When setting up an aquarium people quickly find out that there are many tropical fish to select from. There are school fish such as Guarmis and Tetras and there are aggressive fish such as Oscars and Cichlids. But a fish that has recently become more popular for the small home aquarium is the small aquarium sharks. If you want to take care of your new shark here is some information on how to maintain them in your home aquarium.
The Epaulette Shark
The Eqaulette shark is one of the more ideal small sharks for a small aquarium as they like to live in small confined areas. They are usually white with brown spots all over their body. Unlike most sharks they do not swim around the tank but prefer to swim on the tank floor all day looking for food. At times they look like eels with their slender bodies, their bodies allow them to slip around the rocks and other aquarium decorations.
Although they are not the smallest of the aquarium sharks, they are also not the largest. Eqaulette sharks can grow quite large, an adult can grow up to eleven inches long. So when selecting one ensure that your tank is large enough for them to move around when they grow.
The Epaulette shark eats mainly on small crabs and worms. They may even eat shrimp and other small fishes. They have very small teeth, so larger pieces of food should be avoided. They can bite and chew, but their teeth are not designed to cut the food. So, keep their food pieces small at all times.
The Red Tail Shark
One of the most popular small aquarium sharks is the red tail shark. This small shark is semi-aggressive fish its unique beauty is a definite plus in any aquarium. They have a solid black body with red tip tail which is easy to identify. These sharks are not very social so it is recommended that you only keep one per tank.
Red tails love hiding as it provides them with a sense of safely and security, so provide them with nice little hiding places. As they are an aggressive fish and will pick on other fish you need a tank that is large enough to accommodate all the fish
Like the Eqaulette Shark Red tails like to search the bottom of the tank for food. They will eat most fish flakes, live food or other food that ends up at the bottom of the tank. They like to eat at least once per day.
There is a large variety of sharks at the pet shop to choose from but two of the most popular are the Epaulette shark and the Red Tail shark for small aquariums. Do some research if looking to buy one for your own tank as they are not like other fish, they do require specialized attention. Even so they are a wonderful addition to any aquarium.