All fish / Scyliorhinidae

Australian Marbled Catshark

Atelomycterus macleayi

Also known as marbled catshark, australian marbled cat shark, macleay's catshark, spotted catshark, 麦氏斑鲨

A slim, small catshark with a pale brown to grey body covered in dark spots and blotches, plus white speckles. It is kept by advanced reef and predator keepers who want a shark that stays fairly small and spends most of its time resting on the bottom.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

55 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Single or a pair in a very large system

Diet

Carnivore: shrimp, squid, clams, fish pieces and other meaty marine foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Northern Australia (Western Australia and Northern Territory)

Breeding

It lays eggs in tough cases that hatch after several months. Captive breeding of this species is rare, though related catsharks have bred in public aquaria.

Good to know

Needs a large, long footprint with smooth sand and secure lid, and will eat small fish and crustaceans. It is only found in a restricted Australian range, so specimens are rarely available and should come from legal sources.