A baby Japanese leopard Shark which has spent the last four months in the nursery section at Hastings’ Blue Reef Aquarium, is set to make the move into one of the larger tropical displays.
The shark which arrived in Hastings last October, measuring just 24cm in length, has been kept in his own display in the nursery, allowing aquarium staff to monitor his feeding and growth.
The shark, nicknamed ‘Dexter’ by staff, has almost doubled in in size since arriving and is now ready to make the move into the larger tropical display.
Blue Reef’s Robert Gasson said: “It’s a big day for Dexter. His new home is significantly larger and will offer him plenty of new areas to explore.
“It’s also home to a wide range of other tropical fish, including puffer fish, clownfish and more than 20 other different species of tropical fish.
“Despite their reputation, leopard sharks are actually very timid and it will be fascinating to see how he interacts with the other residents of the tank,” he added.
Dexter’s new display is also home to a pair of cleaner wrasse, who fearlessly venture inside the mouths and gills of other fish and sharks, and it is highly likely they will make a beeline for their new tankmate and help to keep his impressive teeth in good condition.
“He has been feeding well in his nursery display and we plan to continue the same feeding regime in his new home. He is target fed on the end of a long pole which he has learnt to associate with food,” said Robert.
“Leopard sharks are designed to feed on the bottom – their mouths are located on the underside of their heads with jaws which open downward. Swimming just above the seafloor, they grab crabs, shellfish, and small scraps from the seabed.
Dexter will be spending the next few months in his new tank until he reaches around 60-70cm in length at which point he will be moved into the aquarium’s 160,000-litre tropical reef display.