In this course of project research, aquarium which is used to house aquatic laboratory animals was refurbished. Refurbishment of aquarium was necessary due to dilapidation of the laboratory equipment used for observation and scientific research. Major parts replaced were the glass used to erect the artificial aquatic habitat using glass gum and tap to seal it. Aquatic plants such as plankton was introduced, water and enabling environment was provided before introducing the inmates. The aims/objectives are to ensure the up keep, survival and maintenance of laboratory animals used for scientific research and observation.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Aquarium keeping originated as far back as 1596 when clientele described it as the art of keeping gold fish. The first public aquarium was built at the London Zoological garden in 1953. Recently there is a growing public awareness and interest in aquarium keeping for different purposes. The word aquarium may be referred to as a tank, bowl or a container used for keeping live aquatic organisms – plants and animals. Aquarium also connotes an artificial pool of water (outdoor aquarium) where live aquatic organisms are kept. A building in which series of aquatic organisms are kept is also called aquarium. Such aquarium may be house collection of different aquatic organisms from different parts of the world and from different ecological environments and is often managed and maintained either by an institution, state or private organization for public entertainment.

An aquarium can be specially designed device that acts as an artificial habitat for water dwelling animals. Although most people associate aquarium with tropical fish, aquarium can also be used to house amphibians or large marine mammals. Public aquarium are popular tourist attraction throughout the world and frequent found in zoo’s or marine parks. They are made from reinforced concrete and plastics to create a tank that is large enough to hold the entire underwater ecosystem. Most public aquarium can be considered biotopes, ecotypes or ecotopes since they house plants, fish and invertebrates that will only live together in a natural habitat, sharks and whales are the most species found in public aquaria although others like penquins and other semi-aquatic animals are quite popular (Inyang et al, 2006).

1.1 Aims and Objectives

The objective of this project is keyed in the maintenance and refurbishment of an already existing aquarium in biology laboratory at the Science Laboratory Technology Department IMT Enugu. This is in order to reach out to ignorant students of the purpose and needs of an aquarium, it’s good condition and refurbishment.