Shark time! (For real)

[Sir Volitan]

Alright, I see it in you eyes... All of you, have wanted sharks at some point!
It finally time for me to just say "yes" to such a task of keeping sharks.
Actually, I'm going a giant step further.
I plan to eventually breed them.
A friend of mine and I are setting up a 250gal (plus a 50gal sump/whatever you would call this) hatchery/nursery tank right now (will try to get some pictures tomorrow).
Don't even start to worry, I'm not blindly rushing into this! I DO know how big sharks get/how much room they need (I plan to upgrade to at least a 1000gal shark/ray pond eventually).

Now that, that is out of the way; do any of you have experience with raising, or breeding sharks?
We are planing to start with cats (banded, and coral cats) and add epaulettes later on.

Advice is more than welcome!
Thanks

 

[bribo12]

I'd run a bigger sump and a massive skimmer if you're planning on keeping more than one shark in that 250 for the time being.

 

[Sir Volitan]

Here's the system (empty for now)

It used to be an aquaponics tank (for those of you who know what that is), and it had 100% biological filtration.
There were 20 Koi in the bottom tank, with a vegetable grow bed on the top; both to better grow the plants, and to filter all that the koi could put out.

I'm going to will the top with rock to act as my "sump" and the bottom will have the sharks.
I am going to have some extra filtration added on, I'm just not sure what all I will use.

 

[bettaowner]

From what I understand, shark breeding can become very dangerous. If the one shark doesn't have a place to hide the partner could kill it

 

[Themonsterisme]

That tank is no where big enough to attempt what you want to do and the process of keeping and breeding sharks is in the expert level of saltwater skills...not trying to burst any bubbles but that level of skill to successfully achieve what you are trying to do is hard to come by and takes many years to learn

 

[Sir Volitan]

For now (and when I say now I mean: in a month of so) I'll just be hatching sharks.
I won't even try to breed them until I upgrade.

 

[Themonsterisme]

For now (and when I say now I mean: in a month of so) I'll just be hatching sharks.
I won't even try to breed them until I upgrade.

seems that no matter what someone was going to say to you that you were going to do it anyways regardless of warnings so I wasted my time responding it seems...well have fun and do lots of research...those sharks don't deserve to die because of inexperience so do lots of homework before jumping in head first

 

[Sir Volitan]

All I'm trying to get at is, I'm setting up that tank - sharks or not.
I know someone who wants me to hatch sharks for them, and that is my only tank big enough to do it.

I started this thread hoping for some advice, as I am new to this aria of aquaria.

 

[Sniperhank]

Sharks are a difficult creature to keep. You have to be quite specific with which you attempt as many need long amounts of room to swim and even tanks with no corners. I would ensure that you be very careful in what you choose to attempt in this setup because of the corners and there not being much room for them to swim, think horizontal rather than vertical.

 

[KeithFrancis]

Tank? I see a plastic tote with the top cut off! I have 3 empty ones you can have for free

 

[Sir Volitan]

Three tanks or plastic boxes?

 

[KeithFrancis]

3 empty totes like the ones in your picture..use to hold fert

 

[Sir Volitan]

That "tote" holds 300 gallons of water. Lol

 

[huma-huma]

the OP is going to do it no matter what is said against doing so, anybody that's commenting with anything other than helpful advice should just stop. We aren't here to beat someone to death trying to change their minds, we are supposed to give the best advice possible and help improve the situation presented. that being said, to the OP, I agree in that you need to think horizontally as opposed to vertically. sharks need A lot of swimming area. no wait let me restate that... uninterrupted swimming area. with soft corners.

 

[KeithFrancis]

Mine are 600 gallons, and Huma no negativity just advice that sometimes people need to hear! Btw what is OP?

 

[Sir Volitan]

My LFS will even let me hatch sharks for them, if I can get the hang of it.

 

[huma-huma]

Original Poster and Volitan you may want to ask yourself if you really want to take that burden on at any point. Only reason I mention that is because the sharks you breed are more than likely going to end up in less than ideal (put nicely) tanks. if you don't care how the sharks you breed/care for, and watch grow are treated, then go for it. but I personally wouldnt

 

[KeithFrancis]

Well said Huma,and good luck Volitan
If your heart so desires.

 

[The coin]

Bamboos in 5 gallons and such

 

[bettaowner]

I like the idea of hatching sharks but it's really risky. It can take over a year to achieve and there's no guarantee that every egg will hatch. If I was you, I would get three eggs at first and see how many produce healthy babies. If the result isn't what you want, you can always change your system before adding more sharks. Honestly I would do the same thing if it was legal here.