Aquarium sharks: features, types and cultivation

You can make your home aquarium truly interesting and unusual by populating it with exotic fish species. Recently, lovers of marine life have begun to have decorative sharks. Unlike large sea relatives, she is peaceful, calm and, importantly, gets along well with her neighbors. Before you start such pets, you need to learn more about them.

Mini sharks can be safely called exotic predators. Their habitat is so diverse that individuals of this species are found almost everywhere. While some inhabit the coastal shallow waters of the seas, others manage to settle deep in the ocean.

Among aquarium individuals, there are many species that differ in appearance (size and color), as well as in conditions of detention.

The body length of decorative sharks varies from 20 cm to 1.5 meters. By the way, such large inhabitants require special water tanks.

Proper maintenance and good nutrition have a beneficial effect on the general condition of the sea pet, as well as on its life expectancy. Small predators live 20 years on average.

Among aquarium sharks, the following colors are most common:

• White;
• white and gray;
• dark grey;
• rich black;
• brownish reddish;
• spotted.

Despite the resemblance to large predators, small sharks are peaceful in nature, without harming even the smaller inhabitants of the underwater home.

There are many types of decorative sharks. Here is some of them.

• Black. It is considered the most popular among aquarists. This species is a miniature copy of the marine predator. The body is completely black. However, freshwater fish has a peculiarity - depending on living conditions and nutrition, it changes the color saturation. With proper care, the individual grows up to 50 cm. It does not conflict with neighboring fish.

• Dwarf. The smallest representative of aquarium sharks. The size of an adult does not exceed 25 cm. In the wild, it prefers the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This species is ovoviviparous. So, in one litter, the female reproduces 6-8 cubs. The dwarf shark should be fed with cephalopods as food. With its sharp teeth, it tears prey into small pieces - just like a real predator. A distinctive feature of the "dwarf" is the presence of luminescent organs (photophores) on its body, which glow.

• Black fin. Its relative is the black-finned reef shark. However, its mini-version is a peaceful creature reaching 15 cm in length (it is extremely rare for individuals to grow up to 20 cm). The fish is picky about food, the main thing for it is quantity. Aquarists should be aware that overeating can lead to illness of the pet. By the way, it cannot be called freshwater. A comfortable habitat is slightly salted water in the aquarium (2 tablespoons are enough for a bucket of water).

• Black two-tone. Judging by the reviews, it is the most attractive representative of ornamental fish. Her body is covered with velvety skin, she is painted in a deep black color. But all the beauty lies in the bright red tail, which stands out effectively against the background of the black torso. The only point that is important to consider before buying such a fish is that it is very aggressive in nature. For this reason, you should not add any living creatures to it - most likely, everything will end in a conflict.

• Pennant. Other names are shark catfish, pennant pangasius. There is a resemblance to a marine predator. In open waters, individuals reach 1.5 meters in length, while ornamental fish do not exceed 50-60 cm. The diet of shark catfish consists of lean fish, frozen squid or pelleted food. Interestingly, the pangasius is a rather strange fish. Frightened, she pretends to be dead for about 30 minutes, after which she returns to normal. Experts do not recommend adding small fish to the pennant shark - during the hungry period, it is able to eat them.

• Feline. Representative of the Atlantic sharks. An adult rarely reaches 1 meter in length. In this species, the body is elongated, the fins are well developed - thanks to this body structure, it quickly develops speed. Since the shape of the fish's head is similar to the head of a domestic cat, it was nicknamed - feline. There are two color options - solid dark and spotted. Breeding type of feline sharks is egg-laying. The female lays 20 eggs at a time. By nature, they are nocturnal predators.

• Prickly. Aquarists rarely choose this species for home breeding, so it is not found on sale. Outwardly - a standard shark, thin elongated body, gray color, the skin is covered with small thorns. It grows up to 50 cm in length.

• Horned. Belongs to the family of toothed. Individuals are large enough - 1.5 meters. A characteristic feature is a large head with horn-like growths over the eyes. Marine inhabitants prefer spaciousness, therefore, for breeding this fish, it is better to purchase aquariums with a volume of at least 1000 liters.

If you decide to acquire a miniature predator, you need to approach with particular seriousness the choice of a particular species of shark, as well as the aquarium in which it will spend its entire life.

Experts have identified several recommendations:

• for a bottom shark that can breathe while lying on the bottom, it is better to choose a square or rectangular aquarium with sharp corners;
• for the pelagic, an annular tank or with rounded corners is suitable, so that the fish can calmly "wind circles" without braking in front of obstacles;
• the volume of the aquarium depends on the number of individuals - there should be at least 40 liters per fish, in addition, it is necessary to take into account its intensive maturation when it increases in size;
• you should not settle different species of mini-sharks in one underwater house, since each has its own requirements for temperature, salinity, the presence of vegetation, and each has a different lifestyle and movement.

Surprisingly small carnivores make ideal pets. The main thing is to provide them with living conditions as close as possible to natural ones, not to ignore their needs and, of course, to feed them.

Consider what decorative sharks need for a comfortable stay:

• the correct temperature regime is from 22 to 29 degrees;
• pH indicators of water - 6.5-8.0;
• weekly water change - 30% of the total;
• good filtration and aeration with the creation of a strong current;
• grottoes, caves, living vegetation installed at the bottom.

As far as feeding is concerned, it is not much more difficult here. Domestic sharks are omnivorous. It is important that their food is high in protein and carbohydrates. It is recommended to feed the fish 2-3 times a day.

Pet stores sell special dry food for ornamental fish, including mini sharks. However, the menu can include the following components:

• shrimp meat;
• small insects;
• frozen fish;
• cabbage;
• zucchini;
• grated cucumbers;
• small live fish;
• cereal porridge.

Aquarium sharks are peaceful creatures, so they can easily get along with other inhabitants of the underwater house. The owners of miniature predators should know one rule - a shark should not starve, otherwise its natural instinct will prevail and then small neighbors will be eaten.

In addition, it is not recommended to breed several different species of this fish in one tank - different conditions and characters can negatively affect their health.

A home aquarium with miniature sharks looks unusual, and even scary for guests. However, knowledgeable aquarists admire them and enjoy breeding them. In order for the fish to live a long life, and ornamental species live up to 20 years, it is necessary to turn an ordinary reservoir of water into a small ocean, where the mini-shark will move and feed freely.

See below for the correct maintenance of the aquarium shark.