Brownbanded Bamboo Shark

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Indo-West Pacific, from India and Indonesia to northern Australia and southern Japan. Inhabits coral reefs, sandy flats, and shallow tide pools down to 85 meters.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Belonging to the family Hemiscylliidae (noted as Scyliorhinidae in historical catalog). Slender cylindrical body with nasal barbels and two rear dorsal fins. Grows up to 132 cm (4.3 feet).

Social Behavior: Solitary and bottom-dwelling. Spends daylight hours resting on sandy substrates or in caves. Highly active at night, patrolling the bottom for prey.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Juveniles have bold dark brown and white vertical bands. Adults fade to a uniform brownish-grey. Males possess prominent pelvic claspers.

Aquarium Setup: Requires a monumental aquarium of at least 1500 liters (400 gallons) with secured rockwork and a large open fine sand bed. Avoid sharp rocks to prevent belly abrasions.

Diet and Feeding: Carnivorous. Feed squid, shrimp, crab meat, small whole fish, and bivalves. Supplement with specific vitamins for sharks and rays (especially iodine).

Water Quality: Maintain stable marine parameters: temperature 24-28°C (75-82°F), pH 8.1-8.4, specific gravity 1.020-1.025, and KH 8-12. Do not use copper treatments. Heavy filtration is a must.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Large FOWLR tanks only. Best kept with groupers, moray eels, and large tangs. Will eat all crustaceans and any fish small enough to fit in its mouth.

Aquarium Reproduction: Oviparous. Females lay leathery egg cases (mermaid's purses) that hatch in 3-4 months. Captive breeding is achieved in large specialized systems.

Risks and Diseases: Vulnerable to goiter due to iodine deficiency. Abrasions from coarse substrate can lead to fatal bacterial infections. Extremely copper-sensitive.