Considerations on the diet composition and feeding rate of dermersal sharks in 15 European public aquaria
Publication Type: |
Journal Article |
Year of Publication: |
2003 |
Authors: |
Max Janse |
Publication/Journal: |
Zoo Biology |
Publisher: |
A Wiley Company, Inc., Wiley Subscription Services |
Keywords: |
carcharhinus spp, carcharias taurus, dermersal sharks, diet, minerals, nutrition, vitamins |
ISBN: |
1098-2361 |
Abstract:
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10090.abs To get an overview of the feeding practices applied to dermersal sharks in captivity, a questionnaire was sent to 15 European public aquaria. The most common dermersal shark species kept in the participating aquaria are Carcharhinus plumbeus (n=9), Carcharias taurus (n=7), and C. melanopterus (n=6). Body weight (BW) was calculated using captive estimated body length (BL) and actual weight data obtained from commercial fisheries. The estimated BW for C. plumbeus in all participating aquaria is higher than the calculated BW. The feeding rate (FR) for adult C. plumbeus varied widely within participating aquaria (2.3–11.5% BWcal/week or 32–112 kcal/kg BWcal/week). The FR for adult C. plumbeus was lower (1.2–7.9% BWest/week or 17–99 kcal/kg BWest/week) using the estimated BW. Adult Carcharias taurus were fed at 1.3–5.0% BWcal/week or 70–170 kcal/kg BWcal/week. Negaprion brevirostris was fed at 5.0% BWest/week or 57 kcal/BWest/week. The relationship between FR and estimated BW is expressed as FR=54.5 e−0.033BW. In this study, the feeding frequency for C. plumbeus varied between 1–7 times a week, with an average of 3.3 times a week. Diet in all aquaria consisted of both lean and fatty fish, and sometimes squid or crustaceans. Supplementation of vitamins is common practice in 80% of the surveyed aquaria, although a wide variety of quantity and quality was observed. Ten aquaria (66%) add iodine, as potassium iodide (0.4–12.5 mg KI/kg BW/week) or calcium-iodate (322–1,500 mg/kg food/week), to their food. Zoo Biol 22:203–226, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.