So, I went and turned on the lights over my shark tank this morning, and my nurse shark was lying on her back, with her head/gills/chest under a rock outcropping. I was sure she'd died. I reached in to grab him and before my hands were even in the water, he backed out, flipped up the right way, and started swimming fine. I gave him some squid, which he devoured. Any ideas on the behavior? Water specs are good.
Nurse shark playing dead?
- Thread starter Jabba954
- Start date
I actually had a nurse a long time ago that would occasionally do that. She would flip upside down to look for food up under some rockwork, and then just hang out for a little while. I'm not really sure why she did it, but it seems like yours is healthy and fine.
I often wonder if they exhibit behaviors like this in the wild and most don't know because it is hard to catch them doing it, or they are just really bored in a confined area and it is a way of keeping themselves stimulated.
I have seen my femail do it when she its. I have also seen her do tumbles across the tank. But when she's hunting for food she shoves her face into my live rock and twirles to get the food that has feel in the area.