Sharks have been found in the oceans and seas for ages but you had never thought of keeping them as a pet in your home aquarium due to their unpredictable nature but the fact is that many people kept sharks as a pet and has become a new trend among the home aquariums. Not all the sharks’ species were taken home as some of them were considered dangerous to humans but their characteristics, size and dietary habits make you feel right that you should adapt them as a pet.
However, there are hundreds of species of sharks, which is a good shark’s species to be kept in captivity is quite challenging to find out? Your search will be ended here, if you are struggling to find out the answer for the same question.
Sharks can be kept as an aquarium pet – Really?
Well, it is not advisable to keep sharks as a pet because of their size and impulsive behaviour but it all depends on one’s personal interest, many people who can afford huge tanks and enough food for sharks can still keep them. Let’s move forward to explore more about various sharks’ species that you can take home.
What sharks can be kept as a pet?
There are many sharks’ species that you should choose from but the size of them matters a lot. Some shark species grow up to a very huge size that does not allow them to fit into an average size home aquarium. A shark with friendly nature, normal size depending upon the size of the home tank should be kept at home but if they grow larger reintroduce them back to their natural habitat. There are a number of shark’s species available but the selection of sharks is based on the ability to cope with the aquaria environment and their comfort level in the home tank.
Aspects to contemplate before decide on a shark as a pet
Here are some of the key points that you have to learn, if you are planning to pet a shark.
- Hunt for information on maximum adult size of the sharks’ species.
- The length of the adult species of sharks should be smaller than the average shark.
- Must have knowledge about the lifestyles and behavior of the sharks you have selected.
- Select the tank with more length and width rather than height because some species need more space to swim.
- Keep the décor of the aquarium at minimum so that maximum space should be available to them for swimming.
10 kinds of sharks that people can own
Here is the list of some kinds of shark that you can keep in captivity because they are documented harmless to humans:
1: The Wobbegong shark
Many species of this family can grow up to 10 feet in length but are quite good sharks for home aquariums. They have slow metabolic rate and usually thrive at the bottom of the tank. It eats only 2 times a week. It’s a low maintenance type of shark to be kept.
2: Rainbow shark
These sharks have a maximum size of 6 inches and a single species can easily thrive in 50 to 100 gallon tanks. The temperature of water should be maintained between 75 to 85 oF as they are bottom dwellers. As the sharks grow, they become aggressive towards other mates and occupy major areas of the tank, so to keep them calm there should be a lot of plants and caves in the tank so that they should hide them when they are upset.
3: Silver apollo shark
These sharks’ species have a maximum size of 9 inches. The suggested size of the tank for them to swim is 75 gallon to 150 gallon, the temperature of water suitable for them is 70 to 78 °F. They loved to swim in the middle and top of the aquarium and had good relations with other members.
4: Violet blushing shark
These sharks can grow up to 12 inches in size with large and elongated body shape. You need at least 125 gallon large tank for them to live in and the temperature should be maintained at 68 to 77 °F. They are very calm and peaceful sharks, they feeds on dried fish food and frozen bloodworm and enjoy swimming in the surrounding having soft gravel, rocks and branches looks like a bed of a flowing bed.
5: Columbian shark
Columbian sharks had a maximum size of 20 inches but some records also suggested that they might grow even bigger. The size of the tank for these species should be 75 to 125 gallon and the water temperature should be maintained at 74 to 80 °F. They have a semi-aggressive nature and feed on food rich in vitamins and minerals to keep their immune system strong.
6: Red-tailed back shark
Red-tailed back shark are 5 to 6 inches in length with a life span of only 7 years. The décor of aquarium should be well maintained as they need rocks, fine gravel, plants and plenty of woods around them. The tank size of 55 gallon should be enough for them to swim and the temperature should be kept at 74 to 80 °F. They are highly aggressive and moody species so think wisely before choosing mates.
7: Bamboo shark
The family of bamboo sharks includes 7 members so they should be placed in a large aquarium. They have a pair of dexterous fins which help them to walk on the floor of the ocean or your tank. These sharks have good relations with other species, and feed on delicious fishy food like small fishes, shrimps, squids as they are the hungrier type of sharks that need food 3 to 4 times a day.
8: Bala shark
These species of sharks can grow to a length of 10 to 13 inches and thrive in the artificial ocean of 120 gallon with a maximum temperature of 77°F. They are very calm and peaceful fishes that can easily get along with other fishes and exhibit schooling behavior. They are mostly omnivores and feed on high protein diets such as shrimps and blood worms. They had a big appetizer, so you should feed them at least 3 times a day.
9: Iridescent shark
Iridescent shark had a size of 3 to 4 feet, quite large! So they should be kept in an oceanic tank of 300 gallon and preferable temperature should be maintained at 72 to 79 °F. The life span of these species is 20 years or more! They have a bulbous type body with shiny skin that glows at night and looks interesting in your tank. These sharks’ species eat a lot of food to get all the nutrients necessary for them.
10: Harlequin shark
Harlequin sharks have an unusual appearance because they are highly bright coloured that fades when they enter the juvenile stage, but still looks stunning! Their size is almost 6 inches and can easily swim in a 55 gallon water tank; the suitable temperature of the water is 72 to 83 °F. The décor of the aquarium should have rocks, driftwood, plants so that they can hide them when in a bad mood. The dietary food includes detritus, biofilm and algae, as they are bottom dwellers so they inhibit swimming in the middle and top of the water column.
Final words
Sharks are splendid creatures and need a home where they can live safely and grow comfortably but it’s not necessary that all sharks will fit in the artificial environment you set up. All sharks have different behaviors, they need special attention and care so it is very important to have knowledge about the species you are planning to keep as a pet, and this will help you to understand their behavior, habitat and to keep a perfect atmosphere for them. Now that you have gathered enough information about pet sharks, it’s time for you to pick any one species you are most fascinated in, as it’s good to have an aquarium around you!
