Let’s talk about sharks

[Gumbies R Us]

Kudos to you for wanting to learn more about sharks. These are interesting creatures that you don't see too often in home aquariums. This is due to the care required, tank size, and the general incompatibility with a lot of fish. Most of the time, if you are getting a shark, you have a tank that is set up specifically for one. I agree, though, that while I think it would be cool to have, I would get your toes wet in other areas of reef keeping first. Start with easier fish, learn how the world of reef keeping works, then once you are confident that you can maintain a saltwater tank and can house harder to keep animals, then I would consider a shark.

 

[DEE’S reef]

So Detroit Reef Club got back to me and the shark they have has been living in a 300 gallon tank so do think 300 gallons would be fine for a wobbegong shark

 

[CaptainKiwi]

That’s kinda of what I’m looking at I would probably buy a smaller shark for cheaper.

I would not recommend buying a shark if cheap is your criteria.

 

[DEE’S reef]

I would not recommend buying a shark if cheap is your criteria.

What I mean by it it’s a lot cheaper to buy a younger shark and watch it grow then it is to by a full grown shark just like a lot of the fish in this hobby the baby version is a lot cheaper then the adult full grown one.

 

[CaptainKiwi]

What I mean by it it’s a lot cheaper to buy a younger shark and watch it grow then it is to by a full grown shark just like a lot of the fish in this hobby the baby version is a lot cheaper then the adult full grown one.

Oh yes of course! If you wanted a large cheap setup - but a Rubbermaid 300 gallon stock pond and put some big filtration on that! Much cheaper and bigger then a tank and it's a good starting point for a lot of sharks

 

[DEE’S reef]

Do you a lot of people of stock tank saltwater pounds for sharks and bigger fish.

 

[CaptainKiwi]

Do you a lot of people of stock tank saltwater pounds for sharks and bigger fish.

Apologies, what do you mean?

 

[DEE’S reef]

Do most people use giant stock containers for saltwater ponds or as a big saltwater tank for sharks or any other big fish or coral tanks.

 

[Spartan76]

I kept a banded cat shark for years. I bought it as a hatchling. The key thing is getting it to eat. Once that happens they are quite easy to care for, but it’s essential to give it the correct diet. I would say the idea of keeping it with sps or lps corals will not work past the first year or so. Sharks eat a lot and produce a lot of waste, can easily move rock work, and when excited will accidentally break coral branches - and of course will eat small fish- no matter how much you feed them that day will come. You might succeed with soft corals but I suspect even then you’ll need a lot of diligence. As everyone knows even the smallest sharks get large, and most folks do not have the resources and wherewithal for that. Do not delude yourself that you’ll easily find a buyer or new home for it when it reaches 3 feet long for example. There’s very very few people in that market. So if you want one, build a setup for the long haul from day 1. That said it was an immense joy to have a shark. I did end up selling mine (it became too much work in addition to my sps reef ) but it took a long time to find a buyer who had the resources and skill level to care for it properly.

 

[CaptainKiwi]

Do most people use giant stock containers for saltwater ponds or as a big saltwater tank for sharks or any other big fish or coral tanks.

Unless you have a 8-10ft tank then yes, that's the usual route people will go. It's not as visually appealing but it's definitely better for the sharks!

 

[DEE’S reef]

So a stock containers would be a better long term home if you go a shark and roughly what size stock tank would you get.

 

[DEE’S reef]

Unless you have a 8-10ft tank then yes, that's the usual route people will go. It's not as visually appealing but it's definitely better for the sharks!

So I’ve been looking at the stock tank option for a shark what would you use for filtration and how would you set it up.

 

[DEE’S reef]

Also thanks for article it has a lot of information on sharks and size tank for them thank it really informational.

 

[CaptainKiwi]

Unless you have a 8-10ft tank then yes, that's the usual route people will go. It's not as visually appealing but it's definitely better for the sharks!

So I’ve been looking at the stock tank option for a shark what would you use for filtration and how would you set it up.

Depends on what you want, some people use a smaller stock pond, some buy large ready made sumps, some buy tanks. Just go big, lots of live rock, massive skimmer and UV.

 

[DEE’S reef]

The tank will either be a custom tank from glass cage or it will be a 6 ft stock tank I can fit a max of 3 ft of with in the room I can put it in if I do it do you think a 6ft wide stock tank would work for a wobbegong or a epuet

 

[Rob A]

Do you a lot of people of stock tank saltwater pounds for sharks and bigger fish.

Go to the tropicorium they are the local shark and ray guys talk to Ray he can answer any questions. They just got new shipment this week. You will need at least a 6 foot round to be successful in the long term.

 

[DEE’S reef]

Would you bother with with a overflow box on a stock tank or just have a pipe going to the filtration.

 

[Rob A]

Would you bother with with a overflow box on a stock tank or just have a pipe going to the filtration.

Undergravel filter like in my build thread. I'm actually going to talk to Ray this weekend about my plan for a shark/ray tank I'm in the process of starting up. I'll start a build thread when get things rolling. I'm going to use a 8 foot round stock tank I'm just waiting for the weather to warm up to start hauling things around

 

[DEE’S reef]

Undergravel filter like in my build thread. I'm actually going to talk to Ray this weekend about my plan for a shark/ray tank I'm in the process of starting up. I'll start a build thread when get things rolling. I'm going to use a 8 foot round stock tank I'm just waiting for the weather to warm up to start hauling things around

So I looked at your lagoon thread a little and saw you did it in the basement and I was wondering is your shark tub going to be in your basement as well because I’m not sure a 8ft stock pond will fit through the basement door that the only place I could have a pound like tha5 in my house or any bigg tank for that fact the only thing that’s a space factor with me is the door width and height of the basement door.

 

[Rob A]

So I looked at your lagoon thread a little and saw you did it in the basement and I was wondering is your shark tub going to be in your basement as well because I’m not sure a 8ft stock pond will fit through the basement door that the only place I could have a pound like tha5 in my house or any bigg tank for that fact the only thing that’s a space factor with me is the door width and height of the basement door.

The 300 gals fits through a standard door I actually did it myself the 8 foot you have to deform with straps to fit it through