Where to purchase sharks

Large, and ranging from pretty unsuitable to ludicrously unsuitable, Shark catfish are popular with unwitting, unaware or uncaring fishkeepers. This fish does, however, go out to sea, being a brackish and estuarine roamer, and brackish is how they should be kept. The Iridescent shark is also a big problem in many ways. Even juveniles are not cut out for life between glass walls, as they frequently swim straight into them and injure themselves.

Pangasianodon represent one of the biggest problems in tropical fishkeeping because their appeal and cheap price when young and small leads to a lack of suitable accommodation and suitable owners when large. Notes: This needs a brackish biotope tank, company of its own kind and lots of room. Usually for sale at just a few inches, these catfish are undoubtedly attractive, although few, if any, households would be able to accommodate adults.

They are sold as Arius seemanni or Arius jordani. Scientific name: Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. Tank size: Unsuitable for home aquaria, due to size and habits. Notes: If there was ever a case of a fish being unsuitable for aquaria this is it.

Pelagic, migratory swimmers, these fish need miles of water and they are not adapted to avoid bumping into tank glass. See my introduction for more details. Avoid — and spread the word! Breeding any fish in captivity is technically possible, although, to date, no one breeds any freshwater sharks naturally in captivity.

Instead they are bred commercially using hormones and the female is killed to enable this to happen. What stops them breeding in captivity?

The fact that the territorial species hate each other is a big factor and you would need a huge area for males and females to carve out territory and tolerate each other.

With both territorial and shoaling species it may be that our tanks are lacking the right environmental triggers like dry seasons followed by wet, and seasonal flooding. Why not take out a subscription to Practical Fishkeeping magazine? See our latest subscription offer. Features Freshwater Shark Alert Freshwater shark alert dbbbf-ad9cf6-be82f70f.

Features Post The World's forgotten fishes 16 August Features Post How to set up a low maintenance aquascape at home 04 August Check out their characteristics… Territorial sharks These include the most well-known Red-tailed black shark, the Rainbow or Ruby shark, the Black shark from Asia and the less commonly seen African sharks like the Harlequin.

Here are some of the most popular species and their requirements: Name: Red-tailed black shark Scientific name: Epalzeorhynchos bicolor. Origin: Thailand. Name: Black shark Scientific name: Labeo chrysophekadion. Name: Harlequin shark. Scientific name: Labeo cyclorhynchus. Shoaling sharks The most popular representative of this group by far is the Silver shark, also known as the Bala shark.

Popular shoaling sharks include: Name: Silver shark. Origin: Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo. Name: Apollo shark. The reason for that is aggression. These are very territorial fish that are known to attack other creatures in the tank. Even with their aggressive behavior, Rainbow Sharks can be kept with other fish.

They are bottom-dwellers, so you can keep them with fish species that stick towards the top of the water column. Aggression is still possible, so you should always exercise caution. Rainbow Sharks are natural omnivores. Throughout the day, they will chow down on algae they find throughout the fish tank. Though, this should be supplemented with sinking fish food, blanched vegetables, and some high-quality live food.

Native to Southeast Asia, Iridescent Sharks are a big commitment. Not only do they get large, but these fish are known to live 20 years or more! If you ever see one of these fish in person, you might be confused as to how they get their name! Adult Iridescent sharks are usually solid dark gray in color.

Truth is, that muted tone is something that forms slowly as the fish gets older. As juveniles, the Iridescent Shark is covered in dark shiny skin that shines in the light. Aside from their color, these are very interesting looking freshwater sharks for your fish tank.

They have that familiar catfish-like head complete with barbels. However, their bodies are quite bulbous. The fins are quite large and fan-like as well, giving the fish a unique profile. Overall, Iridescent Sharks are not too fussy about their environments. They like temperatures between 72 and 79 degrees, standard pH levels between 6. That said, feeding can be a bit of a challenge.

These sharks need a lot of food. Not only that, but there needs to be some variety to ensure that they are getting all their nutrients. The fish are omnivores that will eat pretty much anything, so make sure to mix things up. Unlike other freshwater aquarium sharks, the Violet Blushing Shark is quite passive. As a result, they do well in community tanks. That said, you should still avoid keeping these fish with smaller creatures that they can view as food.

They do best when kept with medium-sized fish. Violet Blushing Sharks get their name from their unique appearance. The fish are covered in a silvery-white color. You can see some sheen on their bodies, but only if they are under some powerful lights. The bodies are transparent, allowing you to see individual organs. The gills are visible through the body, making it look like fish is blushing! Keeping a well-maintained tank is crucial for these fish.

They need stable temperatures between 68 and 78 degrees to stay healthy. The Violet Blushing Shark needs to have a lot of swimming space, too. The biggest mistake newer aquarists make with this species is filling the tank with too many decorations. Plants, driftwood, and rocks are all important for making the fish feel comfortable.

But so is plenty of open swimming space! The Columbian Shark has some strict care requirements. As juveniles, they require brackish water to stay healthy. Columbian Sharks also tend to be problematic when kept with other fish.

These are predatory creatures that will hunt out smaller fish species. Another way that you can stave off predatory behavior is to keep the fish well-fed. The Columbian Shark thrives on a high-protein diet of live and frozen food. They do well on pellets and commercial dry foods, too. However, they prefer live foods that they can hunt down.

From an appearance standpoint, these fish are one of the most shark-like species you can get for your aquarium. They have a large sail-like dorsal fin. Their bodies are typically covered in shades of black, gray, and silver.

These barbels are used to navigate their environment and hunt down food. The Black Shark is a large fish species with a semi-aggressive nature. Originally found throughout Malaysia, these fish are very popular because of their forboding looks. Covered in all black, the Black Shark has that familiar profile that many freshwater sharks share. This includes a massive dorsal fin.

When the fish is swimming, the dorsal fin will usually lay relatively flat against their rounded body. However, it will also stand tall from time to time as the fish shows off. The Black Shark can get very aggressive and predatory. They should not be kept with small fish species. Most aquarists will house them alongside other aggressive species that can handle the bullying nature of the Black Shark.

There will be several others to choose from, but they are best left to those who already have shark-keeping experience. Purchasing from an exotic pet shop that carries sharks near you will be much better than going for the online buy.

The shop owner will likely know quite a bit about the particular shark and may even be able to put you in contact with the breeder. Having these kinds of connections is invaluable when you are starting out with a new shark. Keep in mind, most of the top breeders are located along the Florida and Georgia coastline.

The Florida Tropical Fish Farm Association keeps an up-to-date listing of all authorized shark breeders in the area.

If your local dealer has a shark available to purchase, look for the following in the shark tank:. Once you buy your shark, it will be shipped in a box that will allow the shark to swim around. Most shippable sharks are pups because they can be shipped in smaller boxes. The minimum shipping size of the box will be at least one and a half times as wide and three to four times as long as the shark.

Shipping can be quite expensive once the size of the box and the weight of the shark and water is considered. Sometimes shipping costs more than the shark itself. The bamboo shark, horn shark, coralcat, or wobbie pup, are often shipped in tiny 5-gallon containers and are by far the best value.

If you are looking for a freshwater aquarium shark for your existing home tank, you'll want to look at some of the "fake" sharks common to freshwater fish keeping. These sharks are actually members of the Cyprinidae family related to carp and include red-tailed and rainbow sharks.

Red-tails usually grow to about 6 inches in length on average but can reach up to 9. Rainbows top out at 5 inches. However, both are quite aggressive and may work well with a group of six or more sharks.

Anything less than that may cause a problem because one shark would try to dominate the rest. If they are more than six, domination is impossible, so they get along better. Here's a real shark—this Blacktip reef shark requires a 10, gallon tank! When your shark arrives, don't just toss it in the tank. The shock of the water change will most likely kill it. Even if it doesn't kill your shark, it will cause it undue stress that could lead to long-term infection and susceptibility to disease.

Remove half of the water from the shipping container and dispose of it. Your shark should still have plenty of water covering the gills, if not, only drain the water until it reaches gill level. Use an air hose to siphon water from your set-up tank into the shipping container.

This will slowly change the water chemistry of the shipping container and make it closer to the tank water. Once the container is filled to its original level, empty half of the water again and siphon water from the tank to replace it. Do this a third time, and then introduce your shark to your tank. Once your shark is acclimated to its new habitat a day or two after initial introduction , begin the feeding regiment. You should feed your shark two or three times a week and use a variety of different foods.

Sharks like meaty foods, including shrimp, squid, crabs, tilapia, and other whitefish. Sharks are known to be messy eaters but will usually finish off every last bite of a good-sized meal.