Canadian Waters Gallery - Ripley's Aquarium of Canada

Canada is world-famous for our breathtaking landscapes and their resident wildlife, but our country’s waters are an even greater treasure trove of extraordinary habitats and animals!

The Canadian Waters gallery takes you on a coast-to-coast journey through freshwater wilds, local fisheries, and kelp forests. Along the way, you’ll see more than 80 aquatic species, learn about invasive grass carp, and visit our giant Pacific octopus. From the Great Lakes — which account for 20% of the world’s fresh water — to the three oceans surrounding our coasts, it’s no wonder Canada’s marine habitats are home to such a variety of flora and fauna!

FEATURED SPECIES

Giant Pacific Octopus

Giant Pacific octopuses start their lives as small as a grain of rice but reach well over 15 kg in their short lifespan of just 3–4 years. They are well-adapted hunters, with more 2,000 chemoreceptive suckers, sharp eyesight, a venomous bite, and skin that can change colour and texture in a fraction of a second.

American Lobster

American lobsters are typically a reddish-brown tone, but Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is home to crustaceans of many different colours! These distinct, vibrant shades are caused by genetic anomalies. Try and spot our rare orange lobster, Pinchy!

Paddlefish

Paddlefish are considered a primitive fish, meaning they aren’t much different today from how they were 120–125 million years ago. This vulnerable species has a unique snout called a “rostrum,” which can grow up to half of the length of their body and is used to detect zooplankton in the water.

Alewives

Alewives travel in schools and can be found in both freshwater and marine environments. They tie our oceans, rivers, and lakes together as a forage species in various aquatic ecosystems. This means they provide a fundamental amount of food for many fish, marine animals, birds, and reptiles.

Sea Urchin

There are about 950 different species of sea urchins, and they can be found in both warm and cool temperatures in oceans throughout the world. Sea urchins are one of the only animals that are able to see without having eyes. Instead, they use light-sensitive cells through their feet, which are all over their body!

Velvety Red Anemone

Sea anemones belong to the Cnidaria phylum, which includes species that use stinging cells use to capture prey and protect against predators. Anemones use the rings of tentacles around their mouth to immobilise and then shove prey into their hungry maw. Other animals, such as fish and shrimp, use the anemone’s stinging cells for protection by hiding in its floating tentacles.

FUN FACTS

• The Canadian Waters Gallery features 17 exhibits totaling over 665,000 litres of water. The Great Lakes exhibit is over 100,000 litres and the stunning Pacific Kelp is almost 360,000 litres!

• Twice a year, we give back to our Canadian Waters by participating in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Join us today!

• You can learn more about combating plastic pollution in our Great Lakes by checking out our blog post “Plastic Pollution: The Silent Killer”.

Dive Shows + Aquarist Talks

Swim by for a scheduled Dive Show to watch our divers with the animals or check out an Aquarist Talk to meet our husbandry team! You’ll have the chance to ask all your questions and maybe even see a live feeding!

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