Epaulette Shark

The Epaulette Shark is a small, slender carpet shark famous for its remarkable ability to "walk" across the reef using its muscular pectoral and pelvic fins. This unique locomotion allows it to navigate shallow tide pools and reef flats, where it hunts for invertebrates and small fish trapped in crevices. Named for the large, dark ocellus (eyespot) located behind each pectoral fin, which resembles a military epaulette, this species has become increasingly popular among advanced aquarists who can provide the massive aquarium space it requires.

One of the most extraordinary adaptations of the Epaulette Shark is its ability to survive extended periods of hypoxia, or low-oxygen conditions. On shallow reef flats during low tide, oxygen levels can plummet, yet this shark can downregulate its brain function and blood supply to non-essential organs, effectively surviving with almost no oxygen for several hours. This physiological marvel has made it a subject of significant scientific research and adds to its fascination as a captive species.

In the home aquarium, the Epaulette Shark requires a very large system with a minimum length of eight feet and at least 300 gallons of water volume. A wide, shallow tank design is preferred over a tall, narrow one, as this species spends the vast majority of its time on the bottom. The aquarium must have a fine sand substrate to protect its soft ventral surface and ample rockwork caves for resting during the day. While it is generally docile and ignores most large fish, it will consume any crustacean, small fish, or invertebrate it can catch, making it unsuitable for traditional reef aquariums with ornamental shrimp or small fish.