In the middle of December, the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium exploded in Berlin. But what has become of the tropical fish that inhabited it?

Minority of Berlin AquaDom fish rehomed

A small number of the fish from Berlin’s former AquaDom have now been rehomed. The AquaDom, the world’s largest cylindrical aquarium, which sat in the lobby of the Radisson Blu hotel in the German city, exploded unexpectedly in the early morning of December 16, 2022.

The destruction of the 16-metre-high aquarium left two people with minor injuries and killed almost all of the aquarium’s 1.500 tropical fish. Three weeks after the event, almost 200 of the aquarium’s surviving fish are living in Berlin Zoo, a spokesperson has shared with rbb. Sadly, seven of the surviving fish were dead upon arrival at the zoo or died from their injuries shortly afterwards.

The AquaDom was originally opened in 2004 and housed 1.500 fish of over 100 different species. When it exploded, one million litres of water which filled the gigantic cylinder also spilt onto the surrounding street of Berlin-Mitte.

It is uncertain how long the group of now homeless fish, which is made up of tilapia, surgeon fish and batfish, will remain at the zoo.

Cause of aquarium explosion still uncertain

According to the building’s owners, a team of experts is currently investigating what could have caused the giant aquarium to explode, though no conclusive decision has been made. However, when the aquarium exploded, many speculated that below-freezing temperatures in the city could have caused the aquarium glass to shatter.

Once the building, which lies just a stone’s throw from Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, has been cleared by the end of January, it is expected that the hotel may be able to reopen. Speaking to rbb, a spokesperson from the hotel said that it is already possible to use the building's lifts again.

Thumb image credit: Barbara Ash / Shutterstock.com