risc
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Aquarium Sharks
Sharks are from 6 inches to 50 feet. The ones collected for aquariums are generally 3 feet to 14 feet. There are a few species that only grow to about 20 inches that can also be acquired but they are much more expensive because of their lack of being collected.
Here is a breakdown and information on the basic types of sharks available in the aquarium trade.
Bamboo Sharks (Bamboos and Epaulettes):
There are many bamboo sharks that are available in the trade, but I will touch on a few of the more popular. These sharks are ideal for most shark beginners. They easily adapt and once accustomed to their home and surroundings will feed regularly. These sharks have very rapid digestive systems and will feed generally every day. It is not recommended to feed them every day. Even if your bamboo shark is going around eating your hermits and snails, do not feed them every day. A good rule of thumb for these sharks is to feed them once every two days when they are young (16 inches or smaller) and then wait out for three days when they are adults. Don’t worry about them starving to death… these sharks can go for weeks without food. All bamboo sharks can be housed in tanks less than 300 gallons. I personally recommend for white and brown banded bamboos and epaulettes a 540 gallon due to their more active nature and radial body width. Generally speaking all bamboos grow about 6 to 7 inches a year. Epaulettes have been known to grow as much as 11. If your shark grows faster than that your tank is too warm and you are feeding too much. Optimal conditions are 76 degrees and regularly spaced feeding days. Bamboo sharks breed in captivity exceptionally well. I have been witness to this happening about five times myself. I have hatched hundred of bamboos from eggs with a loss only around five or six after birth because they refused to feed. Hatching bamboos from eggs should not be done by a first time shark owner. You could be biting off far more than you can chew, especially if you can’t get it to eat. Normal bamboo diets consist of fish, shrimp, mollusks, crabs, and some worms. I personally feed all of mine squid, octopus, fish, and shrimp. Average cost for Bamboo setup and upkeep $2,800.
Bullhead Sharks (Horn sharks and Port Jackson sharks, etc)
These sharks do excellent in aquariums and they are really inexpensive. They are generally cold water sharks from 55 to 70 degrees. I have acclimated mine to live in 75-80 degree water. These sharks live very long lives… and can successfully housed in an aquarium for 20 or more years. The Horn shark is the smallest of them growing to only around 40 inches and weighing about 22-24 pounds they make excellent aquarium inhabitants for tanks around 300 gallons. These sharks will generally eat regularly without fault. They will accept any seafood I’ve found from experience. They are very friendly to other tank mates and to you as their owner. Mine will surface to the top of the aquarium when he sees me and pokes his nose and eyes out and lets me touch him. This maybe because every time I do that he gets some sort of treat… but none the less it shows that they can learn from experience and get to realize you as their owner. They tend to spend most of the day in hiding (darkness) if they can find it. If you own one of these sharks it’s a good idea to build them a little rock work home or place to hide when your lights are on in the tank. If you want him to come out of hiding so you can show him off just offer it up a little treat like octopus and they will instantly come out of hiding. The Port Jackson shark grows much larger for the species and attains a length around 5 feet. They grow an average of 2 to 3 inches per year. Egg cases are sometimes found available for these in the aquarium trade. These sharks will need aquariums in the area of 800 to 1,000 gallons. Average cost for Bullhead shark setup and upkeep $3,100.
Blind Sharks and Carpet Sharks:
Neither of these shark species is seen too often in the trade but I will talk a little about them in case anyone is interested in trying to acquire them. These are both cold water sharks living in 55 to 70 degree water. Both of these species of sharks spend almost 90% of the day in hiding places. So you need to construct ample spaces for them to wedge their bodies into during the daylight. Blind sharks grow to about 4 feet but you generally don’t find them growing that large in home aquariums. They eat almost any seafood and tank mate small enough to fit in their mouth. They have been known to regularly breed in captivity. They require a tank of around 500 gallons due to the extensive amount of aquascaping needed. Carpet sharks generally grow to a length of about 32 inches and they required the same aquascaping requirements of Blind sharks. They however can all live in tanks around 200 gallons. Carpet sharks love squid, shrimp, and snails. They can be made to eat other types of seafood as well. These sharks breed exceptionally well in captivity. Thousands of reported cases have been made. Average cost for Blind shark or Carpet shark setup and upkeep $3,000.
Catsharks (coral cat, marbled cat, swell shark, spotted cat, tiger cat, cloudy cat, leopard cat, shyshark, puffaddershark, etc)
There are more than 100 species of cat shark and all of them have their own unique coloring and beauty. They live over 20 years and many of them can be housed together. All catsharks are cold water sharks and need a tank 60 to 68 degrees. This shark is especially easy to keep and an excellent beginner shark. Catsharks spend most of their days hiding about in reef rock and crevices. They search for food at night and feed on just about every type of seafood. All of the species are generally born at 3.5 to 4 inches and grow to about 23 to 30 inches. There are a few species that will grow to around 40 inches. Most species of catsharks can live out their entire life in 100 gallon tanks. There are few exceptions like swell sharks, pufferadders, pyjama, leopard, black spotted, and small spotted that will need tanks of around 300 gallons. Almost every catshark has breed actively in captivity. Catsharks may look shy but they are very aggressive feeders. They have been known to eat tank mates up to five times the length of their body. Obviously not consuming their entire carcass, but eating what they can digest. Average cost for Catshark setup and upkeep $3,000.
Nurse Sharks (tawny and common):
Nurse sharks are born at about 10 inches in length. They grow about 12 inches a year and about 6 pounds so if you plan on getting one… plan years in advance for their rapid growth. These sharks can attain a maximum length of 15 to 16 feet but most never get over 12. The largest being the Tawny nurse shark is rarely captured for home aquariums. These sharks are EXTREMELY easy to keep. They have an unheard of immunity to fluctuating tank conditions. They don’t seem to care if the tank is 88 degrees or 65 degrees. Diseases rarely if ever affect these sharks. They can live in low and high salinity conditions. The only problem with them is that they will outgrow any normal home system. These sharks will eat any and every piece of seafood given to them. They don’t have preferences and will even eat cubed prepared foods. Nurse sharks will devour and swallow whole any tank make slow enough to be caught or dumb enough to get pinned in corners. They are ferocious feeders and will not stop until their prey is consumed in entirety. Nurse sharks are also not sensitive to copper like other sharks. They will breed in captivity and can live to over 25 years of age. It’s been said this shark can live in tanks around 5,000-5,200 gallons… I however would not recommend any tank less than 10,000 gallons. Average cost for Nurse shark setup and upkeep $6,000 to $15,000.
Hammerhead Sharks (bonnethead):
Bonnetheads are about the only type of hammerhead shark known to do well in captivity. They are born at about 14 inches in length and grow to about 5 feet. They only grow a little over a foot a year. They also don’t live very long. Their life span is only estimated to be around 12 years for females and even less for males. Bonnetheads eat mostly shrimp and crab; they can also be feed squid, octopus, and other marine life. Bonnetheads is on the list of sharks that shouldn’t be purchased by average home hobbyists. They require better than excellent care. If you do get a Bonnethead shark you should hire an aquarium service technician with a lot of shark experience to do all your tank upkeep for 6 months. After 6 months your bonnethead should be sufficiently broken-in to your tank environment to live out the rest of its life. This is of course as long as you can provide the same care the technician could. It has been written that bonnetheads can live in 2,500 to 2,800 gallon aquariums… but I wouldn’t ever house them in less than 5,000 gallon tanks. Average cost for Bonnethead setup and upkeep $10,000.
Sharks are from 6 inches to 50 feet. The ones collected for aquariums are generally 3 feet to 14 feet. There are a few species that only grow to about 20 inches that can also be acquired but they are much more expensive because of their lack of being collected.
Here is a breakdown and information on the basic types of sharks available in the aquarium trade.
Bamboo Sharks (Bamboos and Epaulettes):
There are many bamboo sharks that are available in the trade, but I will touch on a few of the more popular. These sharks are ideal for most shark beginners. They easily adapt and once accustomed to their home and surroundings will feed regularly. These sharks have very rapid digestive systems and will feed generally every day. It is not recommended to feed them every day. Even if your bamboo shark is going around eating your hermits and snails, do not feed them every day. A good rule of thumb for these sharks is to feed them once every two days when they are young (16 inches or smaller) and then wait out for three days when they are adults. Don’t worry about them starving to death… these sharks can go for weeks without food. All bamboo sharks can be housed in tanks less than 300 gallons. I personally recommend for white and brown banded bamboos and epaulettes a 540 gallon due to their more active nature and radial body width. Generally speaking all bamboos grow about 6 to 7 inches a year. Epaulettes have been known to grow as much as 11. If your shark grows faster than that your tank is too warm and you are feeding too much. Optimal conditions are 76 degrees and regularly spaced feeding days. Bamboo sharks breed in captivity exceptionally well. I have been witness to this happening about five times myself. I have hatched hundred of bamboos from eggs with a loss only around five or six after birth because they refused to feed. Hatching bamboos from eggs should not be done by a first time shark owner. You could be biting off far more than you can chew, especially if you can’t get it to eat. Normal bamboo diets consist of fish, shrimp, mollusks, crabs, and some worms. I personally feed all of mine squid, octopus, fish, and shrimp. Average cost for Bamboo setup and upkeep $2,800.
Bullhead Sharks (Horn sharks and Port Jackson sharks, etc)
These sharks do excellent in aquariums and they are really inexpensive. They are generally cold water sharks from 55 to 70 degrees. I have acclimated mine to live in 75-80 degree water. These sharks live very long lives… and can successfully housed in an aquarium for 20 or more years. The Horn shark is the smallest of them growing to only around 40 inches and weighing about 22-24 pounds they make excellent aquarium inhabitants for tanks around 300 gallons. These sharks will generally eat regularly without fault. They will accept any seafood I’ve found from experience. They are very friendly to other tank mates and to you as their owner. Mine will surface to the top of the aquarium when he sees me and pokes his nose and eyes out and lets me touch him. This maybe because every time I do that he gets some sort of treat… but none the less it shows that they can learn from experience and get to realize you as their owner. They tend to spend most of the day in hiding (darkness) if they can find it. If you own one of these sharks it’s a good idea to build them a little rock work home or place to hide when your lights are on in the tank. If you want him to come out of hiding so you can show him off just offer it up a little treat like octopus and they will instantly come out of hiding. The Port Jackson shark grows much larger for the species and attains a length around 5 feet. They grow an average of 2 to 3 inches per year. Egg cases are sometimes found available for these in the aquarium trade. These sharks will need aquariums in the area of 800 to 1,000 gallons. Average cost for Bullhead shark setup and upkeep $3,100.
Blind Sharks and Carpet Sharks:
Neither of these shark species is seen too often in the trade but I will talk a little about them in case anyone is interested in trying to acquire them. These are both cold water sharks living in 55 to 70 degree water. Both of these species of sharks spend almost 90% of the day in hiding places. So you need to construct ample spaces for them to wedge their bodies into during the daylight. Blind sharks grow to about 4 feet but you generally don’t find them growing that large in home aquariums. They eat almost any seafood and tank mate small enough to fit in their mouth. They have been known to regularly breed in captivity. They require a tank of around 500 gallons due to the extensive amount of aquascaping needed. Carpet sharks generally grow to a length of about 32 inches and they required the same aquascaping requirements of Blind sharks. They however can all live in tanks around 200 gallons. Carpet sharks love squid, shrimp, and snails. They can be made to eat other types of seafood as well. These sharks breed exceptionally well in captivity. Thousands of reported cases have been made. Average cost for Blind shark or Carpet shark setup and upkeep $3,000.
Catsharks (coral cat, marbled cat, swell shark, spotted cat, tiger cat, cloudy cat, leopard cat, shyshark, puffaddershark, etc)
There are more than 100 species of cat shark and all of them have their own unique coloring and beauty. They live over 20 years and many of them can be housed together. All catsharks are cold water sharks and need a tank 60 to 68 degrees. This shark is especially easy to keep and an excellent beginner shark. Catsharks spend most of their days hiding about in reef rock and crevices. They search for food at night and feed on just about every type of seafood. All of the species are generally born at 3.5 to 4 inches and grow to about 23 to 30 inches. There are a few species that will grow to around 40 inches. Most species of catsharks can live out their entire life in 100 gallon tanks. There are few exceptions like swell sharks, pufferadders, pyjama, leopard, black spotted, and small spotted that will need tanks of around 300 gallons. Almost every catshark has breed actively in captivity. Catsharks may look shy but they are very aggressive feeders. They have been known to eat tank mates up to five times the length of their body. Obviously not consuming their entire carcass, but eating what they can digest. Average cost for Catshark setup and upkeep $3,000.
Nurse Sharks (tawny and common):
Nurse sharks are born at about 10 inches in length. They grow about 12 inches a year and about 6 pounds so if you plan on getting one… plan years in advance for their rapid growth. These sharks can attain a maximum length of 15 to 16 feet but most never get over 12. The largest being the Tawny nurse shark is rarely captured for home aquariums. These sharks are EXTREMELY easy to keep. They have an unheard of immunity to fluctuating tank conditions. They don’t seem to care if the tank is 88 degrees or 65 degrees. Diseases rarely if ever affect these sharks. They can live in low and high salinity conditions. The only problem with them is that they will outgrow any normal home system. These sharks will eat any and every piece of seafood given to them. They don’t have preferences and will even eat cubed prepared foods. Nurse sharks will devour and swallow whole any tank make slow enough to be caught or dumb enough to get pinned in corners. They are ferocious feeders and will not stop until their prey is consumed in entirety. Nurse sharks are also not sensitive to copper like other sharks. They will breed in captivity and can live to over 25 years of age. It’s been said this shark can live in tanks around 5,000-5,200 gallons… I however would not recommend any tank less than 10,000 gallons. Average cost for Nurse shark setup and upkeep $6,000 to $15,000.
Hammerhead Sharks (bonnethead):
Bonnetheads are about the only type of hammerhead shark known to do well in captivity. They are born at about 14 inches in length and grow to about 5 feet. They only grow a little over a foot a year. They also don’t live very long. Their life span is only estimated to be around 12 years for females and even less for males. Bonnetheads eat mostly shrimp and crab; they can also be feed squid, octopus, and other marine life. Bonnetheads is on the list of sharks that shouldn’t be purchased by average home hobbyists. They require better than excellent care. If you do get a Bonnethead shark you should hire an aquarium service technician with a lot of shark experience to do all your tank upkeep for 6 months. After 6 months your bonnethead should be sufficiently broken-in to your tank environment to live out the rest of its life. This is of course as long as you can provide the same care the technician could. It has been written that bonnetheads can live in 2,500 to 2,800 gallon aquariums… but I wouldn’t ever house them in less than 5,000 gallon tanks. Average cost for Bonnethead setup and upkeep $10,000.
