Question on Hatching a Shark Egg

Mary Mac

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
5
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Citrus Heights, CA
We bought a shark egg from a local FS and we were told it would hatch in a week or 2. We are now going on 4 weeks, I can see him moving around in there and it appears that the egg has a small rip (looks like I took a razor blade and sliced it about a 1/2", but I didn't). Can someone offer me some advice on when I will know when it's time for him to come out? Can he just die in there if he can't come out or will he be able to come out eventually?
Thanks for any help you can provide me.:nilly:
 

ewurm

Aimara
MFK Member
Jan 27, 2006
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It depends on how far along the shark is. It takes more than a week or two.
 

Mary Mac

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
5
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Citrus Heights, CA
ewurm;1110994;1110994 said:
It depends on how far along the shark is. It takes more than a week or two.
I figured as much, but is there any way to tell how far along it is? Can he die in there if he doesn't come out?
 

moxxommox

Feeder Fish
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May 15, 2006
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hahahah . From memory the port can take oveer 6 months to hatch?..... I think you may have been riped off.
 

flagtail

Gambusia
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Jun 14, 2005
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here fishy fishy
DO NOT PULL THE EGG OUT OF THE WATER! IF YOU GET AN AIR POCKET INSIDE, THE SHARK WILL SOFICATE AND DIE!

IF YOU SEE AN AIR BUBBLE INSIDE YOU COULD SQUEZZE IT OUT GENTLY

You could wipe/rub off some of the coating on the egg.....the skin is tansparant, and you'll be able to see the shark....

If the shark has absorbed all the yolk sac, you could help him out by tearing the opening a bit....most likely he will shoot out at this point...you should also be able to see the shark movin gill slots as he takes in water.

The sac will start to deteriorate close to hatching time...maybe this is the gash you wintnessed.

If you still see the yolk sac give him some more time......just place egg somewhere with good water flow....

After hatching some sharks take almost 7 days to eat....usually taking market shimp we they do....
 

alcohologist

Candiru
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Apr 8, 2007
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it's generally not a good idea to cut the shark out of the egg, it's perfectly capable of doing it on its own. a lot of the times people cut the eggs, they see that there's still some yolk attached, which isn't a good thing.
anyhow, the pup will get bigger to the point that he looks cramped up in the egg case, and it'll stop moving about so much. this is normal. one day during this period it'll just spring out.
 

Mary Mac

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
5
0
0
Citrus Heights, CA
flagtail;1111386;1111386 said:
DO NOT PULL THE EGG OUT OF THE WATER! IF YOU GET AN AIR POCKET INSIDE, THE SHARK WILL SOFICATE AND DIE!

IF YOU SEE AN AIR BUBBLE INSIDE YOU COULD SQUEZZE IT OUT GENTLY

You could wipe/rub off some of the coating on the egg.....the skin is tansparant, and you'll be able to see the shark....

If the shark has absorbed all the yolk sac, you could help him out by tearing the opening a bit....most likely he will shoot out at this point...you should also be able to see the shark movin gill slots as he takes in water.

The sac will start to deteriorate close to hatching time...maybe this is the gash you wintnessed.

If you still see the yolk sac give him some more time......just place egg somewhere with good water flow....

After hatching some sharks take almost 7 days to eat....usually taking market shimp we they do....
Thank you for the advice. I was told not to take it out of the water for the same reason you said, but I didn't think about trying to wipe the sides off, I will try that. I don't want to do the wrong thing to the little guy, but I was just worried if there was anyway the egg wouldn't open and he sufficated in there. I appreciate your help.
 

Mary Mac

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
5
0
0
Citrus Heights, CA
alcohologist;1113322;1113322 said:
it's generally not a good idea to cut the shark out of the egg, it's perfectly capable of doing it on its own. a lot of the times people cut the eggs, they see that there's still some yolk attached, which isn't a good thing.
anyhow, the pup will get bigger to the point that he looks cramped up in the egg case, and it'll stop moving about so much. this is normal. one day during this period it'll just spring out.
So it will just happen in one day, is there anything I should be able to witness before he gets ready to come out? Will the egg turn a different color or thin out? I just want to do the right thing for the little guy, you know.
Thanks for your help.
 

Scuba Kid

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 25, 2006
162
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RI
Don't take offense to this, but it sounds like you didn't do much research before buying this shark egg. Impulse buying a shark is a terrible decision in most cases because the owner has no idea how to care for the shark properly. I will assume the shark in the egg is a brown banded bamboo shark since they are most commonly available in egg cases. Did you realize when you bought it that a full grown brown banded bamboo can reach 40 inches in length and need at least a 500 gallon tank?
If you did do your research and know all of this and have the proper housing for it, then I apologize. I would rather be wrong about it.
 
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