Arabian and Short Tail Nurse Sharks

[srcleary]

I am building an 1,100g shark/eel/ray tank. (I have another build thread). The tank is 15' x 4' x 30" deep. I hope to have water in it by Christmas.

In my research for what would fit and what would be unique, I have landed on two sark species. The Arabian Bamboo and the Short Tail Nurse.

My first question is, does anyone have any leads on where I could obtain a pair or trio of Arabian Bamboos? They obviously do not come along very often but I believe some people have bred them in captivity. Or maybe someone has one or two they would be willing to sell. I know it might take me a while to locate, but I would love to house the Arabian Bamboo.

My second question concerns the Shirt Tail Nurse. I know ORA captive breeds these, but I do not know when they might become available again. No one seems to have available. I am also curious how active they are and I have heard they can lay upside down and act a bit weird for sharks. Can anyone who keeps the STN give any feedback on how they act in the home aquarium? Anyone know of any for sale? Anyone breeding them?

Again I am not in a great rush but needing to continue my research and get the word out of what I am looking for. And obtain as much advise as possible. I have already had great advise on my build thread which has led me to these two shark species.

I am not wanting any cat sharks. Brown banded might get too big and I prefer the Arabian over the white-spotted. If I cannot obtain any Arabians, I will consider the Grey Bamboo which seems a bit easier to locate.

I also have a pair of Australian Epaulettes. Female is 19" and male about 16" and they are doing great. I also have a Kuhlii Blue Dot that is doing great (eats from my hand) and three more that I just obtained and working with to get to eat. A difficult process. But I love the Kuhlii rays.

Thanks for any help and advise you can offer.

Steve

 

[Aspect]

I am building an 1,100g shark/eel/ray tank. (I have another build thread). The tank is 15' x 4' x 30" deep. I hope to have water in it by Christmas.

In my research for what would fit and what would be unique, I have landed on two sark species. The Arabian Bamboo and the Short Tail Nurse.

My first question is, does anyone have any leads on where I could obtain a pair or trio of Arabian Bamboos? They obviously do not come along very often but I believe some people have bred them in captivity. Or maybe someone has one or two they would be willing to sell. I know it might take me a while to locate, but I would love to house the Arabian Bamboo.

My second question concerns the Shirt Tail Nurse. I know ORA captive breeds these, but I do not know when they might become available again. No one seems to have available. I am also curious how active they are and I have heard they can lay upside down and act a bit weird for sharks. Can anyone who keeps the STN give any feedback on how they act in the home aquarium? Anyone know of any for sale? Anyone breeding them?

Again I am not in a great rush but needing to continue my research and get the word out of what I am looking for. And obtain as much advise as possible. I have already had great advise on my build thread which has led me to these two shark species.

I am not wanting any cat sharks. Brown banded might get too big and I prefer the Arabian over the white-spotted. If I cannot obtain any Arabians, I will consider the Grey Bamboo which seems a bit easier to locate.

I also have a pair of Australian Epaulettes. Female is 19" and male about 16" and they are doing great. I also have a Kuhlii Blue Dot that is doing great (eats from my hand) and three more that I just obtained and working with to get to eat. A difficult process. But I love the Kuhlii rays.

Thanks for any help and advise you can offer.

Steve

I searched far and wide for Arabian Carpetsharks and could never find a source for them. Unless you know a collector in that area then you won't be able to find them. They never make it into the trade. Far as short tailed nurses I don't know much about them other then they are one of the least active sharks in the wild and yes laying upside down is normal behavior for them.

 

[Aspect]

They are only found in the Persian Gulf, not sure who has collection/import rights there. Guessing there's not a big market in that area for fish trade, just oil.

 

[srcleary]

I searched far and wide for Arabian Carpetsharks and could never find a source for them. Unless you know a collector in that area then you won't be able to find them. They never make it into the trade. Far as short tailed nurses I don't know much about them other then they are one of the least active sharks in the wild and yes laying upside down is normal behavior for them.

That’s not encouraging on either front. But I appreciate the feedback.

I’m hoping for a breakthrough on the Arabian. I am not sure what shipping regulations are if I hire a collector in the area. Which I would be willing to do.

My LFS is also discouraging me from the short tail nurse. He says they are just too inactive and weird. And they are certainly not cheap compared to other carpet sharks.

 

[Aspect]

That’s not encouraging on either front. But I appreciate the feedback.

I’m hoping for a breakthrough on the Arabian. I am not sure what shipping regulations are if I hire a collector in the area. Which I would be willing to do.

My LFS is also discouraging me from the short tail nurse. He says they are just too inactive and weird. And they are certainly not cheap compared to other carpet sharks.

Just telling you my firsthand experience on the Arabian Carpetsharks. Also, yeah not sure what the appeal is of the Short tailed nurse, from the research I've done on it they hang around on their backs for hours on end and rarely swim around. I have a Grey Bamboo and they are good sharks, they do need to be fed a bit more than a Coral Cat and they are noticeably wider but stay relatively small (Can expect around 22"-24" in captivity). They also are generally considered to be one of the more "active" Bamboo sharks and they have that nice shark like appearance when they are mature and their bands fade into grey.

 

[srcleary]

Just telling you my firsthand experience on the Arabian Carpetsharks. Also, yeah not sure what the appeal is of the Short tailed nurse, from the research I've done on it they hang around on their backs for hours on end and rarely swim around. I have a Grey Bamboo and they are good sharks, they do need to be fed a bit more than a Coral Cat and they are noticeably wider but stay relatively small (Can expect around 22"-24" in captivity). They also are generally considered to be one of the more "active" Bamboo sharks and they have that nice shark like appearance when they are mature and their bands fade into grey.

The Grey Bamboo is my plan B. I found three but they say the don’t sex and don’t know how. Weird.

I would like a trio if I get a Grey. A male and two females. I like the “wider” aspect.

I’ve considered a white spotted and know they can get bigger but my epaulettes are already pretty long and narrow and may get a big?

 

[Aspect]

The Grey Bamboo is my plan B. I found three but they say the don’t sex and don’t know how. Weird.

I would like a trio if I get a Grey. A male and two females. I like the “wider” aspect.

I’ve considered a white spotted and know they can get bigger but my epaulettes are already pretty long and narrow and may get a big?

The Bamboos won't be able to be gendered until they reach sexual maturity and likely the ones you found are juvenile. A White Spotted will reach at least 30", 36" if female.

 

[dennis romano]

Ask Eric Cohen at Tank Stop? A shop here in north NJ had a short tail nurse for a while this year. It was about twenty inches and was in the same position in its tank every time I went to the store. Never saw it move. I was told that it came from the east coast of Africa.

 

[srcleary]

Ask Eric Cohen at Tank Stop? A shop here in north NJ had a short tail nurse for a while this year. It was about twenty inches and was in the same position in its tank every time I went to the store. Never saw it move. I was told that it came from the east coast of Africa.

Yeah I asked Eric about Arabians. He said “unlikely” but he would ask around. I know he has some good connections but probably not in that part of the world.

seems like my fears of the STN are becoming more evident.

 

[Aspect]

Yeah I asked Eric about Arabians. He said “unlikely” but he would ask around. I know he has some good connections but probably not in that part of the world.

seems like my fears of the STN are becoming more evident.

You can email Sustainable Aquatics to get more info on STN sharks as they breed them there.

 

[srcleary]

You can email Sustainable Aquatics to get more info on STN sharks as they breed them there.

Okay. Thanks

 

[discovermarine]

Good luck on your hunt for Arabians they are so rare that I’ve only ever come across one that my friend has in the UK, cost him an absolute fortune to import it.
I will ask for his source and if I can find out I’ll let you know

 

[srcleary]

Good luck on your hunt for Arabians they are so rare that I’ve only ever come across one that my friend has in the UK, cost him an absolute fortune to import it.
I will ask for his source and if I can find out I’ll let you know

Thanks! Appreciate it. Just trying to learn what I can about the harder to find sharks. I know it’s a shot in the dark to ever find one but have to try right?