Chao Phraya giant shark Care Guide

The Chao Phraya giant shark, a magnificent yet challenging aquatic entity, demands attentive care due to its unique requirements. Here's a comprehensive guide to ensure a thriving environment for this stunning species.

Care Process

The Chao Phraya giant shark is considered moderately hardy, making it manageable for experienced aquarists. However, due to its size and specific needs, caring for this species is rated as difficult. It requires very high maintenance to ensure its well-being.

Feeding

The Chao Phraya giant shark has a diverse diet and should be provided with various food items to meet its nutritional needs. Suitable options include flakes, pellets, bloodworms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms, frozen shrimp, vegetable matter, algae wafers, and color-enhancing food. Additionally, live feeds such as daphnia, micro worms, and feeder fish can be offered to stimulate natural hunting instincts. Freeze-dried foods and stick-on tablets are also part of a balanced diet for this species.

Tank Setup

Given their large size, Chao Phraya giant sharks require an enormous tank that can hold at least 1000 liters per fish. The tank should allow ample space for swimming, as these sharks can grow between 300 to 500 cm in length. A minimum school size of 5 is ideal to promote social behavior.

The aquarium should replicate a natural environment with varying levels, as this species is known to be a surface, mid-tank, and bottom dweller. Maintaining a stable water temperature between 22°C and 28°C, with a pH range of 7 to 8, is crucial for their health.

Behavior and Compatibility

The Chao Phraya giant shark exhibits a blend of characteristics, being social, aggressive, shy, playful, and semi-aggressive. While they are not extremely aggressive during breeding, slight behavioral changes might occur. Moderately territorial, these sharks should not be housed with overly aggressive tank mates.

Additional Considerations

This species is extremely rare in the aquarium trade and requires a very expensive setup due to its size and habitat needs. They are moderately popular yet not commonly found due to the high level of difficulty in caring for them.

In summary, successfully maintaining a Chao Phraya giant shark aquarium necessitates precise attention to their environment and behavior. They can be a rewarding yet demanding species for dedicated aquarists prepared to meet their challenging care requirements.