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Chapter 8
Sharks and Humans
Do sharks make good pets?
This question actually has two parts: (1) Can sharks be kept in home
aquariums? and (2) Do they make good pets? First off, note that the fresh-
water aquarium fishes called “sharks” are actually minnows, not sharks. Ex-
amples are Bala, Redtail, Variegated, Rainbow, and Redfin. They’re lovely,
easy to keep, small, and relatively cheap. They get their sharky names be-
cause of their body shape and a large, shark-like dorsal fin. But don’t be
fooled.
A number of actual sharks can be kept in home aquariums, although
most eventually outgrow all but the largest living room tanks. Epaulette
Sharks, Zebra Sharks, Bamboo and Brown-spotted Cat Sharks, Port Jack-
son Sharks, and Nurse Sharks are among the species offered for sale from
aquarium suppliers, but almost all grow to be more than 1 m (3 ft) in
length, are expensive, have stringent water quality requirements, and are
mostly active at night (so not very interesting). For example,
■ Epaulette Sharks ($350) are relatively sluggish bottom dwellers. They
are attractive because they move across the bottom by “walking” on
their pectoral and pelvic fins (but usually at night; by day, they hide in
crevices). They will breed in captivity, but only in an aquarium larger
than 510 L (135 gal). Advice on a website that sells them: “Care Level:
Expert Only!!! Behavior: Aggressive. Minimum Tank Size: 180 Gal-
lon.”
■ Zebra Sharks ($150), which are cute and colorful as pups, carry similar
warnings: “Expert Only!!! Aggressive. Minimum Tank Size: 100 Gallon.”