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Sharks
- Thread starter MaverickFalcon4
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Krj-2501
Community Member
Well - the Atelomycterus catsharks are the "perfect" sharks for home aquaria (IMO). Their small adult size (18-28"), and reef loving habitats make them a very practical choice. These species can all be kept in large home aquariums (180-300 gallon range) or small saltwater ponds.
Short-tail Nurse sharks are a great option for shark lover who like Nurse sharks. As they are a Nurse shark which only grows to 30", and can be kept in very large home aquariums or saltwater ponds of at least 400 gallons or more. Which is about the same as the smaller species of bamboos & epaulettes.
Bonnetheads while may be the smallest available species of the Sphyrnids (Hammerheads). IMO, They still likely need a saltwater pond of at least 9,000-10,000 gallons with a minimum footprint of 310-350 sq. feet for 1-2 average(4 foot) adults.
Short-tail Nurse sharks are a great option for shark lover who like Nurse sharks. As they are a Nurse shark which only grows to 30", and can be kept in very large home aquariums or saltwater ponds of at least 400 gallons or more. Which is about the same as the smaller species of bamboos & epaulettes.
Bonnetheads while may be the smallest available species of the Sphyrnids (Hammerheads). IMO, They still likely need a saltwater pond of at least 9,000-10,000 gallons with a minimum footprint of 310-350 sq. feet for 1-2 average(4 foot) adults.
CanuckReefer
Simple...Salt, Water, LR, Lighting and Flow.
Ok. Let's cut to the chase here....because 95% of these recommendations don't survive a meaningful life outside of a massive aquarium....so why bother? Is it ego? Or something else. Inform me please....is it just I wanna say I 'own ' a shark? Big swinging D syndrome? Surely there is no other explanation, and maybe go get a Fiji Blue Devil Damsel instead I hear they have some attitude....better suited.
Krj-2501
Community Member
Well - unfortunately it is all too true. Keeping the swimming sharks from smooth hounds to ram ventilating carcharhinids in a home aquaria is quite the Ego trip, and status symbol. Why do you think on the Animal Planet series "Tanked" you often saw sport stars, actors, & big businesses getting tanks with these sharks in them. Put simply - these stars & businesses wanted to show off. And sadly it was the sharks which suffer from these Ego trips. As the sharks are all too often being put in to tanks which were way, WAY too small to keep them in for more than a year or two, at best.
The benthic sharks are a bit different - as their smaller size makes keeping them & even breeding in home aquaria, lot more practical for many more aquarists. As most of the more commonly available species can be kept & bred in ponds or aquariums ranging from 250-400 gallons (smallest species) to 1,500-2,000 gallons(larger species). IF they are well cared for they can often live for 20-30 years.
The benthic sharks are a bit different - as their smaller size makes keeping them & even breeding in home aquaria, lot more practical for many more aquarists. As most of the more commonly available species can be kept & bred in ponds or aquariums ranging from 250-400 gallons (smallest species) to 1,500-2,000 gallons(larger species). IF they are well cared for they can often live for 20-30 years.
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
It’s not really an ego trip. It’s not to show off it’s more to do a finishing touch on a large reef
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
No it’s more of a finishing touch to a large reef
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
Yeah I kinda changed my mind a while ago regarding the sharks most likely going for a zebra
CanuckReefer
Simple...Salt, Water, LR, Lighting and Flow.
What is this reef? What is the size of it ? If you can convince me that its rather massive then have at it, although you will regardless.......
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
8m by 6m by 2.5m. Project still on blueprints
Krj-2501
Community Member
How about instead Blacktip Reef sharks - Whitetip Reef sharks. White tip reefs do not need to constantly swim in order to breath like Blacktip Reefs do. Whitetip reefs are often spotted in the wild resting on the ocean floor during the daytime. But in the evening they become very active. Also white reefs and blacktip reefs are roughly the same length.
You could easily keep 2-3 average(5-5.25 feet/1.5-1.6 meters) adult whitetip reefs in the tank you are describing. Maybe even a Zebra shark as well.
Also it should be noted that the tank you are describing is much more of a small public aquarium type tank, than the topic home aquarist will typically attempt to keep these sharks in.
You could easily keep 2-3 average(5-5.25 feet/1.5-1.6 meters) adult whitetip reefs in the tank you are describing. Maybe even a Zebra shark as well.
Also it should be noted that the tank you are describing is much more of a small public aquarium type tank, than the topic home aquarist will typically attempt to keep these sharks in.
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CanuckReefer
Simple...Salt, Water, LR, Lighting and Flow.
A 1.5 metre shark.... not one but 3 of them in an 8 metre long tank! Care to explain your rationale Mr Shark whisperer? Yes, let's bring on the whitetips because daytime vs nighttime equals swim space....This thread is inane and gets more ridiculous by the hour....
CanuckReefer
Simple...Salt, Water, LR, Lighting and Flow.
And some 'scientist' is trying to convince you on Whitetips....man alive, what a disaster waiting to happen.
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
yeah i kinda regret asking here
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
not really the shark thing is more optional like the frosting on a cake
Krj-2501
Community Member
First off - I am hardly a "shark whisper" nor do I consider my self to be a shark "scientist". What I do have is Information about keeping sharks. I have spend more than 14 years of talking with hundreds of people who personally kept these sharks in both public aquariums and private aquaria. Some of the more successful individuals report keeping these sharks for 10-20 years. And their personal experiences often has been backed up with the countless hours of research I have personally done on keep sharks.
Now - how can a 1.5-1.6 meter long whitetip reef shark be kept in a tank/pond that would be too small for a 1.5-1.6 meter blacktip reef shark. The simple answer is that it has to do with the nature of the shark. White tip reefs are one of three species of carcharhinids which are NOT obligated ram ventilators. Or in more every day English - that means they do not need to swim in order to breath, like species such as the blacktip reef. And for the record - whitetip reefs have been kept and even bred in pools, with a footprint of only 200-300 sq. feet.
NOTE - I am only suggesting that because of their nature - whitetip reefs would be a better alternative to blacktip reefs. I am not telling anyone to keep either species. That is ultimately their choice.
As for the calling keeping swimming sharks like these "insane". Well - some would call the keeping large constricting snakes like mainland Burmese & Reticulated pythons, or giant monitor lizards, or venomous snakes (vipers, cobras & such), or even big cats (cougars, leopards, lions & tigers to be insane. And yet it has been done all to often. While some cases have ended badly for either the animals or their caretakers. There quite many who have been successful kept with these animals. The same is true with swimming sharks - if the person has the experience, a large enough tank, and a large enough annual budget to correctly care for them. Now I am not saying that keeping swimming sharks is recommended or advisable for 99.9% of saltwater aquarists. Because they are NOT. Any more than keeping giant constrictors, giant monitors, or venomous snakes is suitable for 99% of private reptile keepers.
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CanuckReefer
Simple...Salt, Water, LR, Lighting and Flow.
Ya, we understand here all about how whitetips are the ones that don't need to swim to breathe....take about 2 minutes and listen to your sermon....it would do a world of good, what the heck do snakes have to do with any of this anyway? . Be well, is what I will say. I'm out, there is not much point to any of this other than ego.....talk amongst yourselves.
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MaverickFalcon4
Community Member
Yeah your probably right Shark isnt such a good idea
Krj-2501
Community Member
Well - at least not any swimming shark, as all would an apex predator in the tank. They could possible kill any of your fishes, and damage any of the corals (if they are real) in tank. Same is true with for large benthic sharks like the Zebra shark.
If you still want sharks(as frosting on the cake) - then it should be a species which could possible be live harmony with the other fishes and the corals, in the tank. Then I would suggest sticking with benthic sharks like coral catsharks, epaulettes & bamboo sharks. They my not be as as exciting, but the tank would seem more balanced and natural. Just in a tank of that size - let the sharks be adults, as that tank would be too large for the juveniles.
But as always the choice is yours.
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Krj-2501
Community Member
Okay - I need to apology for a few things I posted early on this topic. Namely my posting of the minimum tank sizes for Blacktip Reef, Bonnethead, and Whitetip Reef sharks.
After double checking my sources - I find those tank sizes are way to small. Those tank sizes were more suited sub-adult-young adult sharks, not for the full grown adult sharks. The full adults of these species the minimum tank footprints should be at least 50% larger, and the volumes increased by at least 5,000-10,000 gallons than what I had posted earlier.
Also - are the plans for a 8 meter x 6 meter reef in a 8 meter x 8 meter tank? If so - then no swimming sharks.
After double checking my sources - I find those tank sizes are way to small. Those tank sizes were more suited sub-adult-young adult sharks, not for the full grown adult sharks. The full adults of these species the minimum tank footprints should be at least 50% larger, and the volumes increased by at least 5,000-10,000 gallons than what I had posted earlier.
Also - are the plans for a 8 meter x 6 meter reef in a 8 meter x 8 meter tank? If so - then no swimming sharks.
