Challenges Of Establishing And Maintaining A Healthy Collection During The Start Up Of A Public Aquarium     Jason T. Crichton, Christopher R. Andrews, and Thomas J. Sheridan   South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC      After nearly two decades of planning, development and construction, the South Carolina Aquarium opened on May 19th 2000.  The Aquarium has a regional theme, showcasing the rich biodiversity of the southeast Appalachian watershed, including a significant number of freshwater and marine fishes in most of its 60 exhibits.  Three years before the Aquarium opened, an 8,000 square foot warehouse space was converted into a fish holding facility in downtown Charleston, incorporating closed freshwater and seawater life support systems ranging from 50 to 30,000 gallons.  It was estimated that approximately 3,000 specimens comprised of over 200 species would be required by opening day.  These specimens would need to be collected from a range of habitats include freshwater lakes and streams to salt marshes and offshore pelagic and benthic zones.  The Aquarium staff was able to acquire many of the specimens using a range of standard fishing techniques (seine nets, long-line, traps, scuba diving and hook and line).  The fish were then accumulated at the holding facility and whenever possible quarantined using appropriate freshwater or seawater protocols before being introduced to the exhibits.  Challenges included lack of space to adequately quarantine all of the fish prior to opening, seasonal availability of some species and possible deleterious species interactions during holding.   In the months that followed the opening of the Aquarium, disease outbreaks in the exhibits were minimal and limited to Benedenia and Cryptocaryon.  With proper planning and thorough quarantining the Aquarium opened with a diverse and healthy animal collection.