As a rule, sharks are difficult to keep in aquariums because they require large territories and glide paths. The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum , however, is an exception. Given clean water and regular meals, nurse sharks thrive as well in an aquarium as in their native tropical and subtropical Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Records show these sharks have lived as long as 25 years in captivity. Until the Pine Knoll Shores aquarium completes its expansion in the coming years, nurse sharks are good candidates for display.
Nurse sharks are night hunters.
They are even known to pile on top of one another for afternoon naps. Around reefs and rocky coastlines, nurse sharks can frequently be found at the same spot in their home range, and can easily be approached as they rest on the bottom. Nurse sharks rely primarily on smell to locate prey. Waving its long oar-like tail, the shark sculls slowly over the bottom at night in search of crabs, shrimp, lobsters, sea urchins, fish and squid. Slender, fleshy protuberances called barbels at the front of its nostrils aid the shark ' s sense of taste, touch and smell to help locate food.