Sharks

[MrAndrew]

Looking to to add a couple sharks to my 250 pond. Specifically looking for Chain Cat Sharks, or Cloudy Cat Sharks. If anyone knows a source I would appreciate it.

 

[FishDoc]

No the reply you're looking for but I would strongly advise against putting a shark let alone multiple in a 250 gallon system.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

No the reply you're looking for but I would strongly advise against putting a shark let alone multiple in a 250 gallon system.

Why not

 

[FishDoc]

Why not

Sharks have complex husbandry needs, plain and simple. We're not taking about goldfish here, we're talking about very involved, sensitive lifeforms with difficult needs to maintain long term. Unfortunately most don't think past the present and buy sharks for tanks where once and adult size will barely be able to turn around in the tank let alone maintain pristine water quality with such a messy organism with such a small volume of water. End of the day, I wouldn't feel comfortable putting even the smallest species in tanks sub 400, and that's being conservative.

 

[Larry L]

In addition to the size considerations already mentioned, I wonder how adaptable cold water sharks are to warm temperatures. The native habitat of both of the sharks mentioned runs about 50 degrees F.

 

[Mkkari]

Why not

I had same plans but this is why I did not do it.
- Sharks are sensitive and needs pristine water. I have had buddies whose sharks died for the silliest fluctuations.
- finicky eaters
- Grows super freaking fast, My buddies Black Tip shark grew around 2 to 3 inches first couple of years and he ended up donating it to sea life when it was almost 3 ft, but he had a 750g tank.

End of the day, its your money and decision. These are just advice from personal experiences

 

[ichthyogeek]

Man, I've been seeing a lot of shark threads recently. Also how did this get past the "unanswered threads" section??? #Admins ?

I echo what everybody is saying. 250 gallons just isn't going to be a large enough size. Like with seahorses, I did a fair amount of research into what it would take to properly care for a shorttail nurse shark, before deciding that I did not have the patience, facilities, or experience for them. They're one of the smaller, more lethargic sharks (2.5 ft/75 cm), but still require at minimum a 600 gallon tank (8 ft x 4 ft x 2.5 ft). This is based off of recommendations from MFK (which in turn, are based off of the Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual and small/medium public aquaria). It is also based off of avidly reading the EHM and its 2007 followup.

 

[Funston07]

Yeah pretty much any shark requires at least a 600gal tank minimum, at least the majority of them do.

 

[tvan]

Most sharks live a long time... If you lose power an active animal can deplete oxygen rather quickly, fresh seafood, strong filtration, large chiller, room to cruise. Then there's sores from sand, stress from swimming in the same circle. It's really best to leave them in the ocean. Just my experience.

 

[MrAndrew]

Thank you all... I've done quite a bit of research on Chain Catsharks as well as spoke with a breeders one being a shop owner that did breed them before considering a 250 pond. which both said that would a ok size for a couple of years. Of coarse with any sharks the bigger the better.

I'm basically here to find a local breeders in the states if there are any.

I've owned a Leopard Shark and a Smoothhound shark for several years and the only reason I donated them was because of 3 back surgeries.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Emphasis on "a couple of years." Did they specify how many years? And do you have a buyer lined up for after they outgrow the pond?

 

[fishguy242]

hi welcome to the reef going to love it here!!
lots of fun/info/fun/help/fun....
i echo above ,big tank 500+ length and width matter most,options to rehome ,best wishes

 

[MrAndrew]

Emphasis on "a couple of years." Did they specify how many years? And do you have a buyer lined up for after they outgrow the pond?

Reason for the "couple of years" was if I was planning on trying to breed them. I do have a larger setup which I housed my leopard and smoothhound for years. I'm trying something different... I'm not in it, to buy and donate. I'm not new to taking care of sharks and well aware of the what goes in to taking and maintaining them.

 

[ichthyogeek]

I'm trying to not come off as a jerk/overly obstructive here, and I apologize if I have/am, but can we see pictures of the setup (both pond and the leopard/smoothhound tanks) as well as know the dimensions? Sharks are....well, they're sharks.