How to Care for Young Sand Tiger Sharks

Sand tiger sharks are ovoviviparous and their embryos develop within the mother's uterus after breaking through a thin egg case. The developing sand shark pups feed on each other and by the time their mother gives birth, only one or two babies have survived. Sand tiger sharks have an eight- to nine-month gestation and the pups are approximately 3-foot long at birth. These sharks are nocturnal predators, which rest in undersea caves during the day.

Things You'll Need

  • 9-foot-by-6-foot Styrofoam
  • 9-foot-by-6-foot aquarium stand
  • 9-foot-by-6-foot-by-3-foot aquarium
  • Sump
  • Powerful power head
  • Venturi protein skimmer
  • Wet-dry filter compartment
  • Sintered glass biological filter material
  • Aquarium heater
  • Fine sea sand
  • Three marine rocks
  • Synthetic sea salt
  • Natural sea water (optional)
  • Hydrometer
  • Fresh or frozen sea food items
  • Plastic rod
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Instructions

  1. Setting up the Tank

    • 1

      Place a thin piece of 9-foot-by-6-foot Styrofoam onto an equally sized aquarium stand and position a 9-foot-by-6-foot-by-3-foot aquarium onto the stand. This aquarium will hold approximately 1,211-gallons of water before displacement from the rocks and substrate. Place a sump beneath the aquarium. A sump is a second aquarium that is positioned below the main tank, and is connected to the main tank via inlet and outlet pipes.

    • 2

      Place a powerful power head onto the one side of the aquarium. Obtain a power head that turns the total volume of the aquarium over five times every hour. Place a powerful, venturi protein skimmer into the sump of the aquarium. Venturi skimmers are more powerful than an air-driven skimmer. Use the overflow chamber to the sump as a wet-dry filter and fill it with sintered glass biological filtration material. Set the aquarium heater to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and place the aquarium heater in the sump to prevent breakage.

    • 3

      Place a 1-inch layer of fine sea sand onto the floor of the aquarium. Place three marine rocks to create a single cave or overhang at the rear of the aquarium.

    • 4

      Fill the aquarium with tap water and add a commercial aquarium chlorine remover. Add synthetic sea salt and turn on the power head. Use natural sea water as an alternative to the fresh water and synthetic sea salt, if this is available. Use a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of the water, which should be 1.025

    • 5

      Put your young shark into the aquarium.

    Feeding

    • 6

      Feed the young shark after the aquarium lights have been turned off. Keep a low watt room light on.

    • 7

      Place a piece of fresh or recently thawed sea food, such as prawn or calamari onto the end of a plastic rod and hold the rod near to the face of the young shark.

    • 8

      Feed until the shark stops eating, two to three times per week.

    • 9

      Move the young shark to a larger aquarium or donate to a public aquarium once it grows much beyond 3 feet.