What sharks for 550 gallon?

[Vance]

So I've started building my dream tank and the space that I have to fill will make a tank with a footprint of about 7'x4'. I have been keeping reefs for well over 10 years and I love the movement of lots and lots of little fish, but I kinda wish my fish were pets like they used to be when I started this hobby, rather than just adding movement and activity to the reef.

We have been toying around with the idea of maybe just adding a pair of sharks, but there is so much conflicting information on tank size and gallons. Im not looking for sharks that I will have to rehome and I want the tank to be suitable for the entire span of the animals lives. My preference would be eppies but those are what I find the most conflicting information about. Maybe due to the smaller species not seen often in the trade anymore?

Is this a plausible permanent home for a pair of sharks? Thank you in advance for any advice, in my favor or not. I really want to make sure i am prepared to care for them for the full twenty or so years that they live.

 

[cu455]

Catsharks, eppies and some of the smaller bamboos. As far as eppies Freycinet, speckled and the one discovered a few years ago show up every so often. Keep an eye out on SharkRayCentral.com collectors section. Cool stuff show up every so often.

If you don't mind importing, unless you are in Canada check out benthicsharks.ca. @NYAquatic gets some nice sharks in. Give them a call and see what he can do.

There are options out there for 7ftx4ft, bigger is always better.

 

[Vance]

Thank you cu455 those sites will be invaluable in a couple years when the tank is ready. Eppies will be fine? Reef breeders recommends 10'x5' for a single adult 12'x5' for a pair. I would not hesitate to build a tank that large but the space I have only will allow for 7'x4' inside diameter.

 

[cu455]

Eppies like the hooded, speckled, PNG eppies will get a little over 2ft. In a few year they might be exporting fish from Papua New Guinea again and PNGs will be around.

What is reef breeders? I tried googling it but the lighting company is all I can find.

 

[Vance]

Png's would be awesome. Thats what I was really looking at until I saw collection had stopped. Im sorry marinebreeders.org

 

[cu455]

PNG fish might be making a comeback.

http://www.reef2rainforest.com/2015/04/06/papua-new-guinea-gearing-up-for-aquarium-market-again/

 

[Vance]

Cu455, I registered on sharkraycentral about a month ago and still haven't been able to read any of the forums or gotten my validation email dispite trying to resend validation or reregistering incase I got my email wrong. Any ideas? The admins not been around lately? I would post asking why but I can't even view topics let alone create one.

 

[cu455]

I sent a message for you. You can't see the threads or guides until you are accepted.

How is the build going?

 

[Vance]

Thank you appreciate it, got my email this morning.

Build is slow right now, working on drainage and humidity control in fish room right now. And a laundry room remodel was part of the deal with the significant other to build this. Im sure it will go real fast when I get to building the tank itself