Sharks for a 8-3-3 tank

cody hendrix · Apr 3, 2018

I am in the process of building a new predator tank and I think it would be great to add a shark. What are my options for my tank size. I have kept saltwater tank in some for or another for 25 years so not new to them. I have never kept any type of shark though. What would a good starting point be for me? I also do not want to have to re home the shark I want to be able to keep it indefinitely.

Thanks in advance

sfin52 · Apr 3, 2018

I would recommend bamboo or epaulette sharks could be comfortably housed in a 180-gallon tank.

Tliguors · Apr 9, 2018

I wouldn't say happy/comfortable in a 180. I noticed a BIG difference in my sharks activity level when I went from a 250 to a 500 (650+ total volume. ). It really depends on what type of shark you are looking for. I would personally recommend Atleast 300 with a bigger footprint as height means nothing to them.

Gonna need OD filtration for them. They are very messy.

sfin52 · Apr 9, 2018

Good point the bigger foot print the better.

Tliguors · Apr 9, 2018

I mean you are saying a 500 gallon 96x36x36 tank would be perfect for pretty much all the cat sharks, epaulettes even possibly horn sharks but I don't have any experience with them. I would maybe go 96x48x24 so there is more surface area. I didn't read the size in the heading lol. I have a pair of coral cats which get to around 2 feet and two baby white spotted which get to like 2.5 feet, unfortunately One I bought to rescue and they don't get along so I'm trying to find a nice home for him. I also have a yellow stingray a beastly porcupine puffer and Stars and Stripes puffer along with some random tangs and some damsels to fill the space. And in grow out I have a pair of really tiny epaulettes.

If I were to start over I would first decide exactly what type of sharks I would want to keep. And do as much research on them as possible. I make my own food for them as well because they need a very balanced diet. I've been keeping sharks and rays for many years they are amazing animals. Just don't get too attached to any fish that can eventually fit in their mouths.

Sharks need very fine substrate. No crushed coral that can scratch their belly. They need a very strong life support. Like an extremely oversized skimmer to keep up with the waste. Other than that nothing to crazy. Not too much live rock built with big caves so they feel comfortable but still have room to swim freely in circles. But make sure the rocks are very secure because if there is a way for them to burrow under them they will and you don't want them to fall. I supplement with a bunch of marine pure media to make up for the lack of live rock.