All fish / Rhinobatidae

Eastern Shovelnose Ray

Aptychotrema rostrata

Also known as eastern shovelnose ray, shovelnose ray, shovelnose guitarfish, australian guitarfish, eastern guitarfish, 澳洲犁头鳐

A flattened, sandy brown guitarfish with a long pointed snout and a shark-like rear body and tail. It is found only in Australian coastal waters and is mainly kept by public aquaria for its unusual shape and calm bottom-dwelling habits.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

100 cm

Temperature

18 to 25 °C

pH

8 to 8.4

Smallest tank

5000 litres

Keep as

Singly or in pairs in very large systems

Diet

Carnivore: prawns, crabs, squid, mussels and fish pieces

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Eastern Australia, southern Queensland to New South Wales

Breeding

It gives birth to live young after internal fertilisation, with small litters of pups. Captive breeding happens occasionally in public aquaria but is not practical for home keepers.

Good to know

Adults reach around 1 m or more and need huge tanks with wide areas of soft sand, so it is unsuitable for home aquariums. Export from Australia is restricted, so specimens are rarely traded.