FA179 Sharks for the Aquarium and Considerations for Their Selection 1 Alexis L. Morris, Elisa J. Livengood, and Frank A. Chapman 2 1. This document is FA179, one of a series of the School of Forest Resources, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First Published December 2010. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis. ifas.uf.edu. 2. Alexis L. Morris, graduate student, College of Veterinary Medicine, Aquatic Animal Health Program; Elisa J. Livengood, graduate student, School of Natural Resources and Environment; and Frank A. Chapman, associate professor and Extension aquaculture specialist, School of Forest Resources, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences; Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or afliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, Dean Introduction Sharks are magnifcent animals and an exciting group of fshes. As a group, sharks, rays, and skates belong to the biological taxonomic class called Chondrichthyes, or cartilaginous fshes (elasmobranchs). Te entire supporting structure of these fsh is composed primarily of cartilage rather than bone. Tere are some 400 described species of sharks, which come in all diferent sizes from the 40-foot- long whale shark (Rhincodon typus) to the 2-foot-long marble catshark (Atelomycterus macleayi). Although sharks have been kept in public aquariums since the 1860s, advances in marine aquarium systems technology and increased understanding of shark biology and husbandry now allow hobbyists to maintain and enjoy sharks in their home aquariums, and they are becoming increasingly popular as pet animals. Te proper care and display of sharks requires great attention to details. Te following information is intended for use by home aquarists and those working in small public aquaria. We provide critical points aquarists must consider in deciding whether or not to include sharks in their aquaria. A table of the most popular sharks kept in public and home aquariums is provided to facilitate species selection. The Lore of the Shark Tough it has been some 35 years since the shark in Steven Spielberg’s Jaws bit into its frst unsuspecting ocean swim- mer and despite the fact that the risk of shark-bite is very small, fear of sharks still makes some people afraid to swim in the ocean. (Te chance of being struck by lightning is greater than the chance of shark attack.) Te most en- grained shark image that comes to a person’s mind is a giant conical snout lined with multiple rows of teeth efcient at tearing, chomping, or crushing prey, and those lifeless and staring eyes. Te very adaptations that make sharks such successful predators also make some people unnecessarily frightened of them. Tis is unfortunate, since sharks are interesting creatures and much more than ill-perceived mindless eating machines. A shark’s giant snout, covered with sensory receptors, is well adapted to smell a drop of blood in one million gallons of seawater and can also detect electromagnetic felds emit- ted by prey creatures, even those hidden in the sand. Unlike vertebrate animals (those with a backbone), sharks’ upper jaws are not attached to their skulls. Teir teeth do not develop from gum tissue and are not set frmly into the jaw. A shark’s teeth are all impermanent and formed throughout its life in a membrane inside the jaw, which gives the shark multiple rows of “disposable” teeth, a few of which are lost periodically and immediately replaced. Teeth vary in shape Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office.