The Guitar Shovelnose Ray (Pseudobatos lentiginosus) is a member of the family Rhinobatidae which are commonly known as guitarfishes. Guitarfish is just a somewhat cooler common name for shovelnose sharks or rays, which are a group of cartilaginous fishes (fish with cartilage instead of bones) like sharks, skates, rays and sawfish. Guitar Shovelnose Rays are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean, from the Mid-South of the Eastern seaboard of the United States to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico where they are relatively uncommon. These fish prefer shallow waters and are rarely found deeper than a hundred feet down. They like sandy bottoms where their flat bodies can easily hide in with the substrate where they like to bury themselves for protection. Rocky substrates or substrates with too much vegetation can prevent this behavior. Sometimes they can be found relatively exposed but with vertical cover such as an overhang of rock to protect them from above. A diverse selection of mostly whole foods such as shrimp, fish, clams, mussels, etc should be offered. Offerings of cut whole fish will also likely learn to be accepted as your pets come to know you. An important consideration when it comes to any elasmobranch in captivity is their need for supplemental vitamins and minerals. There are shark multivitamins available, and a small amount of research will guide you to something suitable for your fish. Click here to learn more
