All fish / Orectolobidae

Tasselled Wobbegong

Eucrossorhinus dasypogon

Also known as tasseled wobbegong, tassled wobbegong, bearded wobbegong, tasselled carpet shark, carpet shark, wobbegong shark, アラフラオオセ, hiu karpet, 叶须鲨, 须鲨

A flattened reef shark with a broad head ringed by a fringe of branched skin flaps and a mottled brown and cream body that blends into coral rubble. It is kept by public aquariums and a few dedicated hobbyists for its remarkable camouflage and calm, sit-and-wait habits.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

125 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

2000 litres

Keep as

Keep singly

Diet

Carnivore: whole fish, squid, prawns and other meaty seafood, fed a few times a week

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

20 to 25 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Northern Australia, New Guinea and eastern Indonesia

Breeding

It gives birth to live young that develop from eggs inside the mother. Captive breeding is very rare and not realistic in home aquaria.

Good to know

It grows well over a metre long and will swallow any fish or invertebrate it can fit in its large mouth, so tankmates are rarely safe. It can bite hard if handled and needs a very large, securely covered system with powerful filtration.