Aquarium coral reef life at Xcaret

The Aquarium at Xcaret is a new concept of underwater display.

It is educational and full of wonderment and beauty too, but this Aquarium also serves as a laboratory, where research is a daily, subtle fact. For those who don't dive, it provides a unique close-up view of coral development and life. Xcaret's ecological tours of the Aquarium, Butterfly Pavilion and Mayan Jungle are offered in English and Spanish, and provide unique personal looks into the intimate workings of nature. As for the Aquarium tour, Xcaret's Aquarium was the first of its kind in the world, displaying various depths of a living coral reef Symbiotic relationships are demonstrated by the moray fish and the red shrimp. The shrimp clean the teeth of the moray, and the moray protects the shrimp. Seahorses are also spotlighted along with their unusual method of breeding. Each couple is monogamous for life The largest displays show reef life at 100, 66 and 16 feet. The effects of depth variation are created by artificial light, and the true-to-life environments are carefully monitored and controlled. Sponges, fish, and a variety of soft and hard corals can be viewed as they exist in their natural environment within the sea. Nutritional gelatin squares containing algae and vitamins provide food for the fascinating starfish Seven of the eight species of sea turtle return to Mexican shores every year to lay their eggs The scientists at Xcaret are taking various steps to help the sea turtles survive