The Touch Tank includes:
- Conchs
- Sea stars
- Slate pencil sea urchins
- Sea cucumbers
- Hermit crabs
- Horseshoe crabs
Touch Tank Tour
1:45 p.m.
Meet the residents of the Touch Tank and hear some Key West history! This tour introduces the mascot of the Florida Keys, the queen conch, as well as sea stars, urchins, horseshoe crabs and other invertebrates that can be seen in our local waters. The guide will help guests interact with the animals in the Touch Tank while describing what makes them so special!
Touch Tank Tuck-In Tour
5:15 p.m.
Help us put the Touch Tank animals to bed! Guests will learn about the different animals in the Touch Tank and can even help our guides with the nighttime care routine!
Get Up Close and Personal
The Touch Tank is our invitation for guests to get up close and personal with some of the more familiar creatures found in the Lower Keys’ ecosystems. These animals can frequently be seen while kayaking or snorkeling in our nearshore waters, each providing a unique benefit to the ecosystem.
Touch Tank Features
The Touch Tank features several species of native invertebrates. These include marine snails such as the queen conch, which has become a symbol of Key West. There are also several members of the bumpy-skinned echinoderm family, including sea stars, sea urchins, serpent sea stars, and sea cucumbers, as well as arthropods like hermit crabs and the prehistoric horseshoe crab!
Hands-On Encounters!
We invite our guests to use a gentle two-finger touch to interact with the Touch Tank animals. Our guests are free to photograph all animals housed in the Touch Tank anytime during their visit to the Key West Aquarium, and our guides are always available to assist and answer questions. The guides may also help guests safely interact more closely with the animals by holding them underwater. The health and safety of our Touch Tank animals is very important to us so that these creatures can continue to be ambassadors for their species.
More Information
Please contact us for additional information regarding the Touch Tank of the Key West Aquarium. After you’ve gotten up close and personal with our sea creatures, discover even more of the island’s natural surroundings and marine life.
