Coastal Marine Education and Research Academy
C.M.E.R.A.
Aquarist Program Summer 2022
The Aquarist program is designed to give students the knowledge, skills and abilities to work in and maintain large
commercial aquariums using both lectures and practical application working with our shark and ray aquarium tanks.
This is a four week course that will teach the following subjects in one week sessions.
Students may sign up to start the course any week, but will have to complete the four weeks of study consecutively.
Course of Study
Water Quality
Husbandry
Life Support Systems
Behavioral Training
Participants will receive lectures and will conduct hands on training utilizing both our large shark and ray tanks containing live animals and our training tanks. They will be feeding and handling live sharks and rays during their training program.
Water Quality
All aquarium animals require clean water to stay healthy. Water is constantly filtered in all aquarium settings to remove animal wastes and harmful materials. Water quality technicians monitor the water in aquariums multiple times a day to test for temperature, turbidity (water clarity), salinity(salt concentration), bacteria, pH (acidity), and chlorine. In our water quality class you will learn how to identify common water quality issues and how to correct them using our test tanks for practice.
Husbandry
Participants will learn the importance of diet, nutrition, proper food preparation and feeding along with issues related to the health, care and well being of our marine animals. You will directly use the information you learn to prepare and feed our sharks and rays. You will also learn the proper care and handling and feeding procedures for other marine animals.
Life Support Systems
Participants will receive lectures and hands on training working with filters, pumps, maintenance and monitoring of equipment for our shark and ray tanks along with the use and operation of training equipment. We will discuss the use and operation of protein skimmers, ozone generators, mechanical pressurized filters, moving bed biofilter reactors, trickle filters, uv sterilizers and more during our course.
Behavioral Training
We will answer the question on whether or not fish, like our sharks and rays, can be trained. Participants will not only learn the theories behind animal training and psychology, but will put this knowledge to the test by working directly with our sharks and rays training them to accomplish tasks and/or specific behaviors.
Summer Aquarist Program Weeks 2022
What to expect
Saturday through Sunday
Sunday - Arrive at the Tampa (TPA) or Clearwater/St. Petersburg (PIE) airport. Transportation from either airport to our classrooms and our housing is included. An orientation session will be held at 5:00pm on Sunday at our classrooms in Clearwater, FL. Please ensure to schedule flights to arrive in time to attend the 5:00pm mandatory orientation.
Monday through Friday - Conduct classes and practical application for the specific course being taught that week.
Lecture topics: Water Quality/Husbandry/Life Support Systems and Behavioral Training
Saturday of your fourth week - Return travel. Transportation to the Tampa or Clearwater/St. Petersburg airports is included.
Tuition and Application
Tuition for the four week aquarist program during early enrollment May 1 through December 31 is $2950.
Deposits of $650 are required to reserve your spot in the class requested and will be applied to your tuition balance.
Deposits are non refundable three days after you have submitted your application unless the class is full or canceled by CMERA. In that case you would receive a full refund.
Tuition is non refundable once paid in full. Participants may defer their enrollment to the following summer if the need arises.
We expect to be completely full for next summer for this new and exciting program so complete the application below today!