90-Gallon-Aquarium Spontaneously Cracks Open

Occurred on February 9, 2016 / Johns Creek, Georgia, USA

Info from Licensor: "I set up this 90-gallon freshwater tank for Discus fish about a year ago. The tank was located in my newly designed bar. The tank was about 15-years-old and was level on a stand designed for the aquarium. Discus fish are fairly expensive, a few hundred dollars each, and are beautiful fish that can grow almost to the size of dinner plates. The ones in this tank were about 2-years-old and ranged from 4-6 inches in diameter. My wife and I had gone to a late lunch and returned to the house after being out for two hours or so. As we entered the living room, it was obvious that there was a wet area around the carpet. Then as I rounded the corner into the bar, it was obvious that the aquarium was almost empty and the Discus fish were left in about 4-inches of water. Next I saw the large crack that formed an arc across the front of the aquarium and realized the magnitude of the event. Although there were a few wet spots and a wet carpet, the majority of the 70 or so gallons that had been released had disappeared. The house is on a slab so I have no idea where it all went. Fortunately, the fish were still in about 4 inches of water and were stressed but not in immediate risk of dying. The rest of the day and the next day were spent transferring the fish to temporary holding tanks while I located a new 90-gallon aquarium to replace the cracked aquarium. I reinstalled all the filter and pump plumbing and got the fish back into their new home. Later that night, it dawned on me that I had a security camera in the bar that may have recorded the event."