Sharks and Rays
can both be fun additions to an aquarium that is large enough
to suit the particular species (minimum size 180 gallons for
the smaller or less active species), and that provides the right
environment.Most Sharks and Rays are large meat eaters that require
large aquariums. Most grow to a minimum of 36 inches and require
a minimum 180 gallon aquarium. Many sharks, like the leopard
shark, shown above, can grow up to 6.5 ft. long and require a
minimum 400 gallon tank. The smallest Sharks and Rays that we
have found are: Marbled Cat Shark, Atelomycterus macleayi: 60
cm (24") ; Horned Shark, Heterodontus francisci: 96 cm (38")
; Brownbanded Bamboo Shark, Chiloscyllium punctatum: 100 cm (40")
; California Stingray or Round Stingray, Urobatis halleri, 26
cm (10.") ; Blue Spotted Stingray, Taeniura lymma: 25 cm
(10") without the tail.
Sharks are aggressive carnivorous predators that will
eat anything that they can swallow whole. Usually though they
will not attack healthy, normal acting fish but will be attracted
by the smell of blood or raw meat. They will also sense fish
that are acting abnormally, like goldfish in saltwater, and try
to catch them. Some sharks are constantly moving and searching
for food, like the Leopard Shark found on the West Coast of the
USA T. semifasciatus, while others, like the Leopard shark found
in the Coral Sea, S. fasciatum, lie around waiting for food to
come to them. All sharks swim by moving their vertically oriented
tail fin from side to side. In contrast, porpoise and dolphin
have a horizontally oriented caudal fin which they move up and
down. Most sharks are rather large and not well suited to life
in captivity.
Rays have a flattened body and are bottom-dwellers. This
body shape enables them to better blend into their environment,
and to bury themselves in a sandy substrate. In many species,
this flattened body enables them to stay afloat with very little
effort. Most rays swim by "flapping" their enlarged
pectoral fins like wings, and those with a well developed caudal
fin swim similar to the shark.
Care and feeding of Sharks and Rays: Should be fed all kinds of meaty foods, live or prepared.
Fish, squid, shrimp, occasional live goldfish. Will eat most
anything they can swallow in one bite.
Banded/Bamboo
Cat Shark Chiloscyllium
punctatum
Description:They prefer reefs and tide pools and
are frequently found sitting in sandy areas on the ocean floor.
Sharks should not be exposed to copper based medications as this
will cause illness. Like all sharks, this one has the possibility
of inflicting a very painful bite, especially when provoked.
The Banded / Bamboo shark is referred to as a cat shark, because
they have barbels on their mouth and these look like cat whiskers.
Care should be taken when cleaning the display tank and feeding.
Sharks tend to act aggressively toward other fish, particularly
smaller ones. Be sure to house with larger, aggressive species.
Recommended
Tank: It
stays relatively small, but requires at least a 180 gallon or
larger aquarium as an adult. It requires sand as the substrate
as the abdomen is easily scratched by a coarser substrate, which
may lead to an infection. It should never be exposed to copper-based
medications.
Food and
diet:Feed
a varied diet consisting of large chunks of meaty foods. These
foods include krill, raw table shrimp, squid, clam and mussel.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours
Approximate
Purchase Size:
Small: up to 6"; Medium: 6" to 8"; Large: 8"
to 15"
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
Aquarist Only." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
Small $119.99 Medium $149.99 Large $199.99
Quantity
:
size
:
Hand Fed Banded/Bamboo
Cat Shark Chiloscyllium
punctatum
Description:These Banded Cat Sharks have been lovingly
hatched and raised in our tanks. We hand feed them small pieces of fresh squid, shrimp,
and other crustaceans every other day. Because of this, they are more
accustomed to human contact than wild-caught Banded Cat Sharks, and
they are comfortable with tank life. You can feed yours by hand, as well.
Just be sure to cut up the pieces small enough as pieces that are too big
may get spat back out. Many of our hand fed Banded Cat Sharks are
so comfortable with people that you can pet them. But never forget
that they are sharks, and you should still be cautious and alert when
handling and caring for them.
They prefer reefs and tide pools and
are frequently found sitting in sandy areas on the ocean floor.
Sharks should not be exposed to copper based medications as this
will cause illness. Like all sharks, this one has the possibility
of inflicting a very painful bite, especially when provoked.
The Banded/Bamboo shark is referred to as a cat shark, because
they have barbels on their mouth and these look like cat whiskers.
Care should be taken when cleaning the display tank and feeding.
Sharks tend to act aggressively toward other fish, particularly
smaller ones. Be sure to house with larger, aggressive species.
Recommended
Tank: It
stays relatively small, but requires at least a 180 gallon or
larger aquarium as an adult. It requires sand as the substrate
as the abdomen is easily scratched by a coarser substrate, which
may lead to an infection. It should never be exposed to copper-based
medications.
Food and
diet:Feed
a varied diet consisting of chunks of meaty foods. These
foods include krill, raw table shrimp, squid, clam and mussel.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours
Approximate
Purchase Size:
Small: up to 6"; Medium: 6" to 8";
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
Aquarist Only." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
Small $219.99 Medium $249.99
Banded Cat Shark Egg Chiloscyllium
sp.
Description: Place your egg somewhere with good water flow, and, in 2 - 3 months, you'll
see it hatch into a 5 - 6 inch Banded Cat Shark. In the meantime, you can watch your
soon-to-be shark swim around inside simply by placing the egg
in the right lighting. While you cannot predict the precise moment of hatching, you can tell that hatching
time is near by the size of the yolk sack remaining in the egg. This yolk
sack is the nourishment for the embryo, and the shark will emerge once the
yolk sack is used up. If your egg hatches prematurely, it is recommended that you
quarantine the baby until the yolk sack is used up and falls off. The quarantine
will help reduce the risk of the sack breaking. Newborn Bamboo Cat Sharks can take a few days to a few weeks to
start eating. You should offer the baby shark small pieces of squid or shrimp to encourage the baby
start eating. Newborn sharks may spit up pieces that are too big or
resist eating all together, so your assistance is essential to its survival.
Please do not attempt to hatch the egg yourself. The shark will do it
on its own when it's ready.
Recommended
Tank: A 55
gallon or larger fish only Food
and diet:Feeds
on bottom dwelling invertebrates. Offer meaty foods including
pieces of fresh shrimp, scallop, mysis shrimp, or marine fish
flesh. Like most sharks, it may fast for weeks before it begins
feeding.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours *Do not expose egg to air as
there is a risk of air bubbles getting trapped inside.
Approximate
Purchase Size:
2-3/4" to 3-1/2"
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
Aquarist Only." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
$44.99
Quantity
:
Nurse Sharks
Ginglymostoma
cirratum
Description:The nurse shark is a large, sluggish,
bottom-dwelling shark that is generally harmless unless provoked.
It has very strong jaws, a stout body, and a wide head with obvious
barbels (thin, fleshy, whisker-like organs on the lower jaw in
front of the nostrils that sense touch and taste). The fourth
and fifth gill slits are very close together. The dorsal fins
(on the shark's back) are almost the same size and are rounded.
Behind each eye there is a spiracle, an organ that takes in water
used for breathing when the shark rests at the bottom. The skin
is dark gray-brown on top and some nurse sharks, especially the
young, have spots. The nurse shark is smoother to the touch than
most other sharks. They are nocturnal hunters that rest during
the day in groups. Nurse sharks do well in captivity. No one
is sure how they got their name; it might be because they make
a sucking sound that is a little like the sound of a nursing
baby. The nurse shark is a common inshore bottom dwelling shark,
found in tropical and subtropical waters on the continental and
insular shelves. It is frequently found at depths of one meter
or less but may occur down to 12 m. Its common habitats are reefs,
channels between mangrove islands and sand flats. It occurs in
the Western Atlantic from Rhode Island down to southern Brazil;
in the Eastern Atlantic from Cameroon to Gabon (and possibly
ranges further north and south); in the Eastern Pacific from
the southern Baja California to Peru; and around the islands
of the Caribbean. Recommended
Tank: Nurse
Sharks are only for Extremely large 1000 gallon plus aquariums
such as found in zoos or research institutions.
Food and
diet:Their
diet consists of a large number of marine invertebrates - spiny
lobsters, crabs, shrimp, sea urchins, octopuses, squid, and marine
snails and bivalves.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours
Approximate
Purchase Size:
15" to 20"
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
Aquarist Only." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
$499.99 Out of Stock
Bluespotted Stingray
Taeniura lymma
Description:The Bluespotted Stingray is also commonly
referred to as the Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray and Blue Dot Stingray.
Bluespottted Stingrays stays relatively small. While rays are
very exotic and interesting species, they require special housing
and feeding requirements and should only be attempted by expert
hobbyists or institutions. The Bluespotted Stingray is an attractive
bottom dwelling species with a tan body with bright blue spots.
The body is more oval in shape than many other ray species with
a long tail spine. The middle of the body is more raised and
flattens out towards the edges. , but is only used for protection.
Caution should be taken when netting it, or when it is not visible
and maintenance is performed in the aquarium. It is important
to provide this species with a large aquarium with a deep sand
bed, so that it can swim and turn comfortably without hitting
walls or rockwork within the aquarium and can easily bury itself
within the sand when not feeding. Bluespotted Stingrays species
should never be exposed to copper-based medications.
Caution -
Once acclimated
and feeding well, the Bluespotted Stingray will eat any invertebrates
or mollusks in the aquarium. Care should always be exercised
when handling or working in the aquarium with this species as
its tail spine is venomous
Recommended
Tank: The
Bluespotted Stingray requires a soft substrate, such as sand,
as its abdomen is easily scratched by a coarser substrate, which
could result in an infection. When not swimming along the bottom
in search of food, the Bluespotted Stingray likes to cover itself
with the soft substrate as camouflage.
Food and
diet:When
first introduced into the aquarium environment, it may be difficult
to get this species to feed. The best way to encourage feeding
is by offering it small pieces of cleaned squid, or freshwater
ghost shrimp. Dimming the lights in the room along with live
foods will help the Bluespotted Stingray to adjust to feeding
within the aquarium environment. When feeding consistently, it
can be fed pieces of shrimp, scallops, or fish. Keep in mind
that any live crustaceans or mollusks will become food for the
ray as well.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours
Approximate
Purchase Size:
5" to 9"
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
AquaristOnly." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
$199.99
Quantity
:
Epaulette Shark
Hemiscyllium
ocellatum
Description:Epaulette Shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)
is an Australian native that adapts well to aquarium life. Initially,
it may be hesitant to feed. Squid or any available Feeder Shrimp
can help entice its appetite. Food soaked in preparations such
as Garlic Guard have also been known to help in this process.
Sharks in captivity should typically be food a few prey items
a few times a week. The Epaulette tends to be a nocturnal feeder
and, to some extent, is more of a nocturnal animal. It will tolerate
other sharks in the same aquarium, but two males from this family
(which includes the Bamboo Cat Shark and Marbled Cat Sharks)
may act territorial. When provided with the proper care, the
Epaulette Shark is possibly one of the best sharks to maintain
for experienced home aquarists. Recommended
Tank: 180
gallon plus aquariums. It requires sand as the substrate as the
abdomen is easily scratched by a coarser substrate, which may
lead to an infection. It should never be exposed to copper-based
medications.
Food and
diet:It is
a difficult fish to acclimate and may not eat. When first introduced
into the aquarium, small pieces of cleaned squid or live saltwater
feeder shrimp should be used to entice this fish to eat. Then
it may be fed shrimp, scallops or pieces of fresh marine fish.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours
Approximate
Purchase Size:
12" to 20"
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
AquaristOnly." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
$599.99
Quantity
:
Port Jackson Shark
Heterodontus portusjacksoni
Description:The Port Jackson shark, Heterodontus
portusjacksoni, is a nocturnal, oviparous type of bullhead shark
of the family Heterodontidae, found in the coastal region of
southern Australia, including the waters off Port Jackson. It
has a large head with prominent forehead ridges and dark brown
harness-like markings on a lighter grey-brown body. This pattern
makes it very easy to identify this species. Port Jackson sharks
are similar to other organisms in their genus, bearing a broad,
flat head, an anal fin, and crests above its eyes. However, the
species possesses characteristics that make them easily identifiable—their
teeth and the harness-like markings which run for a majority
of their body length. The sharks have gray-brown bodies covered
by black banding, which covers a large portion of their sides
and back. One of these band winds over the face and progresses
even to the shark's eyes. Another, harness shaped band goes around
the back, continuing until the pectoral fins and sides. Thin
dark stripes are also present on the back of Port Jackson sharks.
These progress from the caudal fin to the first dorsal fin. Recommended
Tank: 300
gallon plus aquariums. It requires sand as the substrate as the
abdomen is easily scratched by a coarser substrate, which may
lead to an infection. It should never be exposed to copper-based
medications.
Food and
diet:It is
a difficult fish to acclimate and may not eat. When first introduced
into the aquarium, small pieces of cleaned squid or live saltwater
feeder shrimp should be used to entice this fish to eat. Then
it may be fed shrimp, scallops or pieces of fresh marine fish.
Reef Compatability:No
Level of
Care: Difficult
Acclimation time:
4+ hours
Approximate
Purchase Size:
10" to 16"
Special Order: This is a special order item. Special order items
cannot be canceled once you submit your order. Please note:
We guarantee
that ALL aquaria species we offer will arrive alive and in good
condition. However, because of the increased level of care required
for this particular species, it has been designated as "Advanced
AquaristOnly." This species is recommended only for the
advanced marine aquarist, zoo, or research institution.
$749.99
Quantity
:
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Using Other Brands:
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New Life Spectrum is suitable for omnivorous, herbivorous, and
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&
Photos are representative of each species. Each animal is unique
and variations should be expected.
Order
with confidence.... Guaranteed
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Please note:
Aquatic Connection will
not guarantee the coloration of corals as seen in your reef system.
Reason? Not all corals from our tanks and lighting
will look the same when they are in your tanks. Everybody's tanks
have different lighting setups, spectrums, combinations, etc.
Aquatic Connection's tanks are lit by 400 watt 20K Halide bulbs.
We use this combination for best growth. But for best viewing
this is not the best lighting choice. Aquatic Connection photographs
all polyps under Actinic only lighting. This brings out
the true zoanthilia and protopalythoa colors. If your tank consists
of all daylight (10K's, 14K's etc.) with minimal actinic lighting,
your not going to see the vibrant true colors. We suggest you
add true actinic lamps also and turn these on in the evening
without the daylight lighting for proper color viewing.
