Long Island Aquarium’s Shipwreck/Artificial Reef Habitat features a variety of fish frequently found on, or around, shipwrecks, including grouper, angelfish, and more.
Shipwrecks provide a hospitable environment for a variety of marine life. The walls, rooms, and compartments of a sunken ship provide protection against currents, light, and predators, allowing fish to thrive. At the same time, they offer hiding places for fish looking to ambush prey.
Shipwrecks and artificial reefs are the staging grounds for new environments to form. In the open ocean finding a place to hide from predators is of the up most importance. As the ship stays under water algae, barnacles and other stationary organisms grow on the hull of the ship. Many of these organisms are photoautotrophs. These organisms produce their own food through sunlight or by filter feeding. This brings herbivores and algae grazers Like tangs and butterfly fish to feed on the growing organisms while also taking shelter within parts of the wreck. Carnivorous fish fill out the next level these group makes up the Groupers, barracuda and other predator fish. The largest top predators being sharks, would usually be the last to patrol the waters around these shipwrecks. These 4 main trophic levels create the food cycle that helps keep our oceans healthy.
