Two green sturgeon, six spiny dogfish sharks and one grass rockfish are headed across the Yaquina Bay, leaving one aquarium home for a new one.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium announced Thursday that it will take in the animals, which have been held at Undersea Gardens, a floating aquarium on Newport’s Historic Bayfront that closed in September after more than 50 years in business.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium worked with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to assess the health of animals from Undersea Gardens, and released those that were deemed fit to survive in the wild, the aquarium said in a news release.

The news comes a week after the Oregon Coast Aquarium announced plans for an $18 million renovation and expansion, which would include a new marine rehabilitation center. The new center would help the aquarium take in and care for injured or endangered animals.

Six spiny dogfish sharks are held by the Oregon Coast Aquarium, after obtaining them from Undersea Gardens.

The two green sturgeon from Undersea Gardens are an endangered species, and will be monitored to determine their fitness for release, aquarium officials said. During that time, visitors to the aquarium will be able to see them on display alongside four white sturgeon.

All new animals will be held in quarantine before being put on display, the aquarium said, which will likely happen next week.

“The Oregon Coast Aquarium is happy to help where we can. We don’t want to leave animals without a home,” Jim Burke, director of animal husbandry at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, said the news release. “We like to work collaboratively within our small town and were happy to help Undersea Gardens.”

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB