Come and dive into the Neptune grass meadows, among seahorses and the greater pipefish; explore the deepest rocky coast to discover where the red coral lives; swim in the open sea, among jellyfish and common eagle rays.
You can also plunge into the warmer waters of the tropical seas, to discover who the builders of the coral reefs are, and how the clown fish can live among the tentacles of the anemone. The structure was designed by architects Peter Chermayeff and Sebastiano Gaias and is perfectly integrated in the charming Cala Gonone bay, between the crystal clear waters of the Orosei Gulf and the uncontaminated Supramonte mountains, a natural heritage of inestimable value.
The  Mediterranean Sea 
The Neptune grass meadows 
Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica) is a actual flowering plant, with roots, stems and leaves, which breeds by means of flowers and fruits.
Its fruit, commonly called “olive of the sea”, falls from the plant once ripe; it is rich in oily substances, which allow it to be transported by the currents. The fruit then releases its seed, which falls on the seabed and sprouts, if the conditions are favourable.
Roots and stalks create a thick net which traps sediments, creating the perfect environment for new plants. The net creates a terrace-like formation called mat, characterized by a very slow growth, about one metre a century.
Neptune grass is an endemic (exclusive) species of the Mediterranean Sea, where it creates large meadows in well lit sea beds.
These meadows are one of the main breeding and growth grounds for many animal species; moreover, they play an important protective and stabilization role for the coasts against sea erosion. In the last decades, mainly as a consequence of the development of human activities, the Neptune grass meadows have shown signs of deterioration and regression, with the consequent reduction of biodiversity and smaller beaches.
The coralligenous assemblage 
The coralligenous assemblage is typical of the Mediterranean Sea poorly lit, rocky sea beds: it is the result of algae and animals activity, resulting in calcium carbonate structures.
Among the species which can be part of this group, we must mention the coralline algae of the family Corallinaceae, the yellow cluster anemome (Parazoanthus axinellae), the yellow sea fan (Eunicella cavolinii) and the red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata).
The red coral (Corallium rubrum) is only present when the conditions for its development are favourable. The red coral is an endemic species of the Mediterranean Sea and it still has a great social and economic importance in many European and African cultures. Its growth is very slow: 3 – 4 cm every 10 years. This is the only gorgonian whose skeleton is hard enough to be worked; because of its characteristics it is used for the realization of precious jewels and artworks. For centuries, corals were gathered in the Mediterranean Sea using the “St. Andrew’s Cross”, a highly destructive tool. Since the Fifties however, the use of professional scuba divers, and more recently of mini submarines, has become more and more frequent.
The Pelagic environment  
The species inhabiting the open Mediterranean Sea environment belong to two ecological categories: plankton and nekton.
Plankton includes all the animal and vegetable organisms which cannot actively control their movements and therefore let the sea currents transport them.
This is a community made up by microorganisms, algae, larvae, small invertebrates, but also larger animals, such as jellyfish.
These are among the most ancient plankton organisms, since they appeared in the oceans about one billion years ago. Their dimensions range between a few millimetres and more than 2 metres of diameter of the umbrella and 40 metre-long tentacles.
Nekton is made up by animals which can actively swim: cephalopods, such as cuttlefish and squids, bony and cartilaginous fish, reptiles such as turtles, mammals such as cetaceans. The great swimmers, able to develop high skills or undertake long migrations, belong to this category.
Tropical Seas 
Coral reefs 
Coral reefs are one of the richest living ecosystems on the Planet: the variety of species they include is only comparable to that of the tropical rain forests.
Thousands of fish and invertebrates find a shelter, food and suitable places to lay their eggs among the corals.
The most amazing thing is that these impressive structures are the result of the incessant activity of some very small organisms inhabiting them: the madrepores, also called hard corals, for their ability to produce a rigid calcareous structure.
These are mainly colonial animals, including hundreds of thousand of very small polyps, connected by a thin tissue layer.
Madrepores have developed one of the most effective symbiosis form known to date: microscopic unicellular algae called Zooxanthellae live inside them. By means of photosynthesis, madrepores release organic substances which provide polyps with about 80% of their total food. Moreover, zooxanthellae favour the deposition of calcium carbonate, the reef structure’s raw material. Coral provides in turn a safe shelter for the algae and the compound needed for the photosynthesis.
In some parts of the world, coral reefs have suffered great damages because of the constant water temperature increase, as well as the combined action of human activities. This serious degradation is caused by many factors: the most significant one is the uncontrolled growth of coastal activities and deforestation, which determine an excessive amount of sediments and nutrients in the ocean waters, often accompanied by chemical pollution phenomena.

The Gala Gonone Aquarium  is open every day  from 9:30 a.m. to 7:30p.m. 

Tickets 
Adults: 10 €
Soldiers, children (4-12 years), senior over 65, disabled people: €6
Children (0-3): For Free
Group (min 20 pax): €7,50