Animal-World > Marine - Saltwater Fish > Sharks and Rays > Horned Shark

Horned Shark

Bullhead Shark ~ Pig Shark Family: Heterodontidae

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Heterodontus francisci Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

   The Horned Shark is usually very lazy and spends most of it's time laying around on the bottom of the aquarium. This shark was so docile you could feed it by hand, though keep in mind that they do have sharp teeth and may bite if they feel provoked!

  The Horned Shark (Bullhead Shark, Pig Shark, or Port Jacksons) gets it's name from the two horns you see sticking up just in front of the dorsal fins.

   These are a small sharks reaching 38 inches (96 cm), and fairly easy to maintain. in a large aquarium. One challenge to keep in mind, however, with keeping the Horned Shark (Bullhead Shark, Pig Shark, or Port Jacksons) is that they are actually a "cool-water" shark and some may do poorly in a "tropical" aquarium.

For more Information on keeping marine fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance:
   Feed all kinds of large meaty foods like small pieces of fish, squid, shrimp, and live goldfish. Best to feed small amounts several times a day.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
  Eastern Pacific: central California, USA to the Gulf of California, and probably Ecuador and Peru. Sluggish, nocturnal, and mostly solitary species. Inhabits rocky bottoms, kelp beds, sandy draws between rocks, on sand flats, deep crevices and small caves and also large underwater caverns. Adults tend to return to the same resting place every day. They have broad muscular paired fins used as limbs for clambering on the bottom

Foods:
   In the wild they eat Feeds on benthic invertebrates, especially sea urchins, crabs and probably abalone, also fishes. See 'maintenance' above for aquarium foods.

Social Behaviors:
   The same as most bottom feeding sharks, it gets along with other fish as long as they are large enough not to become lunch!

Sex: Sexual differences:
    The medial edges of the male's pelvic fins are modified to form claspers. The claspers are tubelike organs designed to deliver sperm into the female's reproductive tract. As the males grow older the claspers become more pronounced. The females do not have these.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Oviparous, Egglayer, sometimes shark eggs are available for sale.

Temperature:
   This is a cold water fish, so may do poorly in a tropical aquarium.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Horned Shark (Bullhead Shark, Pig Shark, or Port Jacksons) adults can grow to 96 cm (38 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 150 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   Ususally spends its time resting on the bottom.

Availability:
   This fish is available from time to time available.

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Latest Comments
The species of Heterodontus that require cool water (below 70F) are the Australian species. The Horned (H.francisci) is native to Southern Califonia & Mexico - generally lives in waters from 64-80F. So it actually can do pretty well in most home Aquaria. Kenneth 2007-12-23
I have been the proud owner of a pair of port jackson's for approx 6 weeks now. they have settled in well and although the other fish seemed a bit worried when they arrived they are now all chilling together with no problems. Damian 2006-04-03
these sharks are one of the worst in Heterodontus geneus to keep. and they are a cold water species. they require a miminal of 180 gallons not 150 gallons. i would only recommend this for the mose expirenced hobbiest Anonymous 2006-01-24
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I"m so glad that you help us to know all about those animals, thank you very much. jenifer martinez 2007-05-11

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