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Founders of now-empty Bed-Stuy Aquarium hope to install permanent fish pond

bed-stuy aquarium
The remains of the Bed-Stuy Aquarium, which organizers hope to revitalize — if they get permission.
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Though it has been temporarily disassembled, the Bed-Stuy Aquarium has big plans for the future, organizers said last week, and those plans haven’t changed despite recent news about one of its co-founders.

The controversial sidewalk fish “pond” made headlines again this month when Hajj Lovick, who helped create and manage the Aquarium, was sentenced to prison for attempted murder. With Lovick — who made regular TikTok updates about the Aquarium and said he monitored it every day — unable to tend to the pond, its future seemed uncertain.

On Jan. 6, the Aquarium’s other founders released a statement on Instagram. 

fish at bed-stuy aquarium
Goldfish in the Bed-Stuy Aquarium in summer 2024. File photo by Lloyd Mitchell

“While we do not condone violence, we want to be clear that we do not condemn Hajj’s character or our partnership,” the statement read. “Though Hajj will no longer manage the project, we will keep him updated and seek his advice — his vision brought this project to life.”

Lovick and his co-founders created the Aquarium in a sidewalk pit beside a leaky fire hydrant last summer. Consisting of a few inches of water, some aquarium rock and decorations and around 100 goldfish, it drew mixed reactions from locals and internet spectators. 

Some said it brought nature and a sense of community to the nabe. Others said keeping fish in unfiltered and unheated water was akin to animal abuse. 

Organizers are determined to keep the Aquarium alive despite the criticism. In October, the city repaired the hydrant and paved over the Aquarium, but the founders quickly relocated it to a nearby tree pit. By late December, the fish were gone, temporarily relocated to a nearby koi pond, organizers said online. Parts of the makeshift tank — stones, walls, and discarded decorations – were still in the pit as of Jan 8. 

parts of Bed-Stuy Aquarium in tree pit
Parts of the makeshift tank remain in the tree pit. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
nets at bed-stuy aquarium
Aquarium supplies remained near the old tank, though the fish were removed last month. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

The Bed-Stuy Aquarium team said the project is a “community project for community benefit,” one they intend to improve over the coming months.

In a series of Instagram Stories, the team said they’re working to schedule an inspection of the tree pit with the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, and hope to get official approval to install a temporary aquarium. They also hope to find partners to help with “improved fish care.” 

A spokesperson for Parks said the department is “in the process of scheduling a meeting with organizers of the informal ‘aquarium’ to inspect the tree and discuss how to proceed.” 

If the department approves, they plan to raise at least $2,000 for “winterized upgrades” and install the temporary aquarium in the tree pit by early March. They also want to create a livestream of the tank to “reflect popularity & build support from community leaders,” they wrote. 

Longer-term, they said they hope to work with local Council Member Chi Ossé and various city agencies and local civic organizations to come up with a long-term plan for a permanent Bed- Stuy Aquarium. On Instagram, the team said they have already found a professional aquarium company to help design and build a permanent installation — assuming they get permission from the city. 

phone pole and library near aquarium
A painted phone pole near the former Aquarium, with a bench and Little Free Library. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
bed-stuy aquarium hydrant
The decorated hydrant that used to fill the Aquarium, with new pavement laid down by the city in October below. Photo by Lloyd Mitchell.

Ossé’s office declined to comment.

“The simplicity of the Bed-Stuy Aquarium creates an environment where it is easy to pause and breathe,” the team said in the Jan. 9 statement. “It is a shortcut to curiosity about each other, meaningful conversation, and resource distribution.”

Long-term, they said, they hope to establish a “small community gathering space” with books, internet connection, a meeting space, cooling center, and a children’s story time, though it was not clear where the space would be established. 

The Bed-Stuy Aquarium did not respond to requests for comment via email and Instagram message. 

So far, the organizers said, they have hosted community giveback events — on Sept. 1, their website, they held a backpack giveaway and fish adoption event, per their website — and spent $6,500 on the endeavor, including $4,500 from fundraisers like their GoFundMe.