Several species of sharks are kept in captivity in public aquaria. In home aquaria, size constraints mean that only the smallest sharks are typically viable as pets.
Several species of sharks are kept in captivity in public aquaria. In home aquaria, size constraints mean that only the smallest sharks are typically viable as pets.
Until recently only a few benthic species of shark, such as horn sharks, leopard sharks, catsharks, and zebra sharks, had survived in aquarium conditions for up to a year or more. This gave rise to the belief that sharks, as well as being difficult to capture and transport, were difficult to care for. A better knowledge of sharks has led to more species (including the large pelagic sharks) being able to be kept for far longer. At the same time, transportation techniques have improved and long distance movement of sharks is becoming easier. [1] Several attempts to keep a great white shark in captivity have been made, but most specimens died or had to be released after a short time. One example, placed in the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan, only survived for three days. [2] The longest a great white was held in captivity was at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, in September 2004. A young female was kept in an outdoor tank for 44 days before releasing her back into the wild. In the following years, the Monterey Bay Aquarium hosted five more juvenile white sharks for temporary stays before ending its program in 2011. [3]
When introduced to their new habitat some mature sharks have refused food despite the abundance and variety of feeding methods used. [4] Sharks are usually seen to live a solitary existence, rarely moving about in group events, although, a tank could house up to four or five species during the same time period. [4] It has been commonly seen that lemon and nurse sharks occupy the bottom of the tank floor. Occasionally, they will take a swim no more than two or three feet off the bottom. [4] Bull sharks, sandbar sharks, and sand tiger sharks continuously swim at mid-depth. Larger tiger sharks inhabit the upper region of the tank where their dorsal fin is breaking the surface frequently. [4] Swimming patterns seen from sharks in captivity are that of blacktip, bull, and lemon sharks being active 24 hours and those of sandbars, nurse and sand tigers being active at certain times of the day/night. [5] However, within some aquaria this could be attributed to the different feeding times of these species. [5] In captivity, sandbar, sand tiger, and nurse sharks are predicted to be less aggressive in that no aggressive biting is seen after feeding. [6] The foremost behavior observed from those in captivity was curiosity, reasoning's being due to less competition for food and lack of stimulation. [6]
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source .(January 2009) |
Most species of shark are not suitable for domestic aquaria and not every species of shark sold by pet stores make good inhabitants for personal aquaria. Some species of sharks can also be kept well in home saltwater aquaria. [7] Uninformed or unscrupulous dealers sometimes sell juvenile sharks like the nurse shark, which upon reaching adulthood will have far outgrown typical home aquaria. [7] Public aquaria are generally not interested in accepting donated specimens that have overgrown their housing and some shark owners have been tempted to release them into the wild. [7]
However, some species of shark can make prized additions to home aquaria. [7] Species appropriate to home aquaria represent considerable spatial and financial investments as they generally approach adult lengths of 3 feet and can live up to 25 years. [7] Sharks must be housed in aquaria at or exceeding 180 gallons in volume, with more active species requiring more space. [7] Surface area is an even more significant consideration for aquarists than volume as it is the determining factor for the amount of oxygen that ends up being dissolved in the water, and therefore critical to the sharks' respiration. [7] Choice of aquarium substrate is also important because a sharp, rough bed can irritate a shark's soft underbelly, or in severe cases lead to fatal infections. [7] Shark aquaria are generally advised to be decorated "conservatively" in order to leave space for the animal to move more freely during daily activities. A cave, however, is often an appropriate addition for some shy species. [7]
Sharks are very frequently overfed by amateur aquarists, which can lead to obesity or unnaturally fast growth rates. [7] Captive sharks are healthiest when fed at levels similar to their food intake in the wild. [7] Usually this amounts to 1-3% of their body weight weekly. [7] However, aquarium conditions and species disposition are considered by conscientious aquarists when feeding captive sharks. [7] Relatively sedentary species, such as wobbegongs can live on feedings occurring once or twice weekly. [7] More active species may require to be fed three or four times per week to maintain satisfactory health. [7] Sharks living in cooler water have slower metabolisms than sharks in warmer water housings and therefore require less food. [7]
The most common staple food provided to captive sharks in home aquaria is frozen fish. [7] The freezing process used to store foods for sharks often results in the food items losing nutrient value. [7] Lost nutrients are replaced by vitamin supplements, which are marketed commercially, sometimes by companies generally associated with more typical pet foods (such as Purina Mills). [7] Uncorrected nutrient deficiencies inherent in the frozen food diet can cause considerable detriment to the health of captive specimens. [7] Conditions such as popeye, ascites, and anemia are known to occur in captive sharks that are deficient in some essential vitamin. [7] Vitamin B deficiency results in a treatable condition where the shark's back arches and it swims in a circular motion. [7]
Feeding sharks frozen non-marine fish can result in deficiencies of omega-3 fatty acids, which can result in "fat infiltration of the liver," which can impede the organ's function seriously enough for major health issues. [7]
Sometimes sharks are unwittingly put in harm's way when aquarists include potentially dangerous tankmates in the same aquarium. [7] Hobbyists generally don't think of other fish being a threat to sharks, but triggerfish, angel fish, puffers, and wrasses can all injure them. [7] A large grouper is capable of consuming smaller sharks. [7] Sometimes docile bottom feeding sharks are put at risk because of the fish that feed on the ocean bottom, sedentary sharks are simply an extension of the substrate." [7] Another problem aquarists keeping sharks with other types of fish have encountered is that the smaller, more passive aquarium-friendly shark species often have difficulty competing with their tankmates for the food provided by the aquarist. [7] Sharks are predatory themselves and may maul or consume tankmates smaller or weaker than themselves. [7]
A marine aquarium is an aquarium that keeps marine plants and animals in a contained environment. Marine aquaria are further subdivided by hobbyists into fish only (FO), fish only with live rock (FOWLR), and reef aquaria. Fish only tanks often showcase large or aggressive marine fish species and generally rely on mechanical and chemical filtration. FOWLR and reef tanks use live rock, a material composed of coral skeletons harboring beneficial nitrogen waste metabolizing bacteria, as a means of more natural biological filtration.
The sand tiger shark, gray nurse shark, spotted ragged-tooth shark or blue-nurse sand tiger, is a species of shark that inhabits subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. It inhabits the continental shelf, from sandy shorelines and submerged reefs to a depth of around 191 m (627 ft). They dwell in the waters of Japan, Australia, South Africa, and the east coasts of North and South America. The sand tiger shark also inhabited the Mediterranean, however it was last seen there in 2003 and is presumed extinct in the region. Despite its common names, it is not closely related to either the tiger shark or the nurse shark.
The red-tailed black shark, also known as the redtail shark and redtail sharkminnow, is a species of freshwater fish in the carp family, Cyprinidae. Despite its name, it is more closely related to carp. It is endemic to Thailand and currently critically endangered, but common in aquaria, where it is prized for its deep black body and vivid red or orange tail. The red-tailed black sharks seen in the aquarium trade today are all captive bred.
Community aquaria are tanks that are designed to contain more than one species of fish. Most commonly they include a variety of species that do not normally occur together in nature, for example angelfish from Brazil, swordtails from Mexico, and gouramis from South East Asia. The aim of such communities is to bring together fish that are compatible in temperament and water requirements, while using their different colours and behaviors to add interest and entertainment value.
Fishkeeping is a popular hobby, practiced by aquarists, concerned with keeping fish in a home aquarium or garden pond. There is also a piscicultural fishkeeping industry, serving as a branch of agriculture.
Aquarium fish feed is plant or animal material intended for consumption by pet fish kept in aquariums or ponds. Fish foods normally contain macronutrients, trace elements and vitamins necessary to keep captive fish in good health. Approximately 80% of fishkeeping hobbyists feed their fish exclusively prepared foods that most commonly are produced in flake, pellet or tablet form. Pelleted forms, some of which sink rapidly, are often used for larger fish or bottom feeding species such as loaches or catfish. Some fish foods also contain additives such as sex hormones or beta carotene to artificially enhance the color of ornamental fish.
Feeder fish is the common name for certain types of small, inexpensive fish commonly fed as live food to other captive animals such as predatory fishes or carnivorous aquarium fish, turtles, crocodilians and other piscivores that naturally hunt in fresh, brackish or salt water ecosystems.
The substrate of an aquarium refers to the material used on the tank bottom. It can affect water chemistry, filtration, and the well-being of the aquarium's inhabitants, and is also an important part of the aquarium's aesthetic appeal. The appropriate substrate depends on the type of aquarium; the most important parameter is whether the aquarium contains fresh water or saltwater.
The bala shark, Balantiocheilos melanopterus, also known as the tricolor shark, tricolor sharkminnow, silver shark, or shark minnow, is a fish of the family Cyprinidae, and is one of the two species in the genus Balantiocheilos. This species is not a true shark, but is commonly so called because of its torpedo-shaped body and large fins.
Lamprologus ocellatus is a species of shell dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It is a popular aquarium fish due to its small size, appearance, and intelligence.
The Hemiscylliidae are a family of sharks in the order Orectolobiformes, commonly known as longtail carpet sharks and sometimes as bamboo sharks. They are found in shallow waters of the tropical Indo-Pacific.
Brachaelurus is the sole genus of sharks in the family Brachaeluridae in the order Orectolobiformes. Only two species of blind sharks occur, both of which are native to shallow coastal waters up to 110 m (360 ft) deep, off the eastern coast of Australia.
The coral catshark is a species of catshark in the family Scyliorhinidae. It is common on shallow coral reefs across the Indo-West Pacific, from Pakistan to New Guinea. Reaching up to 70 cm (28 in) in length, the coral catshark has an extremely slender body, a short head and tail, and two dorsal fins that are angled backwards. It can be identified by the numerous black and white spots on its back, sides, and fins, which often merge to form horizontal bars. Furthermore, adult males have distinctively long and thin claspers.
A brackish-water aquarium is an aquarium where the water is brackish (semi-salty). The range of "saltiness" varies greatly, from near freshwater to near marine and is often referred to as specific gravity (SG) or salinity. Brackish water aquaria is a popular specialization within the fishkeeping hobby. Many species of fish traded as freshwater species are actually true brackish species, for example mollies, Florida flagfish, and some cichlids such as chromides and black-chin tilapia. There are also several popular species traded purely as brackish water fish, including monos spp, scats, archerfish, and various species of pufferfish, goby, flatfish, and gar. Generally, aquarists need to maintain a specific gravity of around 1.005 to 1.010 depending on the species being kept, but practically all brackish water fish tolerate variations in salinity well, and some aquarists maintain that regularly fluctuating the salinity in the aquarium actually keeps the fish healthy and free of parasites.
The rainbow shark is a species of Southeast Asian freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae. It is also known as the ruby shark, red-fin shark, red-finned shark, rainbow sharkminnow, green fringelip labeo, whitefin shark and whitetail sharkminnow. It is a popular, semi-aggressive aquarium fish. Unlike true sharks, which belong to the Chondrichthyes lineage, the rainbow shark is an actinopterygiian.
Holacanthus passer is a large marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae. Its large size and bright colors make it a popular aquarium fish, even though it can be difficult to keep.
An aquarium is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquatic reptiles, such as turtles, and aquatic plants. The term aquarium, coined by English naturalist Philip Henry Gosse, combines the Latin root aqua, meaning 'water', with the suffix -arium, meaning 'a place for relating to'.
Gymnothorax polyuranodon, commonly known as the freshwater moray, is a species of moray eel that is native to the Indo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the northern coastline of Australia, and various islands in the western Pacific. Other common names include the many-toothed moray, spotted freshwater moray, blackspotted moray, freshwater leopard moray, and tiger freshwater moray.
The Acuario de Veracruz is a public aquarium located in the city of Veracruz. It is the biggest aquarium in Mexico and Latin America by area, with more than 7,500 square meters.
