Wearing a tiny purple bikini, Reid described her experience thus: "It was one of the most magical moments of my life . . . I'm on a total high. I think this will be my favorite experience - this is just amazing... I love Australia. The people are amazing." Amazingly, the dolphins did not return the compliment. For more <ahem> amazing shots of Reid's escapade, check out this image gallery.

Ralph lived in the aquarium for nearly two years, and had grown six feet while there. He was joined by another male whale shark, Norton, and two female whale sharks, Alice and Trixie. I wonder if the other whale sharks will realize Ralph is missing?

Sadly, on January 2, the aquarium euthanized Gasper, a 17-year-old beluga whale. Gasper, who delighted visitors by blowing bubbles, was ill prior to his October 2005 arrival at the aquarium, and the facility said his condition had deteriorated in the weeks before his death. According to officials, Gasper's condition "was believed to be the result of his weakened immune system due to years of chronic illness." The past two weeks have been tough for the Georgia Aquarium.

[Thanks, The Tick!]

Okay, when I saw the word "Macquarium," I thought it was a typo. However, a Macquarium is an aquarium made from the shell of an old Apple Macintosh computer -- or even an iMac or an iCube. (As of yet, there are no iPod versions. That'd be a pretty small tank!) Although I wonder if aquaria made from plexi-glass are good for fish, the novelty of the tanks are supreme. How fun to "log on" to this computer each morning!

For a huge gallery of Macquariums, check out The Apple Collection, which boasts more than 60 imaginative designs as well as dozens of links for further reading. Want to build your own? Check out Andy Ihnatko's original instructions for a Macquarium.

Ordinarily, I believe Christmas songs should only be played after Thanksgiving. Similarly, Christmas decorations should only be displayed after that holiday, as well. However, in the case of this photo, I thought I'd break my own, personal rule about Christmas-promotion. Why? Because this picture, taken by Yoshikazu Tsuno, is just too funny. Featuring four white Beluga whales wearing Santa hats during a Christmas show at the Hakkeijima Sea Paradise aquarium in Yokohama, I bet the tuna-dressed-as-reindeer are right around the corner.

What do you think? Is it wrong to make whales dress in quasi-Pagan costumes? Or is it okay, if the picture is really, really cute?

Biota! is a new $150 million aquarium being built in London's East End. Part of a $2.7 billion scheme to redevelop part of the London Docklands, Biota will help describe and explain aquatic habitats from around the world. Featuring displays from the Amazonian rainforest, the British Isles, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indo-Pacific, Biota! will provide hands-on demonstrations, multi-media displays, and plenty of huge tanks filled with marine life. Biota! also features what is thought to be the biggest coral reef ever grown in the UK.

The reef -- which is composed of species from throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans, many of which were siezed from smugglers -- will form the centerpiece of Biota! The reef, which has been growing at the London Zoo's aquarium for the past 18 months, is expected to fill a wall 9 feet high and 24 feet long when "full grown" in 2009. When it opens, Biota! will house mammals, free-flying birds, invertebrates, fish, reptiles, amphibians -- and coral reefs -- in 70 exhibits that combine glass-roofed "biomes" and large aquatic tanks. No word on whether divers will be able to enter the displays, but most aquaria are always looking for volunteers.

I was going to post this image in an upcoming Real or Not?, but after careful consideration, I thought it looked just too fake to be appropriate. Nevertheless, I thought I'd share it just for grins.

Obviously, it's a truck that's been decorated to look like an aquarium, to emphasize the freshness of its contents. See the logo on the side of the trailer? It reads "Sushi."

I've never seen a truck like this on the highway, but if I did, I'd certainly check it out. I wouldn't like to drive in front of it, though, because it would have a beastly time stopping suddenly.

Steve Lowes began growing coral as a hobby more than a decade ago. In 2002, he finally turned his passion into a business, Reef Encounters, and began selling his babies to aquarium enthusiasts. Now a "professional coral farmer," today Lowes raises more than 50 species of coral, which -- depending on their rarity -- he sells for between $10 and $1,000. Lowes propagates the coral by breaking off millimeter-sized fragments and growing them in tanks. It takes the coral about 6 months to grow about two inches, after which they're ready for sale.

In growing coral, however, Lowes isn't just helping rich people show off fancy aquaria. He's also helping scientists learn more about coral development. According to this AP story, Lowes -- who's a chemist for a pharmaceutical company -- is busy investigating the ways in which corals' anti-fungal compounds might be useful to humans. He's also studying how corals use photosynthesis so he can help develop improved lighting systems.

I imagine that being a "coral farmer" is an exacting, meticulous, and requires the patience of a Buddha. However, the photos of his coral are beautiful, and I'm sure lowes takes great pride in growing them.