My new pair, very rare import to the US

[alprazo]

I picked the pair up about 6 weeks ago. The male ~ 14 inches and the female ~ 12. They temporarily reside alone in a 350 and will be move to a 12 * 10 * 2.5 (2240 gal) pond this spring. They grow up to 4 feet, wag their tails when they see me, and move/swim only about once a week or less if well fed.

Can you ID them from this photo?

 

[jmccown]

Bearded Plecostomus, lol. Just kidding. Not a clue.

 

[ccampbell57]

Wobbegong Shark - Orectolobus japonicus

 

[ShellsSD]

Yep Wobbegong would be my guess also

 

[tahoe61]

Id

Id

+1, Wobbegong shark and very cool, can still bite though.

 

[alprazo]

They are Wobbies, just not japonicus.

 

[yukonblizzard]

Ward's Wobbies, Orectolobus wardi, or Cobbler Wobbies?

 

[ccampbell57]

Tassled ?

 

[myerst2]

Not that rare of an import but a very cool shark. Cared for one years ago that ate wrecked an emperor snapper which looked like it would of never of been on the menu. T

 

[alprazo]

Yes Tasseled Wobbegong. Eucrossorhinus dasypogon.

Myerst2,

I would love to know about your experience with them. I know what you mean about an appetite. My smaller female grabbed hold of a 14" epaulette nearly 4 hours after being placed into the tank. I pull then both from the tank and it took another 30+ seconds for her to release. That is why they are alone. They so far have ignored each other with one on each end of the tank.


Everything I have read, which isn't much states that they are rarely shipped to the US. I had been searching for these a Wards wobbe and a Hemiscyllium freycineti (speckled indo carpet shark) for a long time and have never seen any of them until these and the one in Atlanta.

How large was yours and how fast did it grow? Was anything thing safe with it?

I was thinking about going very large - grouper, or very small - cleaner type gobies as tankmates until the pond is ready.

 

[alprazo]

Anyone else with husbandry experience?

 

[kirkaz]

Very cool, look forward to some additional pictures or a video.

Edit...you beat me to it.

 

[LukFox]

Wow I love that last shot... Very beautiful.

 

[tahoe61]

Saw a few while diving in Belize. These are from Australia, but thought you might enjoy it, you will see them towards the end. They are different than your but cool none the less.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex_R-1YSfSw

 

[myerst2]

It's pretty straight forward. Cooler water temps would be better 72F. A very secure cave with plenty of soft substrate inside and outside the cave. As I'm sure you know, this shark is basically nocturnal from my experience. So I wouldn't keep the tank very bright. Because of their heavy feeding habits, I would have an appropriate skimmer and do regular water changes. As far as tankmates, imo I would just live a happy little life alone together. If anything maybe a larger bamboo shark or cat shark. If left alone maybe you can have them breed in a few years. Hope this helps. Oh one last thing, don't be tempted to over feed the sharks. They are sedentary so they don't expend a lot of energy so they won't need to be fed everyday.

 

[myerst2]

Also have any info, plans, and pics of the future home for the wobbies? T

 

[lostintheocean]

i saw a couple babies at georgia aquarium. they were in the lagoon above the reef, had to be in the behind scene tour to see it

 

[helicoprion]

Great find dude. Awesome.

 

[AngelsAnonymous]

Very cool. I love the fanned out look they have. Can't wait to see them in the pond.

 

[alprazo]

Thanks everyone. I am very excite to have them. Right now, I am feeding them weekly either a whole smelt that soaks in a Mazuri Vit solution or a whole medium size squid.

The pond will go in my basement, right now the kids moon bounce is there, but once they are bored, the area will be the sharks home. Not sure if I am going to breakup the concrete and dig out the floor or just build up. I had planned to move them sooner, but now I realize that they are very inactive, appear comfortable, for now, in the 350 gal and the pressure is less. It is an interesting setup right now - SPS, LPS and tasseled wobbies. No fish, shrimp- they all have been moved.

I will post a video of them wagging their tails at me- it is the coolest thing - I understand that it is an angling technique. There is a black dot on the end of the tail that resembles an eye.

BTW Tahoe61 - great video, I am envious.