Viral 'Bed-Stuy Aquarium' makes Brooklyn comeback after makeover
BEDFORD STUYVESANT, Brooklyn (WABC) -- After it became the talk of the town for years, a makeshift aquarium set up in the runoff of a leaky hydrant in Brooklyn has a new location just feet away from its original spot.
The fish have a more comfortable new home, but critics are concerned the heat will be too much for them to handle.
"Hopefully this iteration lasts a little longer and maybe everybody's happy with this one," said resident Sophia Buffa.
It's been the subject of viral videos and attracted swarms of visitors.
"Kids would come here after school; people walking their dogs and stop. It was like a fun little neighborhood thing," she said.
After a months-long hiatus, the so-called Bed-Stuy Aquarium is back near the corner of Tompkins Avenue and Hancock Street.
"I'm happy that they brought it back," said resident Albertina Harding. "I've been here since the beginning, so it's nice to see how even the decorations and all the people that's coming out is."
The makeshift attraction made a splash last summer when people in the neighborhood put goldfish in a puddle made by a leaky fire hydrant.
Joy turned to outrage for some when the city not only fixed the hydrant, killing the fish, but also filled the hole in with concrete.
It wasn't long before the neighborhood set up another version.
People who live around there say the small and obscure thing has brought the neighborhood together in a special way.
But advocates say the setup is cruel to the fish, especially in the extreme heat.
"This isn't an aquarium. This is a tiny tank with a few fish in it with no proper enrichment, no filter and no temperature control and a heat wave. So, this is incredibly irresponsible," said John Di Leonardo with Humane Long Island.
Di Leonardo says even trained experts who have access to state-of-the-art equipment have their work cut out when caring for marine animals.
Di Leonardo says what's happening in Bedford-Stuyvesant is unacceptable.
"And if you want to see fish, go visit Coney Island, go visit, you know, rent a kayak off the Brooklyn Bridge," he said. "There's plenty of places in Brooklyn where you can cool off at the beach, you can off and associate with fish. But that's not an aquarium."
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