Sharks

[MaverickFalcon4]

Just so you know you are talking about two completely different species.

The Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) is a species which is found in tropical & sub-tropical areas of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are semi-pelagic species which can grow to 8.5-9 feet. They can only be kept long term in public aquariums with 500,000 gallons(1.9 million liters) or more.

Then there is the Blacktip reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus), which is found mainly near reefs of the Indo-pacific. They max out at about 6-6.5 feet(1.8-2 meters), and average about 5.25 feet (1.6 meters). And they are widely found in Public aquariums around the world. They can even be kept long term in very large private aquaria of at least 15,000 gallons(57,000 liters) or more. If that aquaria has a footprint of at least 450-500 square feet.

[Cameron] wait you thought i was talking about the ocean going blacktip????​

 

[squidarcher]

Maybe consider smaller species like catsharks or a short=tail nurse, or, my personal fav, bonnethead sharks!

 

[Krj-2501]

Well - the Atelomycterus catsharks are the "perfect" sharks for home aquaria (IMO). Their small adult size (18-28"), and reef loving habitats make them a very practical choice. These species can all be kept in large home aquariums (180-300 gallon range) or small saltwater ponds.

Short-tail Nurse sharks are a great option for shark lover who like Nurse sharks. As they are a Nurse shark which only grows to 30", and can be kept in very large home aquariums or saltwater ponds of at least 400 gallons or more. Which is about the same as the smaller species of bamboos & epaulettes.

Bonnetheads while may be the smallest available species of the Sphyrnids (Hammerheads). IMO, They still likely need a saltwater pond of at least 9,000-10,000 gallons with a minimum footprint of 310-350 sq. feet for 1-2 average(4 foot) adults.

 

[CanuckReefer]

Ok. Let's cut to the chase here....because 95% of these recommendations don't survive a meaningful life outside of a massive aquarium....so why bother? Is it ego? Or something else. Inform me please....is it just I wanna say I 'own ' a shark? Big swinging D syndrome? Surely there is no other explanation, and maybe go get a Fiji Blue Devil Damsel instead I hear they have some attitude....better suited.

 

[Krj-2501]

Well - unfortunately it is all too true. Keeping the swimming sharks from smooth hounds to ram ventilating carcharhinids in a home aquaria is quite the Ego trip, and status symbol. Why do you think on the Animal Planet series "Tanked" you often saw sport stars, actors, & big businesses getting tanks with these sharks in them. Put simply - these stars & businesses wanted to show off. And sadly it was the sharks which suffer from these Ego trips. As the sharks are all too often being put in to tanks which were way, WAY too small to keep them in for more than a year or two, at best.

The benthic sharks are a bit different - as their smaller size makes keeping them & even breeding in home aquaria, lot more practical for many more aquarists. As most of the more commonly available species can be kept & bred in ponds or aquariums ranging from 250-400 gallons (smallest species) to 1,500-2,000 gallons(larger species). IF they are well cared for they can often live for 20-30 years.

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

Well - unfortunately it is all too true. Keeping the swimming sharks from smooth hounds to ram ventilating carcharhinids in a home aquaria is quite the Ego trip, and status symbol. Why do you think on the Animal Planet series "Tanked" you often saw sport stars, actors, & big businesses getting tanks with these sharks in them. Put simply - these stars & businesses wanted to show off. And sadly it was the sharks which suffer from these Ego trips. As the sharks are all too often being put in to tanks which were way, WAY too small to keep them in for more than a year or two, at best.

The benthic sharks are a bit different - as their smaller size makes keeping them & even breeding in home aquaria, lot more practical for many more aquarists. As most of the more commonly available species can be kept & bred in ponds or aquariums ranging from 250-400 gallons (smallest species) to 1,500-2,000 gallons(larger species). IF they are well cared for they can often live for 20-30 years.

It’s not really an ego trip. It’s not to show off it’s more to do a finishing touch on a large reef

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

Ok. Let's cut to the chase here....because 95% of these recommendations don't survive a meaningful life outside of a massive aquarium....so why bother? Is it ego? Or something else. Inform me please....is it just I wanna say I 'own ' a shark? Big swinging D syndrome? Surely there is no other explanation, and maybe go get a Fiji Blue Devil Damsel instead I hear they have some attitude....better suited.

No it’s more of a finishing touch to a large reef

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

Well - the Atelomycterus catsharks are the "perfect" sharks for home aquaria (IMO). Their small adult size (18-28"), and reef loving habitats make them a very practical choice. These species can all be kept in large home aquariums (180-300 gallon range) or small saltwater ponds.

Short-tail Nurse sharks are a great option for shark lover who like Nurse sharks. As they are a Nurse shark which only grows to 30", and can be kept in very large home aquariums or saltwater ponds of at least 400 gallons or more. Which is about the same as the smaller species of bamboos & epaulettes.

Bonnetheads while may be the smallest available species of the Sphyrnids (Hammerheads). IMO, They still likely need a saltwater pond of at least 9,000-10,000 gallons with a minimum footprint of 310-350 sq. feet for 1-2 average(4 foot) adults.

Yeah I kinda changed my mind a while ago regarding the sharks most likely going for a zebra

 

[CanuckReefer]

It’s not really an ego trip. It’s not to show off it’s more to do a finishing touch on a large reef

What is this reef? What is the size of it ? If you can convince me that its rather massive then have at it, although you will regardless.......

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

What is this reef? What is the size of it ? If you can convince me that its rather massive then have at it, although you will regardless.......

8m by 6m by 2.5m. Project still on blueprints

 

[Krj-2501]

How about instead Blacktip Reef sharks - Whitetip Reef sharks. White tip reefs do not need to constantly swim in order to breath like Blacktip Reefs do. Whitetip reefs are often spotted in the wild resting on the ocean floor during the daytime. But in the evening they become very active. Also white reefs and blacktip reefs are roughly the same length.

You could easily keep 2-3 average(5-5.25 feet/1.5-1.6 meters) adult whitetip reefs in the tank you are describing. Maybe even a Zebra shark as well.

Also it should be noted that the tank you are describing is much more of a small public aquarium type tank, than the topic home aquarist will typically attempt to keep these sharks in.

 

[CanuckReefer]

How about instead Blacktip Reef sharks - Whitetip Reef sharks. White tip reefs do not need to constantly swim in order to breath like Blacktip Reefs do. Whitetip reefs are often spotted in the wild resting on the ocean floor during the daytime. But in the evening they become very active. Also white reefs and blacktip reefs are roughly the same length.

You could easily keep 2-3 average(5-5.25 feet/1.5-1.6 meters) adult whitetip reefs in the tank you are describing. Maybe even a Zebra shark as well.

Also it should be noted that the tank you are describing is much more of a small public aquarium type tank, than the topic home aquarist will typically attempt to keep these sharks in.

A 1.5 metre shark.... not one but 3 of them in an 8 metre long tank! Care to explain your rationale Mr Shark whisperer? Yes, let's bring on the whitetips because daytime vs nighttime equals swim space....This thread is inane and gets more ridiculous by the hour....

 

[CanuckReefer]

8m by 6m by 2.5m. Project still on blueprints

And some 'scientist' is trying to convince you on Whitetips....man alive, what a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

A 1.5 metre shark.... not one but 3 of them in an 8 metre long tank! Care to explain your rationale Mr Shark whisperer? Yes, let's bring on the whitetips because daytime vs nighttime equals swim space....This thread is inane and gets more ridiculous by the hour....

yeah i kinda regret asking here

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

And some 'scientist' is trying to convince you on Whitetips....man alive, what a disaster waiting to happen.

not really the shark thing is more optional like the frosting on a cake

 

[Krj-2501]

A 1.5 metre shark.... not one but 3 of them in an 8 metre long tank! Care to explain your rationale Mr Shark whisperer? Yes, let's bring on the whitetips because daytime vs nighttime equals swim space....This thread is inane and gets more ridiculous by the hour....

First off - I am hardly a "shark whisper" nor do I consider my self to be a shark "scientist". What I do have is Information about keeping sharks. I have spend more than 14 years of talking with hundreds of people who personally kept these sharks in both public aquariums and private aquaria. Some of the more successful individuals report keeping these sharks for 10-20 years. And their personal experiences often has been backed up with the countless hours of research I have personally done on keep sharks.

Now - how can a 1.5-1.6 meter long whitetip reef shark be kept in a tank/pond that would be too small for a 1.5-1.6 meter blacktip reef shark. The simple answer is that it has to do with the nature of the shark. White tip reefs are one of three species of carcharhinids which are NOT obligated ram ventilators. Or in more every day English - that means they do not need to swim in order to breath, like species such as the blacktip reef. And for the record - whitetip reefs have been kept and even bred in pools, with a footprint of only 200-300 sq. feet.

NOTE - I am only suggesting that because of their nature - whitetip reefs would be a better alternative to blacktip reefs. I am not telling anyone to keep either species. That is ultimately their choice.

As for the calling keeping swimming sharks like these "insane". Well - some would call the keeping large constricting snakes like mainland Burmese & Reticulated pythons, or giant monitor lizards, or venomous snakes (vipers, cobras & such), or even big cats (cougars, leopards, lions & tigers to be insane. And yet it has been done all to often. While some cases have ended badly for either the animals or their caretakers. There quite many who have been successful kept with these animals. The same is true with swimming sharks - if the person has the experience, a large enough tank, and a large enough annual budget to correctly care for them. Now I am not saying that keeping swimming sharks is recommended or advisable for 99.9% of saltwater aquarists. Because they are NOT. Any more than keeping giant constrictors, giant monitors, or venomous snakes is suitable for 99% of private reptile keepers.

 

[CanuckReefer]

First off - I am hardly a "shark whisper". What I do have is Information about keeping sharks. I have spend more than 14 years of talking with hundreds of people who personally kept these sharks in both public aquariums and private aquaria. Some of the more successful individuals report keeping these sharks for 10-20 years. And their personal experiences often backed up with all of the countless hours of research I have done on keep sharks.

Now - how can a 1.5-1.6 meter long whitetip reef shark be kept in a tank/pond that would be too small for a 1.5-1.6 meter blacktip reef shark. The simple answer is that it has to do with the nature of the shark. White tip reefs are one of three species of carcharhinids which are NOT obligated ram ventilators. Or in more every day English - that means they do not need to swim in order to breath, like species such as the blacktip reef. And for the record - whitetip reefs have been kept and even bred in pools, with a footprint of only 200-300 sq. feet.

As for the calling keeping swimming sharks like these "insane". Well - some would call the keeping large constricting snakes like mainland Burmese & Reticulated pythons, or giant monitor lizards, or venomous snakes (vipers, cobras & such), or even big cats (cougars, leopards, lions & tigers to be insane. And yet it has been done all to often. While some cases have ended badly for either the animals or their caretakers. There quite many who have been successful kept with these animals. The same is true with swimming sharks - if the person has the experience, a large enough tank, and a large enough annual budget to correctly care for them. Now I am not saying that keeping swimming sharks is recommended or advisable for 99.9% of saltwater aquarists. Because they are NOT. Any more than keeping giant constrictors, giant monitors, or venomous snakes is suitable for 99% of private reptile keepers.

Ya, we understand here all about how whitetips are the ones that don't need to swim to breathe....take about 2 minutes and listen to your sermon....it would do a world of good, what the heck do snakes have to do with any of this anyway? . Be well, is what I will say. I'm out, there is not much point to any of this other than ego.....talk amongst yourselves.

 

[MaverickFalcon4]

Ya, we understand here all about how whitetips are the ones that don't need to swim to breathe....take about 2 minutes and listen to your sermon....it would do a world of good, what the heck do snakes have to do with any of this anyway? . Be well, is what I will say. I'm out, there is not much point to any of this other than ego.....talk amongst yourselves.

Yeah your probably right Shark isnt such a good idea

 

[Krj-2501]

Yeah your probably right Shark isnt such a good idea

Well - at least not any swimming shark, as all would an apex predator in the tank. They could possible kill any of your fishes, and damage any of the corals (if they are real) in tank. Same is true with for large benthic sharks like the Zebra shark.

If you still want sharks(as frosting on the cake) - then it should be a species which could possible be live harmony with the other fishes and the corals, in the tank. Then I would suggest sticking with benthic sharks like coral catsharks, epaulettes & bamboo sharks. They my not be as as exciting, but the tank would seem more balanced and natural. Just in a tank of that size - let the sharks be adults, as that tank would be too large for the juveniles.

But as always the choice is yours.

 

[Krj-2501]

Okay - I need to apology for a few things I posted early on this topic. Namely my posting of the minimum tank sizes for Blacktip Reef, Bonnethead, and Whitetip Reef sharks.

After double checking my sources - I find those tank sizes are way to small. Those tank sizes were more suited sub-adult-young adult sharks, not for the full grown adult sharks. The full adults of these species the minimum tank footprints should be at least 50% larger, and the volumes increased by at least 5,000-10,000 gallons than what I had posted earlier.

Also - are the plans for a 8 meter x 6 meter reef in a 8 meter x 8 meter tank? If so - then no swimming sharks.