The Islands of Steel exhibit at the Texas State Aquarium lost 400 fish after staff used a mislabeled chemical in the tank April 2015. Courtesy photo
Fishman Chemical has been ordered to pay the Texas State Aquarium $1 million in damages for a mishap that killed more than 400 fish in April 2015. The aquarium sued the Florida company, charging that it had mislabeled a chemical that was subsequently used in tanks to kill fungus. It instead killed fish, including a tiger shark named Hans that had been with the aquarium for 20 years.
The chemical was in a container labeled “trichlorfon,” which is used to treat fish parasites. The container actually contained hydroquinone, an industrial chemical used in film processing and as a stabilizer for paint and motor fuels. It was used in the Islands of Steel exhibit at the aquarium. All but two animals inside the tank died.
The aquarium immediately set up a recovery fund after the fish kill and received support from around the world.
“We got donations from all over the country,” aquarium president and CEO Tom Schmid told reporters after the announcement of the lawsuit win this week. “All of our colleagues around the world reached out to us and sent fish to our collection. It was humbling to get so much support from the rest of the world. It was that support that got us through.”
