Shark in mall aquarium dies when malfunction causes ‘imbalance’ in tank, Ohio mall says
A shark in an Ohio mall aquarium has died after a malfunction in the tank on Saturday, officials say.
The filtration system caused an imbalance in the water at the Eastwood Mall aquarium in Niles, according to Joe Bell, communications director at Cafaro Company.
“Unfortunately, it created an imbalance and lower oxygen level than would normally be acceptable. One shark did die,” Bell told WKBN.
Other fish were moved to different tanks to be monitored, WFMJ reported.
“If they were showing any signs of distress, (the curator) put them in the hospital tank we have on the premise,” Bell told WKBN.
The aquarium is being repaired but is currently closed to the public, according to WFMJ.
“The system has been temporarily fixed, but the sharks and fish won’t return to the main tank until it’s cleaned and an upgrade is done,” Bell told the Youngstown Vindicator.
Located in the mall’s center court, the aquarium features a 4,500-gallon shark tank and is free to the public.
It also has two 2,500 gallon tanks home to saltwater fish, coral and other sharks.
Earlier this year, a black-tip reef shark in the aquarium died after it was bitten by eel, WFMJ reported. The aquarium planned to find a new home for the eel.
Niles is roughly 50 miles east of Akron.
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