Sharks! Who has had them and any thoughts?

[Sndwave80]

The Discover Channel has had “Shark Week” going on and in turn has caught my attention a bit. Now I have read a few things on them fro time to time but not yet with the intentions of setting something up. Just trying to get a feel if they are worth having and basic care at this point. If you have/ had them could you post a few pics (Shark and Set-up) and your feedback? Now I am not talking about the big ones, just the 2-4 foot salt-water “bottom feeder” type, unless there are more to choose from in the home aquarium word. Thanks!

[crvz]

I remember this thread from a while back. Maybe you could bump it for his experience over the last few months...

http://thereeftank.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78379

[Sndwave80]

Thanks, that is the information I am looking for!

[Loverotties]

Nope don't want one.Need a Huge tank that needs alot of cleanning(mesy eaters). For one or two fish.

[zxcv123]

1000 + gallons

[ChilisREasy]

i wouldnt consider or even support getting one..they really shouldnt be kept in a HOME aquarium..ive seen people keep black tips,white tips,nurse sharks, & several others..& most the time it ends in tragedy.. there better off left in the wild or in public tanks where they can be bred & set free. plus bottom feeding sharks would require an extremely dirty sand bed for nutrients & food...it would be great difficulty in actually keeping one long term..due to stress during water changes,acclimation,& matainance.

[Geoff]

if you are interested in keeping Elasmobranchs get Scott Michaels book. Aquarium Sharks. it is very good at listing what size tanks are required for each species. unfortunately most of the normally available species get to big for most aquarium.

G~

[Jasontkd]

small sharks are fine. The brown banded bamboo shark for instance has a minimum requirement of a 180 gallon aquarium. It is a farily inactive shark and hangs out in caves and shady areas most of the time. Sharks like this, I believe are perfectly fine to keep at home, IF you have a large enough tank, and the right filtering equipment.

[Geoff]

even though Scott says a Banded Cat shark can live in a 180g tank. i think it is a bit small. the reason being a full grown Banded cat shark is over 40"long. that means it has very little movement it can do.

there are a few species that you can get that are about 2' long, but they are not very common in the trade.

G~

[ChrisPrusha]

After all, we want the shark to thrive, not just survive.

[PHIL GUY]

i had a bamboo that hatched from an egg in my 180g reef... by the time it was about 20 inch..it knocked all my coral down, including rock and disturbed the sand bed..it looked like a sand storm in my tank when it moved around...i wouldnt recommend them in a reef tank.. i learned the hard way.. i gave it to my brother who has a 210g aggressive tank.. it was sure an eye catcher when i had guests over.also.........they take large poopys!!!!! and can make your ammonia rise..make sure you have a good protein skimmer

[davidbgreen]

Have plenty of room for them to get around and try to avoid small spaces that they can gte stuck in. My brother set up a predator tank that included sharks. Hinsight being 20/20, maybe it should have been a larger tank... one by one, they would "put themselves to sleep" jumping out of the tank completely and ending u on the floor (how that happened with the canopy, I'll never know)

They are quite cool, though!

[Geoff]

cat sharks were not jumping out of the tank, they were crawling out of the tank. they use their pectral fins to pull themselves out of a tank, the same way the move along the bottom.

G~

[jenajet]

my husband wants one, can you guess my answer. I agree a large tank is essential. Look at it this way we don't need three meals a day, we could survive eating every few days. Would you want too?

[ekelley2061]

Got one at the shop only two weeks old and is just fasinating to watch. But must have knowledge to have one had have lots of room in your tank. HE is a Brownbanded Bamboo Shark.