Humpback smooth-hound

Where they come from

Humpback smooth-hounds are cold-water coastal sharks from the Humboldt Current along Peru and northern Chile. Think cool, oxygen-rich water, sandy bottoms, and long open stretches with steady swell. They cruise a lot and pick crabs, small fish, and squid off the bottom.

Setting up their tank

I will be blunt: this is a public-aquarium-scale animal. Adults push past a meter, and they never stop cruising. You want a round or oval system with no sharp corners, a soft sand bottom, and huge, reliable life support. If you cannot dedicate a room-sized tank or indoor pond, pick a different shark.

• Footprint and shape: round pool or raceway with rounded ends. For an adult, think 15-20 ft diameter (or a long oval 20+ ft) as a working minimum. Juveniles grow fast, so plan for the final system from day one.
• Depth: 3-4 ft is fine. Surface area and turning radius matter more than depth.
• Substrate: fine, sugar-grade sand. No crushed coral or jagged rock. Keep decor minimal and smooth.
• Filtration: oversized skimmer, large biofilter (trickle tower or moving bed), UV or ozone, and strong mechanical filtration. Sharks dump nitrogen. You need headroom.
• Flow and oxygen: high aeration and even, gentle circular flow. Avoid strong jets pointed at the shark's face.
• Temperature: mid to high 50s to mid 60s F (roughly 14-18 C is a sweet spot). Use a chiller and keep it stable.
• Salinity: natural seawater strength, around 35 ppt (1.023-1.026 SG). Do not drop salinity for disease treatment.
• Chemistry targets: ammonia and nitrite at 0, nitrate kept low with big water changes. pH around 8.1-8.3, strong alkalinity.

Lighting can be subdued. They are more relaxed in lower light with a dusk/dawn ramp. Keep foot traffic low near the tank front; sudden shadows make them bolt and scuff their snout.

What to feed them

They accept prepared seafood readily once they figure out the routine. Target feed with tongs so you control portions and keep the bottom clean.

• Good staples: squid, cuttlefish, scallops, clam, prawn, and lean marine fish like cod, pollock, or mahi.
• Occasional: pieces of crab or crayfish for crunch, whole bait-sized marine fish (scaled/degutted if needed).
• Avoid or limit: oily fish and known high-thiaminase items (smelt, herring, anchovy, capelin) unless you supplement thiamine heavily.
• Never: freshwater feeder fish or anything treated with preservatives meant for human display.

Feed 2-3 times per week for adults, smaller portions more often for juveniles. Give them a fasting day. Keep notes on how many pieces they take so you can spot changes in appetite early.

How they behave and who they get along with

They are steady cruisers and pretty chill as sharks go. Not bitey or confrontational in a big enough space, but they will investigate anything edible. They perk up at dusk and settle into predictable laps once they map the pool.

• Good bets: other coldwater, non-nippy species with similar size and pace, like large temperate rays or robust, calm fish that will not pester them.
• Avoid: triggers, puffers, large wrasses, and groupers that nip fins; small schooling fish that trigger chase; tropical species that want warmer water.
• Multiple sharks: possible in very large systems with lots of space. Keep sizes similar and watch feeding time closely to prevent bumping and food competition.

Breeding tips

They are livebearers, and breeding does happen in public aquaria, but it is rare in private systems. The females carry for a long time, and you need space, stable seasons, and hands-off management. If you are not running a very large, chilled system, consider this out of reach.

• Sexing is straightforward: males have claspers, females do not.
• Seasonal cues help: adjust photoperiod and temperature slightly across the year to match their native cool-water swings.
• Diet matters: consistent, varied marine foods with vitamin and iodine support.
• Pup care: have a separate, round nursery ready. Newborns are small but fully formed. Target feed tiny strips of seafood after they settle.
• Record keeping: track dates, behavior, and girth changes. Gravid females need extra room and zero harassment.

Common problems to watch for

• Snout and belly abrasions from poor layout or rough substrate. Fix the environment first, then let clean, cold, high-oxygen water do the healing.
• Low oxygen or microbubbles causing frantic swimming, gill irritation, or gas bubble issues. Add aeration, fix leaks, and use degassing on returns.
• Ammonia spikes after big feeds. Test often and do large, temperature-matched water changes.
• Goiter (swollen throat area) from iodine-poor diets. Use iodine-inclusive vitamin soaks and varied marine foods.
• Thiamine deficiency from feeding lots of high-thiaminase fish. Supplement B1 or rotate those items out.
• External parasites like flukes. Work with an experienced aquatic vet; sharks do poorly with many standard fish medications.

Quarantine any tankmates, keep your hands out of the tank unless needed, and make small changes instead of big swings. With sharks, stability and a huge safety margin on life support are what keep you out of trouble.