This aquarium contains the largest and most attractive specimens of fish. In the large aquarium, fish from the sturgeon family are displayed: sturgeon, Russian sturgeon, white sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, and Siberian sturgeon. Sturgeons are one of the oldest fish species and date back to the age of dinosaurs. During spawning, some forms make a long journey from the sea to fresh waters. In the past, the Russian sturgeon also swam in our Danube, Drava and Sava rivers, and after the construction of the Danube in Đerdap, it became extinct in these rivers. Kečiga used to be located in the lowland course of the Kupa River, lower than Kamenski near Karlovac, while today in Croatia it inhabits the Danube, Sava, Drava and Mura.
Have you ever been to a freshwater aquarium? Have you ever seen a catfish sleeping? Do you know what the life span of various fish is? Which one is the fastest, which one the slowest? Do the fish drink water? Do they make sounds? How do they swim, in a school or a shoal? Can they swim backward? What is the connection between the lipsticks and the fish scales? Have you ever seen an introduction to a promotional text with so many question marks?
For all the answers, except for the last one, go to the Aquatika – the Karlovac freshwater aquarium! The aquarium presents the flora and fauna of the Croatian rivers, lakes and ponds, its geological past, traditional culture, as well as the history of the four Karlovac rivers area – the basins of the Korana, Kupa, Mrežnica, and Dobra. The aquarium tanks layout follows the course of a typical karst river, offering a detailed, interesting, instructive, and exciting insight into the wonderful freshwater world. Visitors can thus experience the whole river course, from its source to its mouth.
The Aquatika, this unusual building perfectly blended into the Korana surroundings, has won several prestigious awards for architecture and sustainable development while preserving nature. If you cannot really see it at first, it just means that it deserved all its awards. But you’ll find it eventually, don’t worry. It will beckon you with its magical attraction. And if you do not believe in magic, here are the coordinates: 45°29’7” N, 15°33’44” E.
There, it was not so difficult after all, was it? You have found it. Enter. Surrender to the surroundings, relax, learn something new. You’ll have a feeling you’re walking along a river, scuba-diving in it and disappearing with a subterranean course, going deep into the dark labyrinth of caves. You’ll be surprised by the richness of biodiversity of the water world, inspiring your new passion, and wish to get back to nature.
