- I Am Adopting her i call her Dory
- How do I add a picture so I can find out if my fish is Rolland’s
- Thank you for the advice sir just one question where
can you buy a zebra
- I am locking to buy one rose band fairy wrasse.
- We would like to import some live Zebra Shark. Contact me please. Best regard, Liu Wei Chung. Email: s89186@kentington.com.tw
- I have a green moray eel that is just too big now, does anyone have a HUGE tank....400+ gallons?
- Home
- Saltwater Fish FamiliesLegendCare parametersSpecies Distribution MapsRead User CommentsWatch a VideoThumbnail IdentificationLink to more images
Saltwater Fish Families
- Sharks and RaysLegendCare parametersSpecies Distribution MapsRead User CommentsWatch a VideoThumbnail IdentificationLink to more images
Sharks and Rays Species
- ArticlesLegendCare parametersSpecies Distribution MapsRead User CommentsWatch a VideoThumbnail IdentificationLink to more images
Marine - Saltwater Fish Articles
- Beginner Saltwater Fish
Guide to saltwater fish for beginners, how to choose the best hardy saltwater fish for a beginner fish tank, with a list of marine fish for beginners aquariums!
- Breeding Marine (Saltwater) Fish
Breeding techniques of some of the more common saltwater aquarium fish
- Conversion Calculators for Aquariums
Unit conversion calculator for aquariums: How many gallons are in your aquarium, how many drops in a teaspoon, whats the difference between a US gallon and a UK gallon, not to mention liters?
- Cycling Your Aquarium
Aquarium Cycling Guide: starting up a new aquarium the right way
- Fish Disease and Treatment
Diagnose illness, chart symptoms, suggested medications
- Live Fish Foods
What to feed tropical fish fry, livebearers and egglayers
- Online Dictionary of Aquatic Science Terms
Glossary of aquatic science terms used in ichthyology and aquarium circles for freshwater and marine animals, corals and plants
- Reef Tanks - Mini-Reef Aquarium Guide
Mini reef aquarium guide. Reef aquarium setup for large reef tanks, Nano reef tanks, Pico reef or MIcro reef aquariums with reef tank lighting, filtration, choosing coral reef animals, and problem solving!
- Saltwater Aquarium Guide
Setting up a Saltwater Aquarium. Guide to marine supplies, putting the aquarium together, cycling the aquarium water and adding fish!
- Sharks at Sea
Throughout the ages people of been fascinated, thrilled, frightened, and horrified by these creatures. They have been the subject of myths, novels, movies...
- The Tao of Marine Aquaria
Observations and insights of a marine enthusiast. An in-depth explanation of what it takes to be a successful marine aquarist
LegendCare parametersSpecies Distribution MapsRead User CommentsWatch a VideoThumbnail IdentificationLink to more imagesSharks and Rays Articles
- Fish Finder
and other features- Enter your Freshwater Aquarium Enter parameters for your Freshwater Aquarium to get compatibility information while browsing.
- Enter your Saltwater Aquarium Enter parameters for your Saltwater Aquarium to get compatibility information while browsing.
- Fish FinderSearch our database for compatible pets! Enter characteristics of what you are looking for and find them instantly.
- Dr. Jungle's Pets and Animal Speak - NewsletterFeatured Pet of the week and more...
- Pet TalkPet stories and people talking about their pets.
- Latest Fact SheetsNew Arrivals and updates to Animal-World care sheets.
- Site Map
Zebra Shark
Leopard Shark (Coral Sea) Varigated Shark<br /> Monkey-mouthed Shark
Family: Stegostomatidae
Stegostoma fasciatumPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy David BroughLatest Reader Comment - See Morehey can i have a zabra sharks with a nurse sharks in a 15,000 g both in the same 15,000 g also can i keep a blacktip in a 3,000 g zoeTrue to its name as a youngster, the Zebra Shark has a striped pattern, but as an adult it is spotted. So much for the "zebra", ...and no wonder it is also called the Leopard Shark!
 Although the Zebra Shark is also referred to as a Leopard Shark, it is not the same animal as the more commonly known Leopard Shark, Triakis semifasciatus, frequently offered in the aquarium industry. You can learn about the more common aquarium species here: Leopard Shark.The young Zebra Shark has a dark brown to blackish background with narrow yellow bars and yellow spots. This bold coloration will change and the banding will fade as it ages. As an adult it will be a creamy or yellowish-brown with dark brown spots. There have even been a few occasions of an adult developing into an albino coloring.
Photo Courtesy: Jim SheilMany pictures of the Zebra Shark, like in this photo, will show a discfish or a little cleaner fish near the mouth or on the nose. The discfish seen here is a Remora Shark.
Notice the two ridges running down the back. These develop in the adult shark and extend all the way down to the caudal fin.
The coloring of this shark starts to change and the ridge begins to develop when they have reached about 27" (70 cm). Another striking characteristic of this fish is the long cauldal (tail) fin, it is almost as long as the sharks body!
The Zebra Shark is a bottom feeder that is found in the Great Barrier Reef and the Coral Sea. It is a sluggish and slow swimming fish living in tropical waters. Unaggressive when approached, the Zebra Shark is considered harmless by divers.
For more Information on keeping marine fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine AquariumPopular Searches- Beginner Fish - Saltwater fish for beginners
- Community Fish - Peaceful Saltwater fish
- Hardy Fish - Hardy Saltwater fish
Maintenance difficulty: Though the Zebra Shark will readily acclimate to an aquarium and is easy to keep, it gets much too large for most home aquariums. They are best kept by experts with the ability to provide a very large enclosure.
Maintenance: Feed all kinds of large meaty foods like small pieces of fish, squid, shrimp. They will also eat clams, mussels, and snails. They are nocturnal feeders, resting during the day and getting active at night.
Habitat: Natural geographic location: The Zebra Shark is found from East Africa and the Red Sea to Australia and New Caledonia also recently from Tonga. Usually found on sandy bottoms on or near coral reefs, though they have also been recorded to enter freshwater.
Foods: Natural foods include gastropod and bivalve molluscs with smaller amounts of crabs, shrimp, and small fish.
Social Behaviors: This fish can be kept with other fish and is usually no problem even with smaller fish that could be eaten. They usually only try to eat fish that are either dying or distressed.
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: An oviparous egglayer, the Zebra Shark has been known to breed in large public aquariums. It lays eggs that are 6.5 inches (17 cm) in length. The eggs are dark colored and have tufts of hair attached which serve to anchor them to the bottom. The eggs will hatch in about 170 days. The young are 8 - 10 inches (20 - 26 cm) in length when they hatch.
Temperature: 78 - 84° F. ( 26 – 29°C)
Length/Diameter of fish: Zebra Shark adults can grow to 11.5 feet (354 cm) but are more common in the 5-8 foot (150-250 cm) range.
Minimum Tank Length/Size: A minimum 400 gallon aquarium is recommended.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong Likes water movement.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom Spends time at all water levels.
Availability: This fish is not available to the aquarium industry.
Lastest Animal Stories on Zebra Shark
- Beginner Saltwater Fish
