Identification: Family: Hemiscyllidae | Scientific Name: Chiloscyllium punctatum (Muller & Henle, 1838)
Other Common Names: It is because the barbels at the mouth that look like a cat's whiskers this shark is known as a Cat Shark, also named a Brown-Banded, Banded, Brown-Spotted, Black Banded, and Blackbanded Bamboo Shark, Cat Shark or Catshark.
Distribution: Indo-Pacific region.
Average Size: Growing as much as 12 inches in a year's time, adults reach approximately 41 inches in length.
Minimum Tank Size Suggested: 180 gallons.
Habitat: Being a nocturnal, bottom-dwelling species that inhabits deeper waters where little light is present, the Brownbanded Bamboo Shark is light sensitive. Typically it stays hidden in an aquarium with bright lights on, and therefore should be provided with an adequately sized cave or light-sheltered space where it can hide. | Course textures can scratch this shark's belly, which can lead to infection, so it requires a soft sand substrate.
Characteristics and Compatibility: A docile fish that does not swim around much, this relatively small but strong shark can easy dislodge unstable rock formations and corals that are not attached securely. To avoid possible damage to the structure of the aquarium and injury to the shark and its tankmates from toppling objects, all items in the tank should be stable. | Best kept with Eels, Groupers, Snappers, Hawks, Hogs, Foxface/Rabbits, Lions/Scorpions, Grunts/Sweetlips, Sharks and Rays, larger species Angels, Parrots, Tangs/Surgeonfishes. Avoid Triggers and Puffers, as these fish will nip at the fins of most types of sharks.
Diet and Feeding: A carnivore that does not compete well for food with aggressive feeders, foods are best offered by target feeding using a stick or tongs. | Should be fed meaty fares that include pieces of fresh shrimp, scallop, squid, and marine fish flesh. | Soaking foods in a liquid vitamin can provide additional nutirents that are important to a shark's health. | Feed until satisfied 2-3 times a week.
Juvenile specimens are often difficult to get to eat. Adding a natural scent and flavor enhancer such as Seachem Entice (Compare Prices), and introducing live farmed-raised saltwater feeder shrimp (White Shrimp - Penaeus vannamei) to the aquarium can help to peak a stubborn feeder's interest. | This shark has a small mouth that it cannot open very wide, and it does not bite off pieces of food. It should be given tiny bits of food that it can easily consume whole, otherwise it may ignore and even spit out chunks that are too large.
Reef Tank Safe: No. Will eat all crustaceans, and small fishes.
Medication Alert: Copper-based medications should never be used on this shark, so read the labels on products carefully!
Notes From Your Guides: From the many descriptions we have read and heard about the Brownbanded Bamboo Shark being an excellent choice for the home aquarium because it, readily adapts to aquarium life, does not fit with our experience of dealing with this species for these reasons:
- It is not unusual for juvenile specimens to not start eating right away, and often starve to death before doing so.
- They are very sensitive to changes in the quality and chemistry of the aquarium water.
- We often encounter a problem with these sharks already having a red rash, or shortly thereafter developing one the length of their underbelly. We have come to suspect that the rash may stem from the sharks swimming over reef rocks placed in the aquarium for shelter, that to us don't feel course, but to them causes irritation. Have you ever picked up reef rock that leaves itchy, prickly, fiberglass-like particles embedded in your fingers? It makes sense that this could be the problem, and we will research this conclusion further upon receiving our next Brownbanded Bamboo Shark and provide an update.
Guide Fish Care Rating: 3 Stars -- Difficult!.
