▷ Mini Sharks | Arius seemani | All information and details

Data sheet mini sharks

German name:
mini sharks

Scientific name:
Sciades seemannic

Origin:
Coastal waters from southern California to Colombia

Size:
40 cm and larger

Aquarium

Length:
from 300 cm edge length

Contents:
from 1200 liters content

water values

Temperature:
22°C and 26°C

pH:
6.8 and 8.0 pH

GH:
10 and 30 °dGH

Behave

Area:
lower area, ground level, middle area

Lining:
Insect larvae, frozen food (e.g. mosquito larvae, Tubifex)

Behave:
very active, constantly on the move, very sociable, can easily be socialized with other brackish water fish

Number:
at least 3 animals

Difficulty level:
Professionals and advanced, not suitable for beginners

Xocolatl, MA Luisenpark Sciades seeanni, CC BY-SA 3.0

Colombian cross catfish, Arius seemani, are often called mini sharks because they look like «little sharks». They are often confused with shark catfish, Pangasius sutchi.

Cross catfish are poorly suited for maintenance in the aquarium.

The animals are 30 centimeters tall. Sometimes even bigger. There are reports of 50 centimeters tall specimens. In addition, mini sharks are schooling fish and several animals should be kept together. At least 4 animals should be kept in one species tank if possible.

The aquarium should be as large as possible. The pool must be at least 200 centimeters long and 50 centimeters deep or, even better, have a water capacity of at least 1,200 liters.

The aquarium must be covered and partially darkened. The animals need a lot of rest. A large root in a corner of the aquarium should provide plenty of shade. Adult cross catfish are more nocturnal and jump.

The animals can be socialized with smaller brackish water fish. Arius seemani are very peaceful and will not bother other fish.

Mini sharks are mouthbrooders, where the males take the eggs in their mouths.

Young animals like to live in groups. Adult animals become solitary over time.

Mini sharks need salt water.

The animals can only be kept in fresh water for a short time. However, they are not actually freshwater fish. Only when young can they be kept in fresh water. They live in nature in brackish or sea water. The bigger they get, the more urgently they need a salt additive in the water. The pH should be at least 7.2.

In general, they don’t grow as old in fresh water as they do in brackish or sea water. But the harder the fresh water, the better for the fish. Keeping them in fresh water is not a long-term solution. From time to time it is claimed that there are subspecies that can live in fresh water. But there is no such kind. Without the addition of salt in the water, the animals are constantly infested with parasites.

»Show all aquarium salts on Amazon*

Newly purchased mini sharks should be placed in an aquarium with a salt content of 0.5 grams per liter. As soon as the fish are in the aquarium, the salt content is slowly increased to 5.85 grams per liter. The increase should be spread over about 4 months. The salinity corresponds to a density of 1,005.

From a size of approx. 12 centimetres, the so-called wandering instinct sets in. At this time, the animals often move out into the open sea or into water with a higher salinity. This must be simulated in the aquarium. The salinity must then be increased to 1.01 to 1015 and should fluctuate within this range.
A salt density of 1,010, ie about half the seawater concentration, to 1,024, which corresponds to seawater, is therefore ideal.

Most aquarium plants can be kept with 3 per mille of added salt. The saltier the water gets, the more difficult it becomes to get suitable plants. Only when the lake water is full is something possible again.

Mini sharks can overeat.

Small fish are often taken as food from a certain size. Neons can be swallowed whole. Otherwise, only thawed frozen food is usually eaten, e.g. B. Whole blocks of bloodworms. The food must be dosed well, because mini sharks like to eat too much. They may become constipated because they overeat. How much they have eaten can be seen from the fullness of their bodies.