So you want to buy a shark? (Shark primer)

[Pufferfish3]

)-: that is sad

[alprazo]

Originally Posted by griseum

Does this function similar to a plenum or reverse undergravel filter?
Sounds interesting!

More in the line of a reverse under gravel. The idea is to aerate the bed and help put debris into the water column. I lifted the design from Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto.

[davelin315]

Originally Posted by Taahirs

Right guys. So I've got an empty tank. Just under 400g excl sump, about 450 incl.

Having done the whole sps thing it's time to go predator. Got a tunze 9430 skimmer rated for 800g. Think this should be good.

Looking at getting one type of shark. Epaulette, coral cat shark or Hasselts bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium hasseltii)

So the plan is to keep the shark with :

Blue spotted ray
Miniatus Grouper
Orange spotted Rabbitfish
Trio of convict tangs
Unicorn tang
Harlequin tusk
Oriental sweetlips

Could someone also advise the compatibility of blue throat triggers, Volitans lionfish, Quoyi Parrot fish and Snowflake eels. Oh, and an emperor angel.

Maybe I could substitute some of those in.

Thanks.

I would not keep a trigger with a shark or ray. They can nip the fins and tails and cause all kinds of problems. About 20 years ago I had plans in place to build a large lagoon in my basement for sharks and rays and was quarantining a bat ray with a small trigger (maybe 3-4" Picasso) and it nipped the tail of the ray and it jumped over my 18" high protective fence, total of 2' above water level.

I have also found eels to be problematic with smaller shark unless they are significantly smaller. Individuals will vary in temperament, but it can prove to be very hard to remove an eel once they are in the system and damage can be done very quickly.

Lionfish can also be tricky as sharks and rays in captivity are somewhat indiscriminate swimmers in my experience based on typical tank size and stray voltage and a sting can be fatal.

[griseum]

Originally Posted by alprazo

More in the line of a reverse under gravel. The idea is to aerate the bed and help put debris into the water column. I lifted the design from Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto.

Sounds like an interesting concept!

Originally Posted by Taahirs

Right guys. So I've got an empty tank. Just under 400g excl sump, about 450 incl.

Having done the whole sps thing it's time to go predator. Got a tunze 9430 skimmer rated for 800g. Think this should be good.

Looking at getting one type of shark. Epaulette, coral cat shark or Hasselts bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium hasseltii)

So the plan is to keep the shark with :

Blue spotted ray
Miniatus Grouper
Orange spotted Rabbitfish
Trio of convict tangs
Unicorn tang
Harlequin tusk
Oriental sweetlips

Could someone also advise the compatibility of blue throat triggers, Volitans lionfish, Quoyi Parrot fish and Snowflake eels. Oh, and an emperor angel.

Maybe I could substitute some of those in.

Thanks.

Sorry for the delay but I replied to your PM.

Stay away from Hasselts bamboos... I don't think I have ever heard of them being kept successfully, EVER. I've tried my hand with them and even when they are eating for you, which is a very difficult measure, they are still liable to croak for no apparent reason. Most of the Hasselt's or Indo Bamboos I have seen have been under 6 inches in length and extremely skinny. If I were to see an adult or sub-adult for sale I might try again, but only if the chain of collection to store was clear, it ate in front of me on seperate occasions and was willing to be held at the store, even if a small deposit was necessary.

[1Sharklagoon]

I have built a 12 ft long 5 ft wide 3 ft deep Lagoon for sharks and eels in my basement. Have zebra moray about 3ft big girl had for 4 yrs tough s.o.b 2ft sharptail snake eel never stops moving and last a 1 ft marble shark. Swims all night long all over. What would you put next? New to sight as soon as I get cleared I'll post pics.

[ohmygod]

the bamboo shark. it doesnt look like a shark

[JaihWill]

Originally Posted by 1Sharklagoon

I have built a 12 ft long 5 ft wide 3 ft deep Lagoon for sharks and eels in my basement. Have zebra moray about 3ft big girl had for 4 yrs tough s.o.b 2ft sharptail snake eel never stops moving and last a 1 ft marble shark. Swims all night long all over. What would you put next? New to sight as soon as I get cleared I'll post pics.

Any pics??


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[codydemmel4]

There is a custom tank in my area that is being sold very cheap, I am thinking of buying it and doing a sting ray tank with some tangs and lionfish.

would i be able to keep a california stingray in a tank that is 8 feet long, 2 feet wide and only 16 inches tall???

What other things could I keep in this tank? Any sharks, tangs, lionfish?

[FinnCole]

Originally Posted by codydemmel4

There is a custom tank in my area that is being sold very cheap, I am thinking of buying it and doing a sting ray tank with some tangs and lionfish.

would i be able to keep a california stingray in a tank that is 8 feet long, 2 feet wide and only 16 inches tall???

What other things could I keep in this tank? Any sharks, tangs, lionfish?

Try a large puffer

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[slay]

If anyone has shark questions and can't find answers (I realize this forum has a resident shark expert, but if he's busy lol), I have 20 years of experience of personal shark (previously I cared for a lemon shark, a nurse shark (who went to West Edmonton Mall when it outgrew our system) and several blacktip/grey reef sharks and leopard sharks).

I currently have a brownbanded bamboo, a marbled and a chain cat shark (how many people have had a captive bred shark breeder, much less a captive bred chain shark breeder near them!)) and have experience with marine ray care (I had a bluespotted ribbontail ray for about three years until the great east coast power outage of August '03, and a Fiddler ray from 2003-2016).

I'm open for all shark or ray related questions, just be warned my answers will honest and in the best interest of the animal!

[PortWolf]

Just brazing over the thought of a shark tank.

I'm looking at maybe keeping cat sharks, or walking, some Ray's and a snowflake eel.
First off I ask if that's compatible?

Then I'm curious if there's a list of fish that can be kept with them?

This will be a large round tank 12'+ diameter fiberglass & flow coat with glass at the top 3'.

I may consider rockwork in the center for hiding.

Since I haven't looked in depth yet I'm just gathering feedback. I will however be investigating that's why I'm here.

[slay]

Originally Posted by PortWolf

Just brazing over the thought of a shark tank.

I'm looking at maybe keeping cat sharks, or walking, some Ray's and a snowflake eel.
First off I ask if that's compatible?

Then I'm curious if there's a list of fish that can be kept with them?

This will be a large round tank 12'+ diameter fiberglass & flow coat with glass at the top 3'.

I may consider rockwork in the center for hiding.

Since I haven't looked in depth yet I'm just gathering feedback. I will however be investigating that's why I'm here.

The smaller sharks appropriately kept in the hobby (bamboo sharks, cat sharks, epaulettes, horn sharks/port jacksons on the larger less common end) and the rays generally kept in the hobby generally get on fine. They do occasionally sell wobbegongs, which generally grow comparatively large (5 or 6 feet long), and wobbegongs definitely have the potential to go after smaller sharks.

As for a snowflake eel, eels are common tank makes, but occasionally hit and miss. While the rule of thumb for both of them is if it can fit in it's mouth there's the risk it will end up in it's mouth, I have seen this combo done successfully multiple times, but I've also heard of a coral catshark (probably the most common species of actual catshark sold in the hobby) biting off the tail of a snowflake eel. The key is mostly in appropriate sizing.

There isn't so much a list as some guidelines for tank mates - fish that are "pickers". like Angels, Triggers and Puffers all may pick at a shark, that is nip at it's fins and/or eyes, Triggers and Puffers especially. They are generally out. Some Butterflies may exhibit the same behavior towards benthic sharks, Many people don't like the risk lionfish present - a lionfish will almost certainly leave a shark alone, but since most of the sharks kept in the hobby are much more active at night there is the potential for shark to be stung. I personally have kept the two (sharks and lionfishes) together for over 15 years with no issues, but, there's always risk. Most of the tangs common to the hobby are good tank mates, but there are a few tangs which grow very large that are aggressive and I'd call questionable.

From the other perspective, sharks may eat anything small enough to fit in their mouth - and they may give even larger fish a trial bite before deciding against it.

I'd say good tank mates include the aforementioned tangs, some wrasses (green bird wrasse is a favorite, big enough to not be eaten but won't harass a shark), groupers, hogfish (many of which are really striking, just not that commonly kept, in part due to larger size), eels and with caution, lionfish.

Have you ever kept such a large tank before? Based on the measurements you describe you are looking at a minimum 2500-3000 gallon tank. When you get that big, the costs get pretty big as well, even if it's more of a pond style setup.

Make sure you really want to keep sharks - I love them and have about 18 years or so experience with them, and to be honest, I'm not sure if, given the chance, I'd even want a 12' diameter shark pond - I'm thinking of all the costs and effort involved (among other things). Hopefully you understand that the sharks seen in the hobby are mostly relatively inactive during the day - they spend most of the day time in hiding spots or just sitting on the bottom. In that sense they don't make the most fantastic display animals.

They are animals to keep because you love them, and you could make an awesome display out of the idea. But since it sounds like you haven't kept them before, make sure it's really what you want to do before going to the expense and trouble.

[PortWolf]

Yea, I'm pretty sure, I've been narrowing it down to maybe zebra eel, fiddler rays and cat sharks. I don't think 3,380 gallons would be large enough for bat rays which I'll leave to the public aquarium.

There will be a central stand pipe setup and will be putting rocks work secured in place with a tall wide ledge for viewable hiding in the center. Brs has 30+ inch shelf rock dry.

Was looking at rock anemones and low growing coral like green star polyps but I'm still researching that.

This will be a center piece tank, I'm building a house soon and this will be in the basement bar and recreational area.

Anyway feedback?

[PortWolf]

Been looking at rotary drum filters and bead filters that don't use blowers.

I think I can have the waste water outlet run into a 50 micron sock box then the water plum back into a D ended seagrass refugium and use bead filters to polish the water that way I can do water changes with the filter back flush.

I can have the rdf high pressure pump use the polished tank water.

I had looked at sieve filters but there 200-300 micron screens where an rdf can be 50 micron.

I haven't touched on the skimmer.

All this may sound outrageous but aquaculture is a hobby of mine and I'd like to oversize for when I retire in a few years and have it all in place.

[alprazo]

PortWolf -

I am a big fan of Bead filters, I have been running an Advantage bead filter on my 3000 gal for over 5 years. The blower is excellent and saves a ton of water in the backwash. I went ahead last year and replaced my Ultima II filter in my Koi pond with the Advantage. It does a good job polishing the water and provides more than enough biological support. I feed about 2 pounds of menhaden every other day, a terribly oily, messy, food.

Because of space constraints, my skimmer is rated for only 1500 gallons but I run ozone 12 hours a day and together, they seems to get the job done. The ozone is on a YSI 5200 multi parameter controller.

Sharks, and especially rays are terrible dirty eaters and produce a lot of waste. I would think the micron sock filters could become a maintenance nightmare.

[Pslreefer]

True Coral Cat shark in a 180g reef tank. K go!

[PortWolf]

Yea, I'm skipping the Blower because of saltwater surface tension, as for the socks they just separate the waste and reuse the water from the rotary drum filter flush, which will allow me to retain water without changing salinity in the system. The bead filter will further filter the water for clarity and prevent the rotary drum filter spray nozzles from clogging again, retaining the water salinity.

Since the socks only have a small amount of water passing through them they shouldn't be a clogging concern, but I may fabricate a sieve filter instead just for reduced maintenance, I found 50 micron sieve screens.

I look at sharks and rays, even seahorses as being as messy as koi or goldfish LMAO.

[alprazo]

Originally Posted by PortWolf

Yea, I'm skipping the Blower because of saltwater surface tension.

Not sure I understand. The blower is only used during the backwash cycle and while the pumps are temporarily off. The blower tumbles and breaks up clumped media in the filter so that less water is needed to flush it.

I looked at sieve filters at one time. They were expensive but if you can create your own, it's worth a try. It does not takes much food or time to pollute 3000 gal of water when feeding sharks, but takes a while to clarify it.

[PortWolf]

Well, since the bead filter will be plumbed into the return, any air bubbles trapped in the filter after backwash would be a problem.

I actually have a filter in mind that clears both hurdles or tumbling the media without wasting water.

[alprazo]

Originally Posted by PortWolf

I actually have a filter in mind that clears both hurdles or tumbling the media without wasting water.

Excellent, good luck and keep us posted on how it works.

[thomashtom]

Hi might have to treat my DT with CP. Can i use CP with a epaulette shark and 3 eels in the tank? Its a large system (96by36by32) and cannot quarantine everyone. I have fish (tangs ,angels) in other tanks that ready to go back in but i am not sure i totally eradicated an Ich infestation from about 6 months ago. I have tons of rock that i can take out but it would be close to impossible to get all the sand out which could cause me problems. Thanks for your help. Tom

[alprazo]

Yes,. No problems IME

[crav]

Are there any sharks which can be housed properly in a 120g tank? 5'x20''x2'

[Pslreefer]

Originally Posted by crav

Are there any sharks which can be housed properly in a 120g tank? 5'x20''x2'

Nope.


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[alprazo]

Originally Posted by crav

Are there any sharks which can be housed properly in a 120g tank? 5'x20''x2'

It might be tight, but my chain cat sharks seem to have plenty of room in my 300 gal.