Freshwater Sharks - actual elasmobranchs

[AU_Arowana-RG]

It's endangered. CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. The only chance we got is if there is a captive breeding program and some of these somehow get into the responsible hands of fish farmers who will farm these for the pet trade. And even then, we'd probably be paying the prices of Australian Lungfishes and Asian Arowanas to get these IF it were to happen.

 

[Veneer]

The Ganges River shark is not the only kind of Glyphis, a genus specialized for low-salinity waters (estuarine to full freshwater, depending on the species). A handful of species are scattered from India to island Southewast Asia and Northern Australia.

Here's one from a river in Borneo:

This small shark, feared extinct as no specimens were reported since the 19th Century, was discovered in the Kinabatangan River of Sabah, in northern Borneo. It is a new, as-yet un-named species of river shark (Glyphis sp., possibly Glyphis species B), that is presently in the process of being described by Sarah Fowler and Leonard J.V. Compagno.

However, they're all "exceedingly rare" and have no business being in a home aquarium.

River sharks may be particularly vulnerable to fishing pressure or habitat changes. Like other sharks, they probably feature a life history cycle characterized by long gestation, slow growth, delayed maturity, and small litter size. As such, their populations can be quickly devastated by even relatively low levels of exploitation, such as sport angling or gill netting.

More information here (excerpt source).

 

[Veneer]

Endangered speartooth shark (Glyphis sp.) from a river in northern Australia:

 

[jsanzone11]

It isnt good to keep salt fish in fresh and vice versa, I am personally against it. Check out this article though. I dont know how reliable the source is but I know for a fact that the shark in MD was caught, I have family that have lived there for years and they confirmed that while I was only a year old they did however catch the shark in the lake. Who knows how it got there
http://www.drizz.com/freshwater_sharks.htm

 

[Exiled]

Very interesting,

 

[Veneer]

It isnt good to keep salt fish in fresh and vice versa, I am personally against it.

I agree, but discussion so far has covered 3 distinct topics -- (1) genuinely freshwater sharks of the genus Glyphis (like the Australian speartooth sharks mentioned in your link), (2) typically marine sharks which are able to tolerate low salinity and enter natural freshwater environments with some frequency, as with the bull sharks of Lake Nicaragua, and (3) marine sharks purposely acclimated to freshwater by aquarists.

The Ganges River sharks mentioned by the OP (and the species whose photos I posted) fall under category (1). Of course, they're unsuitable for another reason -- rarity/threatened status. I doubt they've ever entered the aquarium trade.

Interesting story about the MD sharks, btw.

 

[tezr]

It isnt good to keep salt fish in fresh and vice versa, I am personally against it. Check out this article though. I dont know how reliable the source is but I know for a fact that the shark in MD was caught, I have family that have lived there for years and they confirmed that while I was only a year old they did however catch the shark in the lake. Who knows how it got there
http://www.drizz.com/freshwater_sharks.htm

The link also mentioned a 8 foot shark caught in Lake Cumberland Ky. I am from that area and have lots of friends and family that are still there and I have never heard about this nor can I find any other info on it...

 

[skateatburners]

i seen that video many times i only wish it could be done and the fish stayed healthy..

 

[Eoibio]

:'( that bamboo shark looks so nice if only it was freshwater ='[[What tank size do they need anyways?And are they agressive?

 

[AU_Arowana-RG]

The reports stated above are even more reason for detailed data on these fish to be found.

These will never reach the hobby lest they are bred in captivity.