Skip to Content
Texas Parks and Wildlife homeTexas Parks and Wildlife home
  • Parks
    • State Parks Home
    • Map of State Parks
    • State Parks Reservations
    • State Park Passes
    • Calendar of Events
    • Volunteer at Parks
    • Maps & Publications
    • Park Rules
    • Donations
    • FAQs
  • Hunting
    • Hunting Home
    • Buy a License
    • Season Dates by Animal
    • Seasons by County
    • Hunting Regulations
    • Public Hunting
    • Hunter Education
    • Big Time Texas Hunts
    • Wildlife Management Areas
    • Permits
    • FAQs
  • Fishing
    • Fishing Home
    • Buy a License
    • Fishing Reports
    • Where to Fish
    • General Fishing Regulations
    • Freshwater Fishing Regulations
    • Saltwater Fishing Regulations
    • Permits
    • ShareLunker
    • Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center
    • Sea Center
    • Aquatic Species
    • Fishing Programs
    • Fisheries Management
    • FAQs
  • Boating
    • Boating Home
    • Titles, Registration & Tax
    • Renew/Replace Online
    • Update Address Online
    • Boat Ownership
    • Boat Forms
    • Boater Education
    • Boating Laws
    • Navigation Aids
    • Protect Our Waters
    • Safety
    • Where to Boat
    • Permits
    • FAQs
  • Game Warden
    • Game Warden Home
    • Law Enforcement Offices
    • Field Notes
    • Operation Game Thief
    • Career Opportunities
  • Activities
    • Activities Home
    • Biking
    • Birding
    • Boating, Paddling
    • Camping, Lodging, RVs
    • Caving
    • Fishing
    • Geocaching
    • Group Gatherings
    • Hiking
    • History & Culture
    • Horseback Riding
    • Hunting
    • Off-Roading
    • Playing Sports
    • Photography
    • Picnicking
    • Rock Climbing
    • Stargazing
    • Swimming
    • Texas Outdoor Family
    • Volunteering
    • Wheelchair Accessibility
    • Wildlife Viewing
    Calendar of Events
  • Wildlife
    • Wildlife Home
    • Wildlife Fact Sheets
    • Endangered Species
    • Nature Tourism
    • Find a Biologist
    • Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs)
    • Game Management
    • Wildlife Diversity
    • Permits
    • FAQs
  • Land
    • Land Home
    • Private Lands
    • Landowner Assistance
    • Texas Farm and Ranch Land Conservation Program
    • Invasive Species
    • FAQs
  • Water
    • Water Home
    • Lake Finder
    • River Guide
    • Bays
    • Invasive Species
    • FAQs
  • Media
    • Media Home
    • News
    • Video
    • Magazine
    • Passport to Texas
    • Television Show
    • Social Media
  • Calendar
  • Regulations
  • Education
  • Volunteer
  • More...
    • Parks
    • Hunting
    • Fishing
    • Boating
    • Game Warden
    • Activities
    • Wildlife
    • Land
    • Water
    • Media
    • Calendar
    • Regulations
    • Education
    • Volunteer
    • Maps & Data
    • Jobs & Careers
    • Get Involved
    • Español
Texas Parks and Wildlife
  • Home
  • Parks
  • Hunting
  • Fishing
  • Boating
  • Game Warden
  • Activities
  • Wildlife
  • Land
  • Water
  • Media
  • Calendar
  • Regulations
  • Education
  • Volunteer
  • Maps & Data
  • Jobs & Careers
  • Get Involved
  • Español
Gulf Tank Neon Jack Fish by Stephen Myers
  • Sea Center Home
  • Visit
    • Hours, Location, & Admission
    • Self-Guided Tour
    • Wetlands Exhibit
    • Marine Hatchery
    • Gift Shop
  • Education
  • Tours & Programs

    • Calendar
    • Donations for Sea Center Texas
    • Contact Us

     

    Visiting Sea Center Texas

    Gordon the 300-lb. Grouper

    Gordon the 300-lb. Grouper

    Offshore Gulf of Mexico Aquarium

    The centerpiece of the educational exhibits, a 50,000-gallon aquarium, allows visitors to view large Gulf of Mexico marine animals. Within Gulf of Mexico waters live many species that can be viewed in Sea Center Gulf tank, including nurse sharks, large red drum, gray snapper, Atlantic spadefish, and the state record green moray eel.

    Until recently, the aquarium was dominated by an adopted Texan, a large Queensland grouper named Gordon. The huge fish had been a star attraction at the center since it opened in 1996. He was 23 years old and weighed 327 pounds when he died in the summer of 2008. Gordon is greatly missed by Sea Center visitors and staff. Read more about Gordon.

    Moray Eel

    Moray Eel

    Several environmental variables affect the composition of the Texas offshore fish community. Water temperature, salinity and turbidity vary seasonally nearshore but are relatively constant throughout the year in offshore areas. Along the Texas coast the continental shelf has an average width of 88.5 km and gently slopes out to a depth of about 200 meters. Even at its center, the Gulf lacks the great depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Much of the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico is composed of mud because discharge from the Mississippi, Brazos, Colorado, and other Gulf coast rivers that annually disperse tons of mud sediment, silt and clay into the Gulf. Nearshore the sediments are sandier because of materials from the barrier islands. Offshore mud sediments have a greater clay component. A few shoal areas formed by rocky outcrops and submerged banks can be found but are uncommon along the Texas coast.



    • Visitor Center Lobby
    • Touch Tank
    • Aquarium Exhibits
    • Sponsor Information and Sea Center History
    • Gift Shop
    • Outdoor Wetland Walkway
    • Hatchery Building
    Back to Top
    ∧ Back to Top
    • About TPWD
    • General Information
    • Office Locations
    • Compact with Texans
    • TPW Commission
    • Jobs & Careers
    • Volunteer for TPWD
    • FAQs
    • Doing Business with TPWD
    • Agency Forms
    • Permits
    • Grants & Assistance
    • Bids & Vendor Opportunities
    • Surplus Property
    • Transparency Contract Reports
    • Resources
    • Publications
    • Privacy & Security
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Linking Policy
    • Site Policies
    • Intranet
    • Statewide Info
    • texas.gov
    • Homeland Security
    • TRAIL Archives
    • Texas Transparency
    • Texas Tourism
    • Texas Veterans Portal
    • Connect with TPWD
    • Social Media
    • Kudos, Questions & Comments
    • Open Records
    • Complaint Process
    • Report Fraud
    • Public Comment
    • Sign Up for Email Updates
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    Texas Parks & Wildlife Logo
    4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744
    (512) 389-4800  |  (800) 792-1112
    Operation Game Thief: (800) 792-GAME
    Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation Logo
    TPW Foundation
    Official Non-Profit Partner
    Content of this site copyright Texas Parks and Wildlife Department unless otherwise noted.