Jeffc1527
Community Member
Hello, My name is Jeff. I am new to this forum. I currently have a 250 gallon, 75 gallon, 55 gallon, 35 gallon, and 10 gallon aquarium, all saltwater. This post is about my new 1 week old baby bamboo shark. For some background I want to put out there that I have a lot of experience with sharks. I worked at the aquarium in the shark and sting ray touch tank, as well as the holding, breeding, and infant tanks for the sharks and rays. I have a lot of experience with a handful of sting rays and almost any cat shark you can think of. I performed duties such as cleaning their tanks, feeding 3 times a day, and taking notes on general health day to day.
When I went to my lfs on Friday I was planning on buying a blue ribbon eel, until I saw a 1 week old baby bamboo shark. Usually I like to prepare and do research on fish before I even think about buying them but given my background I was able to skip that step. It was very tempting and so I got her as I was confident in my ability to take good care of her like I have with the hundreds of sharks at my work. At the lfs while purchasing the owners informed me that she had just hatched a week ago. She took a little longer than usually to hatch from her egg but successfully did ( overdue birth ), they informed me that in the week since she had been born they had not observed her eaing at all. They were attempting to feed with krill, silversides, and squid. They told me they would put food in the tank and it would be gone when they checked on her but never actually saw her eating it, its important to note that she was in a tank with a purple reef lobster so it is possible this was just a very hungry lobster that was eating all the food and the shark was eating non.
I bought the shark and brough her home. Given her size I have placed her in my 55 gallon to ensure she is eating and adjusting well. I drip acclimated her for about an hour. At first her when introduced into the tank her breathing was stable, though shortly after she was breathing at a elevated rate but not gasping. I am writing this on Sunday night and since the Friday night and the 48 hours that have followed her breathing has seemed to return to normal. I am at most concerned however because even given my background I have unable to get her to eat thus far. I am not sure if it is because she is still relatively new to the world and is still getting adjusted or if something is wrong. I have tried scallops, silversides, shrimp, and frozen chunks of brine shrimp. She showed interest in the silversides on Saturday night but did not go in for a bite and then swam away. For a majority of the time she has been with me, she hasn't been moving much, she will have short bursts of activity but usually likes to sit next to or as far under this one rock in my tank. Does anyone have experience with young sharks or getting sharsk to eat. Any tips or foods I could try. I am at a point where I may try what we do at the aquarium for some of the juveniles. We will put them in floating laundry baskets and then spot feed the food directly too them to ensure they are eating, and if they do not eat right away the food will stay in the basket until they eat it or about 4 hours if they do not but it is a very useful way to monitor them. Also when I go to touch the shark or something in the tank is disturbed around her she does not move or react. I can put my hand in and pick her up and she will not move at all, almost as if she is lifeless but still breathing.
ANY ADIVICE IS APPRECIATED, I HOPE SHE SURVIVES.
When I went to my lfs on Friday I was planning on buying a blue ribbon eel, until I saw a 1 week old baby bamboo shark. Usually I like to prepare and do research on fish before I even think about buying them but given my background I was able to skip that step. It was very tempting and so I got her as I was confident in my ability to take good care of her like I have with the hundreds of sharks at my work. At the lfs while purchasing the owners informed me that she had just hatched a week ago. She took a little longer than usually to hatch from her egg but successfully did ( overdue birth ), they informed me that in the week since she had been born they had not observed her eaing at all. They were attempting to feed with krill, silversides, and squid. They told me they would put food in the tank and it would be gone when they checked on her but never actually saw her eating it, its important to note that she was in a tank with a purple reef lobster so it is possible this was just a very hungry lobster that was eating all the food and the shark was eating non.
I bought the shark and brough her home. Given her size I have placed her in my 55 gallon to ensure she is eating and adjusting well. I drip acclimated her for about an hour. At first her when introduced into the tank her breathing was stable, though shortly after she was breathing at a elevated rate but not gasping. I am writing this on Sunday night and since the Friday night and the 48 hours that have followed her breathing has seemed to return to normal. I am at most concerned however because even given my background I have unable to get her to eat thus far. I am not sure if it is because she is still relatively new to the world and is still getting adjusted or if something is wrong. I have tried scallops, silversides, shrimp, and frozen chunks of brine shrimp. She showed interest in the silversides on Saturday night but did not go in for a bite and then swam away. For a majority of the time she has been with me, she hasn't been moving much, she will have short bursts of activity but usually likes to sit next to or as far under this one rock in my tank. Does anyone have experience with young sharks or getting sharsk to eat. Any tips or foods I could try. I am at a point where I may try what we do at the aquarium for some of the juveniles. We will put them in floating laundry baskets and then spot feed the food directly too them to ensure they are eating, and if they do not eat right away the food will stay in the basket until they eat it or about 4 hours if they do not but it is a very useful way to monitor them. Also when I go to touch the shark or something in the tank is disturbed around her she does not move or react. I can put my hand in and pick her up and she will not move at all, almost as if she is lifeless but still breathing.
ANY ADIVICE IS APPRECIATED, I HOPE SHE SURVIVES.
