The Aquarium at the Silverton Hotel

Your eyes aren’t fooling you if you happen to see a mermaid floating through the aquarium at the Silverton Casino Lodge.

Throughout the afternoon and evenings Thursday through Sunday, women dressed as mermaids join the 4,000 tropical fish, including three species of stingrays and three species of sharks, in the 117,000-gallon, curved acrylic tank, for a 15–minute show.

While hotel guests are entertained and amazed, the fish, themselves, remain fairly aloof.

“The fish don’t seem to care one way or the other that we’re in there,” said Timery Middelton, a mermaid at the Silverton. “We’re just another object in the water and they pretty much stay out of our way. There are some fish that are curious because our costumes are bright and shiny and that’s very appealing. But for the most part they know us and go on their way.”

The Silverton tries to find unique ways to utilize the aquarium, which opened three years ago and has become a focal point of the hotel.

In July 2007 a couple literally “took the plunge,” when they got married inside the aquarium and in December illusionist Criss Angel made a Houdini-style escape while submerged underwater.

“We’re fortunate to have some pretty creative people here as well as the luxury of trying to utilize this exhibit for more than just a pretty tank,” said Thomas Harder, aquarium manager. “We want to make the aquarium a showpiece. We want to make sure our guests come back and see something new, something different.”

That’s not to say that the Silverton takes aquarium care lightly. Everything and anything that goes into the tank undergoes careful consideration, with an eye toward the fishes’ well-being.

“Everyone is very diligent about making sure the animals are happy and healthy, from the mermaids to the safety divers, even the management,” Harder said. “Everyone is very concerned about the fish and will do anything that we can to ensure they are safe.”

-- By Aleza Freeman