Aquarium closes Fort Worth mall after whistleblower allegations

A national chain of aquariums has permanently closed its Fort Worth mall location, months after former employees released footage of dozens of dead and dying marine animals at the facility.

The Star-Telegram confirmed on Monday, October 28 that SeaQuest Aquarium at Ridgmar Mall closed its doors forever.

“Closed to visitors,” says a sign taped to the door. “We apologize for the inconvenience. Have a nice day!!”

Another handwritten note taped to the door advised former employees to leave their shirts and badges at the door.

It is not clear why the location was closed. A manager at the site declined to answer questions, and the company did not return an email seeking comment.

“The champagne corks are popping at PETA now that this disease in beautiful Fort Worth has finally stopped exploiting animals and endangering the public,” said PETA Foundation Deputy Director Molly Johnson in a press release. “The SeaQuest chain is a disaster and PETA will continue to call out their horrific and deadly petting zoos until all locations follow suit and close.”

Three in August Former employees of the oceanarium acted as whistleblowersalleging that a culture of neglect and poor facility management led to the starvation of two sharks and the probable suffocation of dozens of other animals at SeaQuest Aquarium.

According to informants, the overcrowding caused such stress that a pair of nurse sharks stopped eating, eventually starving to death.

The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals published a video of one of the sharks fighting in the aquariumallegedly experiencing death throes.

PETA also published a video of employees unpacking dozens of bags fish and other marine animals that allegedly died in transit from another SeaQuest location in Colorado.

Fort Worth The police have opened a criminal investigation into the fact of the aquarium after the allegations in August. The investigation was closed in late September after it was determined that the police department was not the appropriate agency to investigate, a police spokesman said.

In 2024, the US Department of Agriculture cited the aquarium on multiple occasions, mostly for sanitation issues in the animal enclosures.

There was an aquarium cited in January for overcrowding and unsanitary in enclosures for otters, porcupines and other animals. In August, he received another citation for unsanitary conditions in the duck enclosure.

In September, PETA placed billboards on the streets leading to the mall urging drivers not to approach the aquarium.

“Animals suffer and die in shopping mall aquariums,” the billboards read. “DO NOT GO!”

Animals such as sloths, parrots and other birds could be observed through the aquarium’s glass doors on Monday, October 28.

The Star-Telegram reached out to the USDA about what will happen to the animals, but did not receive an immediate response.

SeaQuest’s CEO resigned in August, PETA said in a press release, and the company has closed several locations across the country in recent months. PETA also took credit for the company not opening new locations in three other states.

According to SeaQuest’s website, there are still five aquariums in operation in the county.