with our reputation for providing top quality mariculture. Our educational programs also continue to grow. It has given some of our most positive and encouraging feedback and input. All income from our various efforts is directed back into our facility to support its ongoing mariculture projects.


What We Hope To Accomplish
We at Inland Aquatics are conservationists. We advocate the protection and use of our natural resources. Those with a conservation conscience recognize humanity's place within the global ecosystem. We must protect the environment if it is to continue. At the same time we realize that we must use the earth's resources. Balance is the key. We hope to reverse the wholesale depletion of our natural resources by providing viable tank raised alternatives to wild caught mariculture.

We feel it is imperative that the marine aquarium hobby remain environmentally friendly. We hope our efforts further this continued reality. Inland Aquatics would like to be a significant contributing factor in the conservation of our coral reefs. We will be involved in the ongoing education of our community regarding the importance of our aquatic ecosystems. We feel that there is no better way of doing this than to expose individuals to the beauty and wonder of life on a coral reef.