Everything You Need to Know About Chinese Hi-Fin Banded Sharks

If you’re an aquarist or pond enthusiast looking for a unique fish to add to your backyard pond, the Chinese hi-fin banded shark may be the fish for you. However, before you add this interesting fish to your pond, here are some important facts about it that you need to know, brought to you by the staff at Aquatic Warehouse, a trusted provider of aquarium and koi pond supplies.

Physical Description

The Chinese hi-fin banded shark is known under many other names, and despite its common name, it has no relation to real sharks. It does bear a slight resemblance to a shark while it’s a juvenile. During the juvenile years, the bodies of Chinese hi-fin banded sharks are brown with three vertical stripes. As they enter adulthood, their appearance changes vastly as their colors fade and their high dorsal fin morphs into a smaller dorsal fin. Their growth is exceedingly quick, typically growing to about 3-4 inches in their first year of life and up to 16 inches by the age of three. Due to their size alone, these fish aren’t suitable as a pet in a small home aquarium. In their natural habitat, they can live up to 25 years and get even larger. In your backyard pond, it’s unlikely they’ll live that long, but you can still expect them to be around for 15-20 years, which is quite a long life span for a fish.

Habitat

Due to their size, Chinese hi-fin banded sharks should be kept in at least a 55 gallon aquarium or a backyard pond. It’s best if the aquarium or pond bottom is covered with gravel, along with some rocks and possibly branches. These fish can tolerate a wide variation of temperatures but will flourish in water between 65-82 degrees Fahrenheit. In the wild, Chinese hi-fin banded sharks inhabit rivers and running waters, so it’s crucial to provide some type of water movement in the pond or aquarium. For them to thrive, they require spotless, clean water with little to no buildup of waste material.

Behavior

Chinese hi-fin banded sharks are docile and peaceful, so some other fish can be added into their tank or pond without any concern of aggression. In the wild, these fish live in schools, so it would be best to keep them in groups within your pond or aquarium. If they’re not living within a school, it’s unknown if they’ll survive.

Diet

Chinese hi-fin banded sharks are omnivores and relatively easy to feed, eating sinking algae, algae wafers, brine shrimp, bloodworms, earthworms, insects, prawn, and crustaceans. They spend much of their time searching for food on the bottom of their pond or aquarium.

Whether you’re keeping Chinese hi-fin banded sharks or another type of fish in your pond, you need to maintain your pond properly to ensure the health of your aquatic pets. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment and supplies, including nutritious food, beneficial bacteria, and pond filters. You can find everything you need at Aquatic Warehouse. Check out our website, stop by our store in Kearny Mesa, or give us a call today at 858-467-9297.