How to Take Care of a Blacktip Shark

[Peach02]

I find this topic very interesting, but don't have anything to add about the care. I did have a question though. Based on this thread it seems these sharks need a lot of flow. In a pond setting with significant flow would you really be able to see the sharks from an aerial view? Wouldn't the high flow make the water very choppy for viewing? We're you planning or able to add side viewing panels.

I imagine you could see shapes and shadows plus the fins but yea close details would be hard to see without viewing panels

 

[flsalty]

I find this topic very interesting, but don't have anything to add about the care. I did have a question though. Based on this thread it seems these sharks need a lot of flow. In a pond setting with significant flow would you really be able to see the sharks from an aerial view? Wouldn't the high flow make the water very choppy for viewing? We're you planning or able to add side viewing panels.

Just throw on a mask and jump right in...lol

It could be plumbed so a group of jets that break the surface could be shut off for viewing. Still, a pond like this would be more about bragging rights than close up observation.

 

[Miguel Rodriguez]

I find this topic very interesting, but don't have anything to add about the care. I did have a question though. Based on this thread it seems these sharks need a lot of flow. In a pond setting with the significant flow would you really be able to see the sharks from an aerial view? Wouldn't the high flow make the water very choppy for a viewing? We're you planning or able to add side viewing panels.

I do plan to have viewing panels but I don't think it would make the water choppy. My koi pond has a turnover of twice an hour and there is a minimal surface disturbance. I could be wrong though.

 

[Miguel Rodriguez]

Just throw on a mask and jump right in...lol

It could be plumbed so a group of jets that break the surface could be shut off for viewing. Still, a pond like this would be more about bragging rights than close up observation.

I guess it could be used as bragging rights. But I want it to be viewing and appreciating the fish at home.

 

[Fishfinder]

I do plan to have viewing panels but I don't think it would make the water choppy. My koi pond has a turnover of twice an hour and there is a minimal surface disturbance. I could be wrong though.

twice an hour? Sharks like these need probably 100 times an hour turnover. I’m going to be honest. it sounds like you love these animals so do the best thing and trash this idea. I know you are trying to educate yourself but your talking about setting up a business around these animals and you didn’t realize how big they get

 

[Dom]

There was a local fish store that kept one in the center of the store as an attraction. Every Saturday at 3pm, they would have a feeding; the lights would go dim and the theme from jaws came over the sound system. Very entertaining!

The tank was 10'x4'x4' with corners as opposed to a bullnose on the ends. They used water wands at both ends of the tank so the shark would sense them and start to turn before hitting the end.

They would lease out the sharks to tanks they set up. They had an arrangement with some local aquariums and donated them when they got too big for the tank.

You could build a smaller pond and donate the shark when it outgrows the pond. How big do those guys get; like 8-10 feet? Do you really want a full grown shark in a ground-level pond? Imaging if some thing or some one fell in? You would definitely want some sort of fence around a pond with a shark.

And as has already been mentioned, what a huge expense to operate; electric, dosing equipment and chemicals, temperature. You'd probably need more than one pump on it. And that isn't even including filtration.

Big project! I like it!! LOL

Good luck.

 

[Miguel Rodriguez]

There was a local fish store that kept one in the center of the store as an attraction. Every Saturday at 3pm, they would have a feeding; the lights would go dim and the theme from jaws came over the sound system. Very entertaining!

The tank was 10'x4'x4' with corners as opposed to a bullnose on the ends. They used water wands at both ends of the tank so the shark would sense them and start to turn before hitting the end.

They would lease out the sharks to tanks they set up. They had an arrangement with some local aquariums and donated them when they got too big for the tank.

You could build a smaller pond and donate the shark when it outgrows the pond. How big do those guys get; like 8-10 feet? Do you really want a full grown shark in a ground-level pond? Imaging if some thing or some one fell in? You would definitely want some sort of fence around a pond with a shark.

And as has already been mentioned, what a huge expense to operate; electric, dosing equipment and chemicals, temperature. You'd probably need more than one pump on it. And that isn't even including filtration.

Big project! I like it!! LOL

Good luck.

Thanks Bud! I don't know until I try it or do all of the research!

 

[Miguel Rodriguez]

Also, does anyone know about chip monitoring systems as they use in the Dubai aquarium? This links a history channel video that mentions it.

 

[AC1211]

Update?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Oh dear...so like Thales linked, there's the Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual. There's also a 2007 update to it as well (more like an addendum, but still worth reading!). I've attached both here, and they're incredibly useful for wannabe shark keepers...

A pond could work...but I'd personally do something like a short tail nurse shark, or a coral cat shark. The "jaws"-y sharks (pelagic, classic "shark" look) are a lot to take care of, and require a large amount of swimming space, as well as upkeep costs.

I also want to encourage you to instead think about volunteering/working part time at any public aquariums close to you and/or encouraging the same of your clients if they want to work with sharks.

 

[Krj-2501]

twice an hour? Sharks like these need probably 100 times an hour turnover. I’m going to be honest. it sounds like you love these animals so do the best thing and trash this idea. I know you are trying to educate yourself but your talking about setting up a business around these animals and you didn’t realize how big they get

Well - actually most people would be surprise at the low filtration rates of sharks tanks a major public aquariums. For example - the big 6 million gallon tank at the Georgia Aquarium with Whale Sharks, Manta rays, & Great hammerheads has a filtration rate of only about 9-10 million gallons. Not the 30-60 million gallons which one may expect.

Most shark tanks or ponds for private aquaria have filtration rates of only about 4-5 times per hour the tank/ponds volume.

 

[MnFish1]

Well - actually most people would be surprise at the low filtration rates of sharks tanks a major public aquariums. For example - the big 6 million gallon tank at the Georgia Aquarium with Whale Sharks, Manta rays, & Great hammerheads has a filtration rate of only about 9-10 million gallons. Not the 30-60 million gallons which one may expect.

Most shark tanks or ponds for private aquaria have filtration rates of only about 4-5 times per hour the tank/ponds volume.

Is there a whale shark in captivity - I didn't know ...

 

[Krj-2501]

Yeah - the Georgia Aquarium is one only 2-3 public aquariums in the world to house a whale shark for more than a couple of years. The Georgia Aquarium has had pretty at least 2 in their Ocean Voyager Aquarium much since 2006, until late last year.