Sand Shark
Sharks are mysterious and cool, and the sand shark is the most common of these scintillating sea creatures. The sand shark is smaller and slower than other shark species, so it is often thought that the sand shark would make a great addition to the home aquarium. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
For starters, even though they are one of the smallest shark species, the sand shark is still too big for a home aquarium. When mature, the sand shark can be as long as 5 feet and weigh up to 300 pounds. Additionally, population figures for the sand shark have decreased over the past few years, so they may soon find themselves on the ever- growing list of endangered species.
If you did want to keep a sand shark in a home aquarium, it would have to be huge - like the kind you find at public aquariums and zoos. These types of aquarium facilities are the best places to keep sand sharks in captivity because they are equipped to handle the needs of these sizeable fish. Large fish, especially sharks, need a great deal of swimming space. Sharks are ocean cruisers, see, and they are always on the move, so an aquarium home for sharks must provide more than enough space for them to mingle and move. Although the sand shark can be housed with other fish, they must be fed frequently - three or four times a week - to make sure they don't dine on any of their fellow tank mates.
If you don't have a million gallon tank at home but still want a shark, you may be interested in the catfish shark, a much smaller species so named because of their dorsal fins. The catfish shark general grows to about one-foot long, but they still require a good amount of space for swimming. They are ocean cruisers too. True to its shark name, the catfish shark is open to eating just about anything, so you must take care when selecting smaller aquarium companions for these fish.
The catfish shark thrives in an environment containing brackish water, which is a combination of salt water and fresh water. In a home aquarium, brackish water requires a good deal of maintenance and care. In nature, you usually find brackish water, and its inhabitants, in places where rivers and streams run into the ocean.
Even though the equipment is fairly similar for brackish water tanks, saltwater tanks and freshwater tanks, an upgrade is usually recommended for maintaining brackish water and saltwater aquariums. Since the fish that dwell in these types of water are more sensitive, top quality systems are needed to properly maintain the water.
Sharks have a lot of the same needs as other fish, but they don't need much light because they are used to darker surroundings. In order to be successful, an aquarium environment that houses a sand shark must be as close to their natural habitat as possible.