Gray Smooth hound Shark For Sale Online

Gray Smooth Hound Shark for Sale – In-Depth Care Guide & Expert Insights

If you’re searching for a gray smooth hound shark to elevate your marine aquarium, you’ve come to the right place. This fascinating shark species offers a unique blend of elegance, activity, and manageable size, making it a prized specimen for experienced aquarists who want something truly special. At Exotic Aquatic Pet Store, we provide healthy, responsibly sourced gray smooth hound sharks for sale, accompanied by expert care advice to help you succeed.

What is the Gray Smooth Hound Shark? An Overview

The gray smooth-hound shark (Mustelus californicus) is a member of the hound shark family, native to the eastern Pacific Ocean, primarily along the coasts of California and Mexico. Unlike many sharks, it has a smooth, uniform grayish-brown body without spots or stripes, giving it a sleek and understated appearance that blends beautifully into sandy and rocky marine environments.

This species is medium-sized, with females growing larger than males, reaching lengths up to 64 inches (163 cm), while males typically max out around 46 inches (116 cm). Its slender body, blunt snout, and smooth skin texture make it instantly recognizable to enthusiasts. The gray-smooth hound shark is a benthic predator, meaning it spends much of its time near the ocean floor hunting for crustaceans, mollusks, and small fish.

Detailed Appearance and Identification

The gray-smooth hound shark’s appearance is one of its most captivating features. Its body is streamlined with a smooth texture, lacking the rough dermal denticles common in many other shark species. The dorsal side is a muted gray or brownish color that provides excellent camouflage against sandy or muddy substrates, while the ventral side is pale or white.

• Head and Snout: The shark has a distinctive blunt and rounded snout, which aids in rooting through sediment for prey.

• Fins: Its dorsal fins are relatively small and rounded, with the first dorsal fin positioned far back on the body, closer to the pelvic fins than the pectorals.

• Teeth: Unlike sharp, pointed teeth seen in many sharks, the gray smooth hound shark has flat, pavement-like teeth adapted for crushing hard-shelled prey like crabs and mollusks.

This subtle yet elegant appearance makes the gray smooth hound shark an attractive and calming presence in a large marine aquarium.

Breeding and Lifespan

The gray smooth hound shark is a viviparous species that reproduces annually, with a gestation period of about 9 to 12 months. Females give birth to relatively large litters ranging from 3 to 17 pups, with litter size positively correlated to the mother’s size.

Both males and females reach sexual maturity early—females at about 29 inches (74 cm) and males at 24 inches (60 cm). Newborn pups measure around 8 to 12 inches (20–30 cm) at birth.

These sharks grow relatively fast and typically live between 6 to 9 years, making them a species with high reproductive output and moderate lifespan. This combination supports their resilience in coastal environments and makes them a manageable long-term commitment for aquarists.

Detailed Care Guide for Your Gray Smooth Hound Shark

Owning a gray smooth hound shark requires a dedicated and well-maintained marine environment that mimics its natural habitat as closely as possible. These sharks are not beginner species; they demand space, stable water conditions, and careful husbandry.

Acclimatization Process: Ensuring a Smooth and Safe Transition

Acclimating your new gray smooth hound shark properly is critical to minimize stress and prevent shock from sudden changes in water chemistry, temperature, and salinity. Sharks are sensitive animals, and a careful, gradual acclimation process sets the foundation for long-term health.

Step 1: Float the Shipping Bag

• Upon arrival, keep the shark sealed in its shipping bag and float the bag gently on the surface of your aquarium for about 20 to 30 minutes.

• This allows the water temperature inside the bag to gradually equalize with your tank water, preventing thermal shock.

Step 2: Prepare an Acclimation Container

• Transfer the shark and its water into a clean, aerated container (such as a large plastic tub or quarantine tank).

• Avoid pouring shipping water directly into your main display tank to reduce the risk of introducing contaminants or pathogens.

Step 3: Drip Acclimation

• Use airline tubing with a flow control valve to slowly drip aquarium water into the container at a rate of about 2 to 4 drops per second.

• This gradual mixing process should continue for 1 to 2 hours, allowing the shark to adjust slowly to differences in pH, salinity, and other water parameters.

• Monitor the water temperature and salinity in the container to ensure they approach your tank’s conditions (ideal salinity: 1.020–1.025 SG; temperature: 62–68°F or 16–20°C).

Step 4: Gentle Transfer

• After acclimation, use a soft net to carefully transfer the shark into your aquarium.

• Avoid pouring the acclimation water into the tank to prevent contamination.

• Dim the aquarium lights for the first 24 hours to reduce stress and allow the shark to settle comfortably.

Step 5: Post-Acclimation Observation

• Observe your gray smooth hound shark closely for signs of distress such as erratic swimming, rapid gill movement, or refusal to eat.

• Maintain stable water parameters and avoid sudden changes during this critical period.

Diet & Feeding: Providing Optimal Nutrition for Your Gray Smooth Hound Shark

The gray smooth hound shark is a carnivorous benthic feeder with specialized dietary needs that reflect its natural prey and feeding behavior.

Natural Diet Overview

In the wild, the gray smooth hound shark feeds primarily on:

• Crustaceans: Ghost shrimp (Callianassa californiensis), crabs (cancrids and grapsids), and other hard-shelled invertebrates.

• Mollusks: Squid and other cephalopods.

• Polychaete worms: Such as innkeeper worms (Urechis caupo).

• Small fish: Including herring and midshipmen.

Its pavement-like blunt teeth are perfectly adapted to crushing hard shells, allowing it to consume a wide variety of prey items.

Feeding in Captivity

To replicate this diet and ensure proper nutrition:

• Offer a varied menu including fresh or frozen shrimp, crab meat, squid, clams, and small fish such as silversides or herring.

• Feed your shark 2 to 3 times per week, placing food directly on the substrate to encourage natural foraging and hunting behavior.

• Use feeding tongs or sticks to target-feed if necessary, ensuring the shark receives adequate nutrition without competition from other tank inhabitants.

• Remove uneaten food promptly to maintain water quality and prevent obesity.

Feeding Behavior Tips

• Gray smooth hound sharks are nocturnal or crepuscular feeders, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk.

• They use their keen sense of smell and electroreception to locate prey buried in the substrate.

• Feeding during low light conditions or dimmed tank lighting can encourage natural feeding behavior.

Tank Setup & Habitat: Creating the Perfect Environment

The health and well-being of your gray smooth hound shark depend heavily on replicating its natural habitat in your aquarium.

Natural environment, distribution, and behavior

The gray smooth-hound shark is commonly found in the warm coastal waters of California and Baja California, with its range stretching from Cape Mendocino down to Mazatlán, Mexico. In the southern parts of its range, such as Mexico and Southern California, these sharks typically remain in place year-round, showing little to no migration. However, populations in colder northern waters exhibit seasonal movements, heading toward central and northern California during the summer months and returning to southern regions as temperatures drop.

These sharks are bottom dwellers, preferring to inhabit continental shelves, shallow muddy bays, estuaries, and coastal waters, including the Gulf of California. Off the coast of California, they are most often found in shallow waters under 12 meters (around 39 feet) deep, although they’ve been recorded at depths reaching 67 meters (219 feet). In the Gulf of California, most gray smooth-hounds stay within 80 meters (262 feet) of the surface, but some have been observed as deep as 265 meters (869 feet).

Several locations serve as critical nursery habitats for the gray smooth-hound. These include the Biosphere Reserve of the upper Gulf of California, the Colorado River Delta, Elkhorn Slough, and the Full Tidal Basin at Bolsa Chica. Notably, after restoration work, the Full Tidal Basin has seen seasonal increases in juvenile shark populations during the summer, with many individuals congregating along the edges where eelgrass meets muddy bottoms. This is a key hunting ground, as eelgrass beds harbor many of the shark’s preferred prey.

During the day, gray smooth-hounds tend to favor the warmer central areas of the basin, while at night, they often move into cooler zones where prey is more abundant. This behavior may help them regulate their body temperature, and researchers also believe that dissolved oxygen levels in the water play a role in shaping their movement patterns.

Tank Size and Space Requirements

• Minimum tank size: Juveniles require at least 450–500 gallons, while adults need 1,000+ gallons or custom indoor ponds.

• The tank should be at least four times the length of the shark and twice its width to provide ample swimming space.

• Depth should allow comfortable vertical movement, but the shark spends most time near the bottom.

Substrate and Décor

• Use a soft, fine sandy substrate to protect the shark’s delicate underside and allow natural foraging.

• Include rock formations, caves, or crevices to provide shelter and resting places.

• Avoid sharp or abrasive decorations that could injure the shark’s smooth skin.

• Provide some open swimming areas to accommodate active cruising behavior.

Recommended Water Parameters for Gray Smooth Hound Shark Tanks

Maintaining precise water parameters is crucial for the health and longevity of your gray smooth hound shark. These sharks are sensitive to water quality and require stable, well-monitored conditions.

• Tip: Sudden changes in any parameter can stress your shark, so always adjust slowly and monitor closely.

Filtration & Water Quality

Gray smooth hound sharks produce a significant bio-load due to their carnivorous diet. High water quality is essential to prevent disease and stress.

• Filtration System:

  • Use high-capacity biological, mechanical, and chemical filtration.

  • A protein skimmer is highly recommended to remove dissolved organic waste.

  • Consider an external refugium or sump to enhance biological filtration and nutrient export.

• Water Changes:

  • Perform regular water changes of 10–20% weekly or biweekly to maintain low nitrate levels and overall water quality.

• Monitoring:

  • Test water parameters frequently, especially after feeding or introducing new animals.

  • Ensure ammonia and nitrite remain at zero and nitrate stays below 20 ppm.

• Circulation & Aeration:

  • Provide strong water movement and surface agitation to maximize oxygenation.

  • Ensure all areas of the tank receive adequate flow, but avoid creating currents too strong for the shark’s comfort.

Lighting

Gray smooth hound sharks are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk, and do not require intense lighting.

• Lighting Requirements:

  • Use moderate to low lighting to mimic their natural environment.

  • Provide shaded areas or caves within the tank so the shark can rest away from direct light.

  • Mimic a natural day-night cycle to support healthy behavior and circadian rhythms.

• Tips:

  • Avoid sudden changes in lighting, which can startle or stress the shark.

  • Use timers to ensure consistent light cycles.

Tankmates & Compatibility for Gray Smooth Hound Shark

Keeping your gray smooth hound shark in a peaceful healthy, and flourishing aquarium requires selecting suitable tankmates. Although this type of shark is normally not hostile toward people or larger fish, it does have certain needs and instincts that need to be respected.

Ideal Tankmates

• Large, Peaceful Marine Fish:
  Select robust species that are too large to be considered prey and are not aggressive or overly territorial. Suitable examples include:

  • Large tangs (e.g., Naso tang, Achilles tang)

  • Groupers (ensure they are not overly aggressive or predatory)

  • Emperor angelfish and other large angelfish (monitor for fin-nipping)

  • Foxface rabbitfish

• Other Sharks:
  With ample space (very large tanks or indoor ponds), gray smooth hound sharks can sometimes be housed with other non-aggressive, similarly sized sharks such as:

  • Coral cat sharks

  • Bamboo sharks

  However, this requires careful monitoring and a tank large enough to prevent territorial disputes.

• Large Eels and Rays:
  Some aquarists have success keeping large, non-aggressive eels (like zebra eels) and rays (such as blue dot rays) with smooth hound sharks, provided the tank is exceptionally spacious and both species have adequate hiding spots and territory.

Key Compatibility Tips

• Size Matters:
  Tankmates should be large enough not to be seen as prey but not so large or aggressive that they threaten or outcompete the shark.

• Temperament:
  Choose peaceful or semi-peaceful species. Avoid highly active, territorial, or aggressive fish that may harass or stress the shark.

• Habitat Needs:
  All tankmates must thrive in similar water parameters (temperature, salinity, pH) and require a large, open marine aquarium.

• Feeding Behavior:
  Select species that do not aggressively compete for food on the substrate, as gray smooth hound sharks are benthic feeders.

Species to Avoid

Certain marine species are unsuitable as tankmates for gray smooth hound sharks due to risks of predation, aggression, or competition:

Additional Considerations

• Do Not Mix with Small or Delicate Species:
  Any small fish, ornamental shrimp, or crabs will likely be eaten. Avoid keeping expensive or delicate invertebrates in the same tank.

• Avoid Aggressive Tankmates:
  Large angelfish, triggerfish, and puffers are known for fin-nipping and may harass or injure the shark.

• Monitor Shark Cohabitation:
  If keeping more than one shark, ensure the tank is exceptionally large and monitor for signs of aggression, especially between males

Why Buy Your Gray Smooth Hound Shark from Exotic Aquatic Pet Store?

Choosing Exotic Aquatic Pet Store for your gray smooth hound shark purchase guarantees a superior experience backed by expertise, quality, and care:

• Responsibly Sourced, Healthy Specimens:
  We provide only carefully quarantined and health-checked gray smooth hound sharks, ensuring that each shark arrives vigorous and stress-free, ready to thrive in your aquarium.

• Expert Guidance and Support:
  Our team offers detailed care instructions and ongoing support tailored to the gray smooth hound shark’s specific needs, including advice on acclimatization, diet, tank setup, and water quality management.

• Competitive Pricing and Transparency:
  We offer fair, transparent pricing for all sizes—from juveniles to mature adults—without compromising quality or health standards.

• Live Arrival Guarantee:
  Your investment is protected with our live arrival guarantee, providing peace of mind that your shark will arrive safely.

• Specialized Knowledge of Gray Smooth Hound Sharks:
  Unlike general retailers, we focus on exotic aquatic pets, including gray smooth hound sharks, and understand their unique requirements such as large tank size (minimum 1,500 to 3,000 gallons for adults), temperate water conditions (62–68°F), and high oxygen levels.

• Commitment to Customer Satisfaction:
  We prioritize your satisfaction and success as an aquarist, ensuring that your experience buying and caring for your gray smooth hound shark is smooth and rewarding.

By purchasing your gray smooth hound shark from Exotic Aquatic Pet Store, you gain not only a remarkable marine species but also a trusted partner dedicated to helping you provide the best environment and care for your new aquatic companion.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What size tank do gray smooth hound sharks need?
   Gray smooth hound sharks require very large tanks, typically a minimum of 3,000 gallons or more, with dimensions around 16 feet long by 8 feet wide and at least 3.5 feet deep, to provide ample swimming space.

2. What are the ideal water parameters for gray smooth hound sharks?
   They thrive in temperate water with temperatures between 62–68°F (16–20°C), salinity of 1.020–1.025 SG, pH 8.0–8.4, and require high dissolved oxygen levels, especially at higher temperatures.

3. What do gray smooth hound sharks eat?
   Their diet consists mainly of crustaceans (crabs, shrimp), mollusks (squid, scallops), and small fish such as herring. In captivity, they should be fed a variety of fresh or frozen meaty foods like shrimp, crab meat, squid, and small fish.

4. Are gray smooth hound sharks suitable for home aquariums?
   They are considered suitable only for expert marine hobbyists due to their large size, active nature, and specific water requirements. They are better suited for very large home aquariums or ponds.

5. How long do gray smooth hound sharks live?
   Their average lifespan is between 6 to 9 years in captivity and the wild.

6. What is the temperament of gray smooth hound sharks?
   They are generally semi-aggressive but not overly territorial or dangerous, making them compatible with certain large, peaceful tankmates.

7. How do you acclimate a gray smooth hound shark?
   Due to their sensitivity, a slow drip acclimation process with temperature and salinity matching is recommended to reduce stress and avoid shock.

8. Do gray smooth hound sharks jump or try to escape?
   Yes, they are known to be jumpers, so tanks or ponds should have secure lids or tall sides to prevent escape.

9. How fast do gray smooth hound sharks grow and when do they mature?
   Females mature in about 2–3 years at around 29 inches (74 cm), and males mature earlier at 1–2 years and about 24 inches (60 cm).

10. Can gray smooth hound sharks be kept with other sharks or fish?
    They can be housed with other large, peaceful species but require careful selection of tankmates to avoid predation or stress. Small fish and invertebrates should be avoided as they may be eaten.