Ok this tank I'm managing is starting to seem like quite a problematic tank now.
So whilst feeding the bamboo sharks this afternoon (normally feed in the morning but ran out of time before lectures this morning) both the sharks were mildly agitating the Lionfish, shortly after this I noticed that our female shark began swimming very erratically at the surface whilst raising her head above the surface and then diving down where she continued the erratic swimming and began to concern me as she occasionally bashed herself against some of the rocks in the tank.
However, this behaviour was only performed for a short burst of around a minute, afterwards she appeared to feed as normal yet after I finished the feed she then began to swim erratically at the surface again like before but a little less erratically and only at the surface.
I did inspect the feeding stick for signs of any foreign contaminants as soon as I noticed the first burst of erratic swimming but found nothing.
At the moment they seem to be feeding normally and the issue is currently isolated to the female. Nevertheless, I will continue to monitor them and update this thread if anything changes or develops but if anyone can suggest any causes for this behaviour from what I have observed so far then that would be great.
Thanks in advance
Hi Dr.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownbanded_bamboo_shark
this link will help you
Thankyou for the answer but didn't manage to find anything relating to the behaviour witnessed unfortunately
Fahmi, this is what I hope and further monitoring has shown that this is the likely cause as I have not seen the behaviour repeated and they appear to be eating normally, thankyou for the answer
Hi Lewis,
I'm veterinarian at Aquarium Buin Zoo in Chile. And lloking for answers to a problem I found your question. I have the same question.
Because we have 2 female Coral Catsharks and one of them began with erratic swimming since the last week. First, she swam near to the surface, rapidly, in differents directions and again to the surface, almost jumping. Some days after, she began to swim at her left side, only to her left side. And now, it seems like the behaviour is decreasing but I still see her with differents movements.
We only looked this behaviour at the time of feeding, because the rest of the day they rest at the bottom or between the rocks.
I don't know if you could find something about, I'm still looking for it, but i wanted to share my case with you because is very similar and in similar species.
Well, have a nice day, regards from Chile!
Miguel, is there any other species in the tank?
Unfortunately I'm no longer able to provide observations on the bamboo sharks as I have moved from Falmouth marine school where I was helping take care of them to Bangor university in North Wales
Hi Lewis,
ooooh I see, well unfortunately for us too, the shark that had the erratic swimming has dead. At the moment of death, she didn't have the erratic behaviour, but we think that she clearly had "something", maybe in the nervious system.
I made the necropsy but I didn't find any sign that take my attention. But, I sent samples in any case.
Well Lewis, I wish you luck in your new school.
Regards from Chile!
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