Diving In: “Scuttlebutt Reef” Arrives The Tennessee Aquarium

By Ray Bassett

Published March 5, 2026 at 11:17 PM EST

A glimpse of “Scuttlebutt Reef” at the Tennessee Aquarium.

What’s the scuttlebutt?

This weekend, a new gallery opens at the Tennessee Aquarium in downtown Chattanooga: Scuttlebutt Reef - in the Aquarium’s Ocean Journey Pavilion.

The gallery - described as a saltwater adventure through reef ecosystems - is home to underwater species such as the frogfish, the lumpsucker, the green moray eel, the peacock mantis shrimp, the spotted garden eel, the striped pajama squid and the swellshark.

Ahead of Saturday’s opening, I spoke with Kyle McPheeters, the Aquarium’s Lead LSS Aquarist - and Tom Dimas, its vice president of husbandry and exhibits.

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