All fish / Rhinobatidae

Shovelnose Guitarfish

Pseudobatos productus

Also known as shovelnose guitarfish, shovelnose ray, guitarfish, rhinobatos productus, shovel nose guitarfish, 犁头鳐

This ray-like shark relative has a flattened, wedge-shaped front, a long, thick tail with two dorsal fins and plain olive to sandy brown upper colouring. It is mostly seen in public aquariums and touch pools, where people value it as a calm, hardy bottom dweller from cool Californian waters.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

120 cm

Temperature

14 to 22 °C

pH

8 to 8.4

Smallest tank

10000 litres

Keep as

Singly or in small groups in very large systems

Diet

Carnivore: crabs, shrimp, clams, squid and fish pieces

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

11 to 16 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Eastern Pacific: central California to the Gulf of California, Mexico

Breeding

Females give birth to live young after about a year's gestation, usually producing from a handful up to around 28 pups in summer. Public aquariums have recorded births, but breeding in a home aquarium is not realistic.

Good to know

It can grow to about 1.7 m, so it needs a huge chilled tank with a soft sand bottom and is unsuitable for nearly all home aquariums. It is assessed as Near Threatened, and local fishing rules may limit collection.