Monday 18 April 2011

Shark Fish

In this section of the site you find articles about true sharks (see articles below) and "freshwater sharks". When you purchase so called freshwater sharks from your local fish store, they are usually not sharks. Several types of small and silvery shark-like fish species are marketed as freshwater sharks even though they only have a body form that resembles that of a shark. There are true shark species that lives in freshwater, particularly in Australia, but these true sharks are not recommended for hobby aquarists. They will grow very large and you will need a huge aquarium if you want to provide them with a good home. Several species are also endangered and should not be removed from their natural environment unless needed for conservatory reasons, e.g. for a public aquarium. A majority of the most well known true shark species, such as the Great White shark and Hammerhead shark, are marine species.
There are also a few true shark species that can live in brackish waters and the Bull Shark can even leave the ocean and migrate several miles up in freshwater rivers and into lakes. The Bull Shark will usually do well in captivity, but due to its size it is only kept in public aquariums. It can reach a length of 3.5 meters and require plenty of space to thrive. It is also included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and considered near threatened by CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
As mentioned earlier, the so called freshwater shark species are actually a better choice for a freshwater aquarium than the true freshwater shark species. If you have a saltwater aquarium you can also keep some of the smallest saltwater shark species. A saltwater aquarium is not suitable as a first aquarium; it is advisable to begin with a freshwater aquarium and gain some experience before you venture into the beautiful but somewhat more complicated saltwater world.
It is common for the so called freshwater sharks to come from rivers and lakes in Asia. They might look like sharks, but their anatomy and habits are very different from those of a true shark. The so called sharks are typically not even predatory. Always try to find out the true name of the “Shark” that you are offered in the fish store, since you should choose a species that will not outgrow your aquarium.

The Bala shark is one example of a so called shark that is commonly sold to hobby aquarists even though it will reach a mature size of 36 centimeters (14 inches) which makes it too big for a majority of the hobby aquarists. The Bala shark should also ideally be kept in a school consisting of at least six Bala sharks, since Bala sharks always form schools in the wild. Keeping six fishes that are longer than 30 centimeters in the same aquarium is unfeasible for most aquarists. The Black shark is another so called shark that is typically offered to aquarists when it is 5 centimeters (2 inches) long, and many fish stores are quite reluctant to tell the purchaser that the quite little fish that they just bought can become 82 centimeters (32 inches) long.

Interest shark facts

Just as humans rule the land, sharks rule the sea! Many people fear sharks, because they hear stories about sharks killing and eating humans. Actually, most sharks are not dangerous!
Drawing of a shark labeling major anatomical features, including mouth, snout, nostril, eye, spiracle, dorsal fin spine, caudal keel, clasper, labial furrows, gill openings, precaudal pit and fins: first and second dorsal, anal, pectoral, caudal and pelvic.
More people are killed by bee stings than by shark attacks.
More than 90% of people who are attacked by sharks survive the attack.
Sharks attack more men than women. No one knows why this is the case.
The bull shark is the only shark that can live in both fresh and salt water. A bull shark may have been responsible for a shark attack that happened in a creek in New Jersey back in 1916.
The largest shark teeth found belonged to a Carcharodon Magaloden shark and are 6 inches long. This shark is extinct and lived more than 4.5 million years ago
Sharks do not sleep the same way as humans do. They might seem as if they are sleeping but they are really just resting!
Sharks are strong, healthy creatures. No other living thing can take better care of itself than a shark can! Like humans, sharks are at the top of the food chain.
Sharks never get cancer! Their cartilage is used in being studied with the hope of developing anti-cancer drugs.
Sharks have been around for more than 300 million years! They were around before dinosaurs!
Sharks' bodies are heavier than the sea, so if they stop moving they sink. If they want to stay afloat, they must keep moving!
There are about 350 different types of sharks, but researchers think there are other sharks that haven't been discovered yet!
The dwarf shark is as small as your hand, while the whale shark can be as large as a school bus!
A shark is one of the best hunters in the world. Even their little pups go out looking for food.
A shark's hunger can be satisfied with one good meal. The meal can last a long time because a shark uses little energy to swim. Some sharks hold food in their stomachs without it being digested. If they eat a big meal, it can last three or more months!

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