Melbourne Aquarium » Melbourne Aquarium

01-06-2008

Hmmm... I'm having connection problems lately but when I get a chance I'll search these aquariums sites to see if we can get an answer...

01-06-2008

Thank you for that info, "aw101"

01-06-2008

a quick search on ISIS revealed around sixty grey nurse sharks (sand tigers) are kept in aquariums.

01-06-2008

If i may ask is that in Australia only?

01-06-2008

The grey nurse sharks in captivity are something which has always intrigued me. If this species is as critically endangered as some groups claim (and others dispute) isn't keeping them in aquariums damaging their recovery, or are they breeding them in some aquariums. They seem to be the most popular aquarium large shark, probably because of their toothy appearance and safety to put divers in with.

02-06-2008

I agree with Monty the grey nurse shark has a beautiful fierce apperance but is not as lethal as some other species of shark, they also look very magnificent when they are up close,

02-06-2008

There has been a successful breeding at an aquarium in Australia, I want to say Manly but can't recall exactly... I can state that it has happened...

I'll research all this when my connection difficulties end (the IT guy is coming next week)...

09-06-2008

grey nurse sharks are the same species as sand tiger sharks and ragged-tooth sharks (the South African name). They have been bred in Aquariums but it is not a regular occurrance. They are slow-growing and long-lived, and breeding is very slow because they have only two pups per year (due to cannibalism by the pups within each of the two uteri). They are very endangered (status varies across their very wide range), primarily through sport-hunting and collection for Aquariums. Their fearsome appearance makes them attractive targets for "brave" spear-fishermen, and likewise makes them prime display items in Aquariums. When the Blue Planet Aquarium in Chester (UK) opened it claimed to have the world's largest collection of grey nurses, which is sort of akin to proudly proclaiming yourself to display the world's largest collection of wild-caught Sumatran tigers!

With regards to Monty's question above, I personally doubt public Aquariums are helping in the species recovery at all, more that they are a drain on the wild population with little breeding taking place

09-06-2008

Grey Nurse sharks are popular with public aquaria because they adapt quite well to captivity and the inevitable restrictions of shark tanks (no matter how large.)

In contrast, deep ocean sharks such as Tigers and Great Whites seem to have difficulty adapting to a restricted area and don't last too long, sometimes continuously swimming into walls. To avoid this, some U.S. aquaria have kept Tiger sharks in large radius "donut" shaped tanks so that they can swim continuously without reaching an end wall, and with a current (supplied by a jet of water) to swim against.