Helping Marine Life Flower - Aquatic Wildlife Co - Brief Article

Nation's Business, May, 1999 by Nancy Bearden Henderson

Nancy Bearden Henderson is a free-lance writer in Chattanooga, Tenn.

In a saltwater tank at The Aquatic Wildlife Co., jellyfish the size of quarters glide alongside hammer reefs resembling small brains and past mushroom "leathers" that look like miniature tumbleweeds. The arms of Pulsating Xenia, the company's best-selling coral, open and close rhythmically, and, nearby, small cuttings of hard and soft reefs grow in plastic rosebud holders commonly used by florists.

For Dr. Marc Clark, what began in 1994 as a diversion from the pressures of his medical practice has turned into a profitable business in the small town of Cleveland, Tenn.

Clark, a scuba diver with undergraduate training in marine biology, had read about a Smithsonian Institution aquarium where marine life and plants could be cultivated and sustained, eliminating the need to extract them from the oceans' dwindling populations.

He contacted Walter Adey, curator of the Smithsonian's Marine Science Laboratory, and was invited to visit Adey's home and research facility in Gloucester, Va.

Intrigued by the facility's aquariums filled with tank-grown corals, Clark decided to launch a commercial venture that, he says, "could produce marine organisms for the ornamental-saltwater-aquarium industry in an environmentally sensitive manner."

That summer, Clark and his wife, Vanessa, a former nurse, acquired a $500,000 bank loan, sold some property, and bought a large lot anchored by a 12,000-square-foot warehouse. They installed moisture-resistant walls, lowered the ceiling, and put in a complex electrical system to light the cultivation tanks.

Each afternoon, Clark left his medical office to tend the plants, coral, fish, and other marine life incubating in what is now the company's research center, with tanks totaling 24,000 gallons.

"My advisers told me that it was a poor investment of capital," says Clark. But the skeptics were wrong. In late 1995, the Clarks sold their first corals to an Atlanta wholesaler. Disney World, Sea World, and the Pittsburgh Zoo bought percula clown fish and chocolate-chip starfish. Trade-magazine ads began to draw business from home-aquarium enthusiasts.

A turning point came in the spring of 1996, when the Clarks opened an on-site nature store and showroom. Vanessa manages the business as president; Marc, a gas-troenterologist, continues with his medical practice and serves as vice president.

In 1997, the couple perfected their self-sustaining ecoReef tank, and it became the firm's primary product. A fully stocked, 200-gallon unit--including delivery and installation--typically retails for $8,000 to $10,000. Each ecoReef is encased in a sleek, hardwood cabinet. Last year the Clarks introduced the patented Ebb & Flow filtration system, which eliminates the need to change aquarium water.

Last year, thanks to marketing efforts and new product offerings, Aquatic Wildlife started making a profit. A catalog introduced in January is expected to boost sales even more.

Although the Clarks won't reveal sales figures, Vanessa says, "Income in some areas has tripled from a year ago." Half of the business comes from national mail orders; the rest is from local customers. Aquatic Wildlife employs five to 10 people, depending on seasonal need. The research center, a nonprofit operation, is open for public tours.

The Clarks are now used to mastering challenge. When their wholesale business failed to generate enough income, they focused on retail. When the research center started eating up too much of their profits, the Clarks scaled it back and concentrated on their product line.

"If something doesn't work and we get a roadblock," says Vanessa, "it doesn't take us long to figure it out and make another adjustment."