SIEM REAP — What does it take to run an indoor ocean? At Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium (AWA), in addition to the enormous Tonle Sap freshwater tank, a system of marine environment has been open to visitors to enable them to discover more aquatic life.

With a water volume of more than 500,000 litres, these various indoor tanks demand special care and technical know-how to keep fish and other marine animals healthy.

AWA’s marine tanks contain species ranging from sharks, starfish and stingrays to horseshoe crabs, eels and sea cucumbers.

In this first interview, Abuyen Joseph Catorce, a Filipino saltwater tank specialist, explained the technical and logistical challenges involved to keep an indoor sea healthy and aesthetically eye-catching both for the animals and humans. 

Catorce focused on how marine species are selected to maintain balance in the tank ecosystem, how feedings are adjusted to compensate for the artificial environment, how daily maintenance helps keep the bacterial level balance, what happens when a fish gets sick. He also spoke of how man-made saltwater is produced, how large fish are transported, and how to make sure that newly-acquired fish are healthy before they enter the big tanks.

Officially opened in 2022, the Angkor Wildlife & Aquarium is home to a vast range of species, with some fish having been rescued while others were legally acquired or donated by wildlife conservation organizations.

AWA serves as a sanctuary for the rescue and conservation of endangered biodiversity in the country.

The park is in Soutr Nikom district, around 20 kilometres from Siem Reap City. It is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with extended hours until 6:00 pm on public holidays.