Planning for a future shark tank

[TomStav]

I am planning a future build that will probably be a couple of years from now before it happens.

I have an acrylic guy who can build anything I can dream up of, so I plan to start gathering all of the equipment including the tank soon.

Here is what I want to accomplish...

I want a FO tank to house a cat shark, snowflake eel, & a porcupine puffer.

The first question is compatibility, whats your opinion? I plan to add them all around the same time while they are all small, yet big enough not to become eel food.

Next is tank size... I haven't determined this yet, I was thinking of a square tank with less height and more depth, I think this would allow for a smaller water volume while still giving the fish & shark the room they need. I am thinking a 200-250g would probably be sufficient. Thoughts & input welcome, this is just an initial guess, I feel it would be better for the shark than a standard 200+ as this would be more square footage.

I would want minimal rock in the tank and was thinking of a center overflow with diy rock built around it like a centered column with lots of eel hiding places. This way the shark will have lots of surface area to roam. Also this will allow me to place the tank in the center of a room or as a divider should i move it in the future.

Probably a 4" fine sand bed. I already have a 50g sump built and an AquaC EV-240, and plan to build a large algae turf scrubber as the main filtration to supplement the fact that there will be little LR in the system. Considering the Tunze Wavebox for water movement.

This is just the beginning thoughts, I need to do lots of research and am definitely taking my time on this, want to plan everything perfectly before I buy anything.

 

[Salttanker]

One important thing I can suggest is to make sure the rock you put in there will be glued down. Sharks have a tendency to knock these down and can injure themselves.
Lastly, I know a cat shark requires a minimum of 180g, but if you plan on keeping it through adult life, I would shoot for more of a 300g+ tank. Just my 2 cents..

Mike

 

[Ibrahim]

Go with the coral catshark, it's more active and it only grows to 24"

 

[TomStav]

One important thing I can suggest is to make sure the rock you put in there will be glued down. Sharks have a tendency to knock these down and can injure themselves.
Lastly, I know a cat shark requires a minimum of 180g, but if you plan on keeping it through adult life, I would shoot for more of a 300g+ tank. Just my 2 cents..

Mike

Thanks for your response!

The rock work would be a "cone" that wraps around the overflow so it is unable to collapse.

I was looking into the coral cats (atelomycterus mormoratus). From what I've read if I were to build a 200g that is shallower than the standard with more width allowing for a bigger footprint. Would that be sufficient to house one through adult life as they max out around 23". I'm open to thoughts from others and will only go ahead if it's fair to the shark.

Is the porcupine likely to be incompatible due to there tendency to nip?

 

[TomStav]

Go with the coral catshark, it's more active and it only grows to 24"

Exactly what I was planning on

 

[Salttanker]

Perfect!

 

[Sharklover]

Can get too short if the shark maxes at 24" you need about 30" tall cuz if it wants to swim up and down or eat food near the top it will have space and i dont suggest a puffer with 2 predators or the will puff up a lot and thats not good in your tank but how bout a pair of tomato clowns (tougher) a small school of like 5-6 blue/green chromis'(too fast and small so they wont bother attacking it),a blue hippo tang (witch will get to big for them to eat and there fast)a yellow tang(fast enough to get away) and then like 1-2 more fish that you like along with 3 cleaner shrimps because they are the only shrimp that wont get killed and some other inverts+corals/nems but hey thats just what i would do,i wanna see your stocking list

 

[TomStav]

Can get too short if the shark maxes at 24" you need about 30" tall cuz if it wants to swim up and down or eat food near the top it will have space and i dont suggest a puffer with 2 predators or the will puff up a lot and thats not good in your tank but how bout a pair of tomato clowns (tougher) a small school of like 5-6 blue/green chromis'(too fast and small so they wont bother attacking it),a blue hippo tang (witch will get to big for them to eat and there fast)a yellow tang(fast enough to get away) and then like 1-2 more fish that you like along with 3 cleaner shrimps because they are the only shrimp that wont get killed and some other inverts+corals/nems but hey thats just what i would do,i wanna see your stocking list

Thanks for the guidance! I am still considering the tank dimensions and that's a good point! I plan to house a snowflake eel as I already have a baby one in my 72g, I was thinking a blue hippo tang, and maybe 3 yellow tangs. Also are large sea urchins compatible? Trying to think of some cleaners that both the shark and eel would avoid.

 

[TomStav]

Also I'm not really planning on adding corals as I have a separate reef tank, I may throw in some low maintenance softies, probably mostly mushrooms.

 

[Sharklover]

They will leave ur cleaner shrimp alone,urchins,and large hermits also but you may also be able to get some snails.but im not sure and if you get clowns you should get an anemone to protect them when they sleep

 

[Ibrahim]

Sharks aren't as aggressive as people think they are, they will only eat things that fit into their mouth and fish that are slow. Puffers will do fine with a shark, my triggerfish constantly bothered my porcupine puffer so I took back but it never once puffed up for the couple days I had him. Anemones are a no go with sharks. They will sting the shark causing him to die. I've had an anemone with a shark before in a 75g when I rehomed him from a 20g. My 75g was a reef so it had coral and an anemone in it. He was stung a couple times so I quickly found him a permanent home in an LFS. The tomato clowns will do fine with the shark as well. Just stay away from fish under 4" and you'll be fine.

 

[TomStav]

They will leave ur cleaner shrimp alone,urchins,and large hermits also but you may also be able to get some snails.but im not sure and if you get clowns you should get an anemone to protect them when they sleep

My main concern with shrimp is the eel... Large hermits and urchins may work. I'm not really interested in having clowns as I have a pair in my reef tank, possibly a large maroon clown down the road. I don't plan on an anemone.

Thanks

 

[TomStav]

Sharks aren't as aggressive as people think they are, they will only eat things that fit into their mouth and fish that are slow. Puffers will do fine with a shark, my triggerfish constantly bothered my porcupine puffer so I took back but it never once puffed up for the couple days I had him. Anemones are a no go with sharks. They will sting the shark causing him to die. I've had an anemone with a shark before in a 75g when I rehomed him from a 20g. My 75g was a reef so it had coral and an anemone in it. He was stung a couple times so I quickly found him a permanent home in an LFS. The tomato clowns will do fine with the shark as well. Just stay away from fish under 4" and you'll be fine.

Yea I'm not planning on a nem. I have heard that puffers nip at coral cats, is the porcupine an exception? I love puffers and have always wanted one but not at the sharks expense.

Cheers

 

[Ibrahim]

It may. I'd recommend adding the shark first then the puffer a month later just to make sure the shark learns it's surroundings very well and establishes it's territory. Also start off with a 12" shark. Smaller ones are harder to wean to frozen foods.

 

[TomStav]

It may. I'd recommend adding the shark first then the puffer a month later just to make sure the shark learns it's surroundings very well and establishes it's territory. Also start off with a 12" shark. Smaller ones are harder to wean to frozen foods.

I would really enjoy to raise one from an egg and see the whole process, I figured I would add the egg in the tank alone and wait for the shark to hatch and begin feeding before adding tank mates. Whats your thought on that? I need to read up on weaning sharks, I am very dedicated to my tanks so I would be willing to put in the time to get him eating...

Cheers

 

[Ibrahim]

If you want to do that then go for it. Get feeder shrimp from sharksupply and other foods there. They will also help you wean your shark

 

[TomStav]

If you want to do that then go for it. Get feeder shrimp from sharksupply and other foods there. They will also help you wean your shark

Thanks for the link, I've heard of them on various threads but never checked them out, now I will.

 

[mr_X]

If I was considering a shark tank, I would get one of these and make a lagoon for top down viewing. Some rock throughout, and you can even keep a couple rays too.
American Farmland® Round Tank 8 x 2 in Plastic - 2177188 | Tractor Supply Company

 

[TomStav]

If I was considering a shark tank, I would get one of these and make a lagoon for top down viewing. Some rock throughout, and you can even keep a couple rays too.
American Farmland® Round Tank 8 x 2 in Plastic - 2177188 | Tractor Supply Company

That is awesome but my main drawback is my girlfriend! In order to get a shark it must also be a nice center piece in the living room. I could possibly move up to a lagoon style setup in the future, would be cool. I also have a guy who can give me a great deal on a custom acrylic build.

 

[mr_X]

That would be a nice centerpiece for the living room!