All fish / Triakidae

Banded houndshark

Triakis scyllium

Also known as banded houndshark, banded dogfish, japanese houndshark, dochizame, ドチザメ, 皱唇鲨, 九斑鲨

This is a slim, grey-brown coastal shark with dark saddles and scattered black spots that fade as it grows. It is hardy and calm, so public aquariums in Japan and elsewhere often display it in large temperate tanks and touch pools.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

120 cm

Temperature

12 to 22 °C

pH

8 to 8.4

Smallest tank

20000 litres

Keep as

Singly or in small groups in very large systems

Diet

Carnivore: fish, squid, shrimp, crabs and other shellfish

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Northwest Pacific: Japan, Korea, northern China, Taiwan and the Russian Far East

Breeding

Females give birth to live young, usually around 10 to 20 pups after a gestation of roughly a year. It has bred regularly in large public aquariums but is not realistic to breed at home.

Good to know

Adults reach about 1.5 m and need a cool, very large tank with a big open floor, so this shark is not suitable for home aquariums. IUCN lists it as Least Concern, but check local rules before buying any shark.