AKVARIJ Dubrovnik Aquarium — Attraction in Dubrovnik

It was an extremely disappointing and upsetting experience‼️ Apart from the fact that the aquarium’s size and species range and care was disproportionate to the price, which was too high for the ABUSE the animals inside go through.

The tanks were too small for the amount of fish packed in them. The animals were not taken care of, the spiny dogfish looked tired and you could see its bones through the skin. The octopus as well was completely abused, packed in a TINY EMPTY TANK with NO entertainment whatsoever for such an intelligent animal. No hiding spaces, no other fish to play around with (except one singular, also tired-looking fish) and it was hiding in the corner behind a rock, covering itself with its tentacles as much as it could. One of the seahorses was alone in its tanks, unmoving and basically depressed.

A lot of the images of species from other reviews (especially the good ones) were nonexistent. There were no cuttlefish or nursehound sharks, for example. The tank on other octopus pics look new (nothing like what it looked like when I went there) On top of that, there was plaques with fish that didn’t appear in the tank they were indicating, as well as some fish in other tanks which did not have a plaque, so you didn’t know what they should be.

TLDR: ANIMAL ABUSE THAT SHOULD NOT BE SUPPORTED!!!!!! I regret not having read more carefully through the reviews and avoided this place!!!

(edit: I remembered I wanted to mention...

DO NOT SUPPORT THIS PLACE — SHAMEFUL ANIMAL ABUSE AND NEGLECT

They are absolutely abusing the animals here. Tiny tanks, no enrichment, completely unnatural and inadequate conditions. Without exaggeration, this is the worst aquarium or animal facility I have ever visited.

Seeing the fish and marine life trapped in these conditions is deeply disturbing. Fish lying motionless on the sand, many on their sides, some barely alive. A dying octopus sits in the corner with no hiding space, attempting to cover itself with its own tentacles. Want to explain to your asking child why the animals look so sad and motionless? Want to depress yourself by seeing this kind of abuse and neglect?

This is not education. This is not conservation. It’s cruelty, plain and simple. I have had aquariums for 20 years but it doesn't take a specialist to understand what's in plain site.

I truly could not believe my eyes. The city of Dubrovnik must act and shut this place down immediately.

PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THIS ABUSE. SHAME ON DUBROVNIK FOR ALLOWING THIS TO CONTINUE. SHAME. SHAME. SHAME.

I deeply regret giving them even a single penny and I pray that this aquarium will...

I love aquariums regardless of the size and the quality. I find the tank aroma comforting.

This place has an epic history as it seems it was an old armoury or perhaps a navy base. Either way the town of Dubrovnik has transformed this monument of great history into an aquarium.

Yes there are some fixer-uppers needed like the octopus tank could be made bigger and given more places for him to hide.

And a tank in the back had dying fish in it.

But on the up sides, they had sharks (spiny dogfish), baby cuttlefish and a few species of fish that I have never seen before. Like the scorpion fish, we don’t have them in the uk and it was cool to see one in person.

There was a marine charity qr code for visitors to scan if they would like to improve the aquarium.

I would have like to seen a gift shop or sorts, like maybe with postcards, books, teddies and jigsaws. But at reception there was a couple of knitted animals for the visitors to buy.

Either way at the luxe of £10 the aquarium was evenly matched. Thank for making this...