Hello! I am Elise I am new here! I am looking to self educate on a shark tank.
My husband and I are investing in a 220 gallon aquarium and are looking for someone to give us good pointers for a Bamboo Shark (aka Cat Shark)
We want to do this RIGHT and proper. It drives me nuts to see beautiful creatures being crammed in too tight tanks. I do know these are very lazy and not active creatures but want to KNOW EVERYTHING possible before I endanger an animal or do not do something correctly. Is a 220 gallon adequate? I have seen things ranging from 55 (HORRIBLE) to a 180 gallon for full size. I think the bigger the better. I am not interested in skimping or having more than one if the tank is not properly sized.
Would a 220 gallon be roomy enough for two or is one sufficient or insufficient? I have been told a 220 would be enough for two (we are getting them as they hatch out) but want to make SURE we are being responsible here. We have heard so many things. HELLLLP!
Can anyone tell me what kind of exact set up / lighting I would need and if anyone is local to Atlanta Georgia to help maintain monthly until I am more comfortable?
It might be a good idea to contact one of your local public aquariums to see if you could set up a meeting or a tour with one of the people who maintain the shark tanks in their facility and see what they do to keep the animals healthy.
Little_Sardines , I can't remember if I mentioned at all but I am an animal behaviorist and used to shark dive at Ripley's MB and study the marine biology. Everything I have stated I am pretty sure is on the up and up, although most people do have varying opinions I want to be well rounded by my decisions, if that makes sense?
Little_Sardines , I can't remember if I mentioned at all but I am an animal behaviorist and used to shark dive at Ripley's MB and study the marine biology. Everything I have stated I am pretty sure is on the up and up, although most people do have varying opinions I want to be well rounded by my decisions, if that makes sense?
Ok so do you know that a rectangular tank is not good for there? it I preferable to have an elongated oval like (______) sharks cannot make 9 degree turns and will smack there noses this can cause stress and create leasion and eventually death.
Also they need a tank with little to no rock work and a nice fine soft sand. If you plan to keep some fish rocks with caves in the middle with plenty of space around them will work. Reason for the soft sand is to not irritate the underside. I would suggest a large sump to keep the love rock in.
And sharks prefer live food and can be quite difficult to start feeding.
just somethings I have learned from reads and podcasts hooe it is some sort of help
oh yeah and sharks can be sensitive to sound and vibration so pick the spot for your tank well. Example not right on the other side of the wall from a washer dryer and things like that.
Ok so do you know that a rectangular tank is not good for there? it I preferable to have an elongated oval like (______) sharks cannot make 9 degree turns and will smack there noses this can cause stress and create leasion and eventually death.
Also they need a tank with little to no rock work and a nice fine soft sand. If you plan to keep some fish rocks with caves in the middle with plenty of space around them will work. Reason for the soft sand is to not irritate the underside. I would suggest a large sump to keep the love rock in.
And sharks prefer live food and can be quite difficult to start feeding.
just somethings I have learned from reads and podcasts hooe it is some sort of help
oh yeah and sharks can be sensitive to sound and vibration so pick the spot for your tank well. Example not right on the other side of the wall from a washer dryer and things like that.
I've heard that it's especially important that the tank's shorter sides are somewhat cylindrical; you don't want the shark going head-on into the sides every couple minutes.
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/shar...ium-sharks.php Check out this site for an introduction. And this one too. http://www.tankterrors.com/how-to-se...hark-aquarium/ The two sharks I would recommend are the black banded cat shark and Hasselt's bamboo shark. Hasselt's bamboo shark is far smaller than other sharks (by about a foot and a half) but are still a massive fish to keep in a tank and require lots of room. They need a fine sandy bottom to protect their soft underside, and a coarse substrate could easily cut them and lead to infection. All sharks are predators and will devour most crustaceans and smaller fish. Also, feeding will always be a difficult task as they are usually very picky at first, and even after being trained to eat prepared foods, will still require lots of it which will quickly drain your wallet. As a matter of fact, sharks in general are expensive to maintain, which is something you have to keep in mind. Anyways, I hope I was able to aid you in your quest to own a shark and wish you good luck. Keep us updated.
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