Shark Tank

[Frogmeister]

Hello, I have a 60"x30"x30" FOWLR. Is there any type of shark that could live in this tank its whole life? Thanks

 

[Airgoose2222]

Since your tank is only five feet long, I wouldn't recommend having a shark. The closest you could get is a banded shark, but as an adult, your tank is too small. They get up to three feet long. They'd barely move and have to turn around again. Sorry. There are some smaller rays that might be an option for you.

 

[treemanone2003]

Hello, I have a 60"x30"x30" FOWLR. Is there any type of shark that could live in this tank its whole life? Thanks

Not only no, BUT HELL NO !!!! Unless you can place a 20,000-30,000 gallon pool in your living room, it's something you should not even consider. Next, they should never, under any circumstances be kept in a rectangular or cube style aquarium. Since their eyesight is rather poor, they rely mostly on special organs called electroreceptors that are located in their snout. Should the shark get spooked, they will take off at high speed and crash into the glass with such force, those organs could be crushed. In the event that happens, the shark will lose it's ability to hunt for food, starve and die.

Perhaps if you can and the resources are close by and available, a trip to an aquarium or college to research alongside a marine biologist would be best if you'd like to pursue this. You'd probably get much better feedback than the internet.

 

[PB_Smith]

I had a nurse shark in a 100 gallon many, many years ago.
I worked a store and somebody orphaned it at the store. I opted to take it until arrangements could be made for him. I ended having him for over 3 months.
It was only done as a last resort. He was about 20" at first and was almost 32" when we finally found him a home at a public aquarium in Tokyo.

The only thing that made it possible is that nurse sharks are relatively sedentary and daily pwc's, plus about 4x the filtration normally needed for 100 gallons.

But to keep sharks in anything other than a very large and specific tank is not respecting the creatures we enjoy so much.

but as mentioned, lots of rays are suitable for aquarium life.
Also bear in mind that more often than not when you do see sharks in tanks at bars, hotels, wherever, they are being rotated in and out of the tanks and do not live their entire lives in there.

If you do proceed, I fear some other lfs owner will be having to find a home for an orphaned shark.

 

[baron1282]

Bamboo or Cat Sharks don't need a swimming pool sized tank to be happy. Nor do they need a round tank. Both sharks don't move around that much and prefer to spend most of their time staying still. A 300 gallon tank would make a ok home for one with a ton of filtration.

Anything bigger would need a bigger tank that was designed for sharks.

 

[Amitas]

+1 on the cat shark, unlike most sharks they do not need a rounded tank because of the species particular swimming habits, max size they will get to be three feet however I would suggest getting an egg and watching it hatch within your aquarium, we get them at work all the time, extremely interesting to watch.

 

[baron1282]

I saw a few in a 180 at a shop full sizE, happy and healthy! Not suggesting that! Just saying! LoL

 

[mr_X]

I saw a few in a 180 at a shop full sizE, happy and healthy! Not suggesting that! Just saying! LoL

And when you asked him how happy he was, what language did he answer you in?

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I believe that keeping a shark in any tank, 100 gallons or 20,000 gallons is cruel. An animal that is supposed to roam hundreds of miles of open ocean every day dosent belong in a tank. I strongly dissagre with keeping any fish over 8-10in. Just me but I'm wierd like that. That's why I only keep small fish and tend to UNDERstock my tank. You could do an awesome reef setup in a 100 gallon with fish better suited to aquarium life. Thanks for hearing me vent! Lol

 

[Macscale]

And when you asked him how happy he was, what language did he answer you in?

That's very true, and very funny.

 

[bettaowner]

I agree with a few things mentioned here. First, 300 gallons would be a good sized tank for a cat shark. I also agree that keeping sharks is cruel to some degree. Keeping pelagic sharks or larger species like nurse or black tip sharks is best left to public aquariums. Bamboo and cat sharks are benthic and not as active as other shark species. However, I would not raise the shark from an egg. The young shark could be delicate.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

And when you asked him how happy he was, what language did he answer you in?

Quality!

 

[Frogmeister]

Thanks for all your replies, decided against the shark. I like my fish to be as happy and healthy as can be and I don't think id be able to provide that in my current aquarium. Thank again.

 

[baron1282]

They talked by their overall appearance. That is dumb to say "what language they told me in". How can we ever know the fish we keep are happy in their small environments? Do they tell you? No we can only assume base off how they look and act. The sharks in the tank looked healthy and generally happy swimming and eating. I also suggest against sharks in a 180 gallon, but again people want sharks and cat and bamboo are the sharks I would recommend to people. Because like one person already said "they do not move around and are not an active shark". I would also suggest nothing smaller than a 300 gallon for at lest only 1 or 2 small sharks. Plus massive filtration.

 

[treemanone2003]

They talked by their overall appearance. That is dumb to say "what language they told me in". How can we ever know the fish we keep are happy in their small environments? Do they tell you? No we can only assume base off how they look and act. The sharks in the tank looked healthy and generally happy swimming and eating. I also suggest against sharks in a 180 gallon, but again people want sharks and cat and bamboo are the sharks I would recommend to people. Because like one person already said "they do not move around and are not an active shark". I would also suggest nothing smaller than a 300 gallon for at lest only 1 or 2 small sharks. Plus massive filtration.

I took it as a joke and by the comments on the posts, the others did too.

 

[baron1282]

Fair enough! LoL. Mr.X always gives good advice, he has helped me a few times. I got no issue!

 

[gafights]

You will not have any issues with a coral catshark or a whitespotted bamboo shark in a 300 gallon as long you don't cover the tank with live rock. You are going need massive filtration though because these bad boys are filthy. They will also flip any live rock you have stacked nice and pretty. It would help if it was a deep dimensions tank like 6ft x 3ft The height is not that important. As far as language that sharks speak I think it depends on where they are from.


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