The mouth is closer to the eyes than to the tip of the snout, with lower labial folds usually connected across the chin by a flap of skin.

[9] Species from this family are ideal aquarium sharks because their natural habitats are tidepools, coral beds, and around boulders.

[9] Their generally small size for sharks, and their preference for water temperatures comparable to those enjoyed by other common aquarium fish, have also endeared them to marine aquarists.

However, unstable tank decor has been known to cause fatal injuries when the structure is disturbed by the sharks' digging behavior.

The British press on February 10, 2016, reported that a bamboo shark at Great Yarmouth’s Sea Life Centre was pregnant with two fertilized eggs.