got another short question: how active are they do they just lay on the bottom or do they swim around?
Bamboo Shark Info Needed
- Thread starter carsanfish
- Start date
Mine do not just lay around all the time. Mine get very active when I approch the tank since they are used to me and know me from birth. After they eat they lay around alot to digest their food but in the mornings and evenings they are very active and swim around the tank a fair amount. One thing for sure is that you will love them. I can reach in and pet mine. When they stop swimming they sink like a rock because they don't have swim bladders like most outher fish and sharks. In order for them to swim they have to work. Kinda like me
I'll agree Scott Michael's book "Aquarium Sharks & Rays" is an absolute must have.
It will cover the basics of shark husbandary - including diseases, filtration, tank sizes & basic species info.
But the book is really just the beginning - you will need to do some online research your self, of the species that you go with.
As for the egg case versus live pup debate - I've heard both sides. And the egg case side actually as has a few problems. the 1st - you could end up with a "wind" egg -whihc is basically an egg cast without a shark pup - this is rare but sometimes does happen. The second problem is pup mortality during hatching - this period in very stressful for the pup - and some pups end up dieing because of it. The third problem getting your pup to feed(after the 2 week wait), this really can't be avoided - because both side tend to go thru it.
As for required aquariums sizes for sharks. So many people will state that a certain shark requires a certain size tank. The truth is when keeping a shark in a home aquarium - it's about the tank's footprint(length & width), not it's total gallonage. For most sharks(especially - catsharks, Bamboos & eppies) the tank's depth isn't really that important(so long as it at least a foot deep).
The simple fact is there's only two species of sharks commonly available in the U.S. that can be housed in any standard size(120-240 gal. - which are all 2' wide) aquarium - these the Coral Catshark & the Marble Catshark(A.macleayi) because they both grow to about 2' in length. All other species need a custom built aquarium to keep as adults(including the bamboos).
That said - there are several species of sharks that can be housed in smaller aquariums (than the required aquarium size for an adult) as juveniles/pups for several months.
For example - Bamboo pups(any species) can be hatched and raised in a 50 gallons for the first 6 months(after that you'll need to move them to a larger tank).
By the way - that egg case - is a Brown-banded bamboo(grows up to about 40") - and requires a tank of no least than 250 gallons(tank footprint - 7' long x 3.33' wide).
It will cover the basics of shark husbandary - including diseases, filtration, tank sizes & basic species info.
But the book is really just the beginning - you will need to do some online research your self, of the species that you go with.
As for the egg case versus live pup debate - I've heard both sides. And the egg case side actually as has a few problems. the 1st - you could end up with a "wind" egg -whihc is basically an egg cast without a shark pup - this is rare but sometimes does happen. The second problem is pup mortality during hatching - this period in very stressful for the pup - and some pups end up dieing because of it. The third problem getting your pup to feed(after the 2 week wait), this really can't be avoided - because both side tend to go thru it.
As for required aquariums sizes for sharks. So many people will state that a certain shark requires a certain size tank. The truth is when keeping a shark in a home aquarium - it's about the tank's footprint(length & width), not it's total gallonage. For most sharks(especially - catsharks, Bamboos & eppies) the tank's depth isn't really that important(so long as it at least a foot deep).
The simple fact is there's only two species of sharks commonly available in the U.S. that can be housed in any standard size(120-240 gal. - which are all 2' wide) aquarium - these the Coral Catshark & the Marble Catshark(A.macleayi) because they both grow to about 2' in length. All other species need a custom built aquarium to keep as adults(including the bamboos).
That said - there are several species of sharks that can be housed in smaller aquariums (than the required aquarium size for an adult) as juveniles/pups for several months.
For example - Bamboo pups(any species) can be hatched and raised in a 50 gallons for the first 6 months(after that you'll need to move them to a larger tank).
By the way - that egg case - is a Brown-banded bamboo(grows up to about 40") - and requires a tank of no least than 250 gallons(tank footprint - 7' long x 3.33' wide).
Well - As you recall - Bamboo, eppies & catsharks are all native to tidal pools.
This means that these sharks can eaily live in very shallow water of only a foot deep. which is fine for juveniles.
Still I would recommend that adults of these species really need tanks that are at least 18" deep.
But I was also using the statement to make the point that when keeping sharks - the tank's depth is the least important of the 3 dimensions.
By the way there is a basic formula I would use for a shark tank(for bottom-dwellers only) is - 4(L)x2(W)x1(D) - which means that for each foot in depth the tank is - it needs to be 2 ft wide and 4 feet long.
This means that these sharks can eaily live in very shallow water of only a foot deep. which is fine for juveniles.
Still I would recommend that adults of these species really need tanks that are at least 18" deep.
But I was also using the statement to make the point that when keeping sharks - the tank's depth is the least important of the 3 dimensions.
By the way there is a basic formula I would use for a shark tank(for bottom-dwellers only) is - 4(L)x2(W)x1(D) - which means that for each foot in depth the tank is - it needs to be 2 ft wide and 4 feet long.
Bamboos like all sharks need a sandy bottom, the finer the better.
And a live sand like aragonite is a great choice.
And a live sand like aragonite is a great choice.
