Topsail Aquarium — Attraction in Surf City

This facility might look decent on the surface, but if you spend any time observing the animals or asking questions, it becomes clear there are serious problems with how they're cared for.

There’s a Red Tegu—a large lizard, about 4 feet long—being kept in an enclosure that’s only around 6 feet by 2 feet. Staff claim he has "free roam of the place," but after multiple visits, I only ever saw him out of his cage briefly, maybe 30 minutes at most. That’s nowhere near enough space or stimulation for such an intelligent, active reptile.

Leopard Geckos and Bearded Dragons are also housed in enclosures that are far too small, and some reptiles are even kept on walnut shell substrate, which has been known for years to cause serious health issues. It’s outdated and potentially dangerous.

The aquatics area is in bad shape—I saw dead animals in tanks, with algae buildup, cloudy water, and detritus covering sand beds and decorations. The tanks look hastily assembled and are clearly not maintained to any professional standard.

While most of the general staff seem kind and try their best, it’s obvious they’re not being trained properly. Halle, who often works at the front desk, stands out as someone who’s genuinely helpful and respectful. She’s a bright spot in a place that really needs more people like her.

Unfortunately, the issues seem to stem from upper-level management, particularly whoever is in charge of overseeing animal care. Whether it’s reptiles or fish, the lack of adequate care, hygiene, and modern husbandry practices points to poor oversight and outdated methods. Some staff are following protocols that haven’t been considered best practice in over a decade, which is deeply concerning.

The educational signs are well made and provide useful facts—but unfortunately, good signage doesn’t make up for neglect.

I hope someone in a position to make changes takes a closer look at what’s really happening here. The animals—and the hardworking...

Review for Topsail Aquarium – Visit on May 26

I recently visited the Topsail Aquarium on May 26. While I’m not sure if my experience was typical, I unfortunately left with mixed feelings leaning toward the negative.

Positives: • The aquarium does have a good variety of animals, which was interesting to see and educational for visitors of all ages.

Areas of Concern: • Many of the animals appeared to be in relatively small enclosures, which raised concerns about their well-being. • I noticed several children handling starfish and other touch-tank animals quite roughly, with little supervision or staff guidance. • The space was very overcrowded, making it hard to enjoy the exhibits comfortably. This also seemed to put stress on both the animals and the staff.

Suggestions: • Consider implementing a cap on the number of guests allowed inside at one time. This would likely improve visitor experience, help ensure better care for the animals, and reduce the strain on staff.

With some improvements, this could be a much more enjoyable and respectful experience for both guests and...

A cute aquarium that is great for kids as a beach break. The staff is super friendly; however, there was something I saw that was somewhat upsetting.

They have a veiled chameleon. I’ve owned veiled chameleons for years and have done extensive research. Watching one of their employees use this terrified creature to impress 3 girls was a bad impression. Poor chameleon was showing extreme stress colors of bright yellow and dots and his mouth open while this employee laughed about it saying he’s “feisty”. He’s not feisty, he’s extremely terrified. These creatures know 2 emotions- safe and not safe. They cannot be trained to enjoy being held. They want to hang out in their enclosures and be left alone except for food and water spray time. Stressing them out like that decreases their life expectancy. I’m sure the owner will respond saying they know how to handle the animals which any reptile enthusiast knows isn’t true by just watching the exchange...