shark jaw in reef tank?

[unclfuzzy]

I just bought a Red Sea Max 250 and am setting up my first reef system in almost ten years. I have a shark jaw that I found on an island in the Red Sea eight years ago and was wondering if I can safely put that in the tank. I just filled it and put in the substrate and live rock today, so it will have time to cure before I add anything particularly fragile.

I'm still not sure I'll do it (those teeth are sharp!), but it's an intriguing idea and I thought I should ask around and see if there are potential issues.

Thanks.

 

[Shane Hoffman]

I have seen this done at a fish store in myrtle beach. I quizzed the guy there, he said they treated it like they do coral skeletons. They soaked it in a mix of water and bleach over night. Then the next day scrubbed it with a wire brush...It was sparkeling white and almost looked fake but if you looked close you could see where the teeth were coming out of the bone....It was pretty and had been in their tank for over a year.....he said he had to pull it out a clean it once a month......

 

[Logzor]

Do a light bleach soak then let it sit in the sun in your window for a day.

 

[MrRyanT]

I would think if left uncleaned(as mentioned above)that it would become covered in coraline and eventually become difficult to tell what it was. I still think it would be pretty cool though.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

It's cartilage - it will decay and fall apart.

 

[inovrmyhd]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15348411#post15348411 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LobsterOfJustice
It's cartilage - it will decay and fall apart.

If that is a concern I would think you could put a thin layer of epoxy over it to seal it from the effects of the salt.

 

[rendogg]

It'll look cooler on display, on a shelf, or on the wall.

 

[BonesCJ]

Shark jaws are bone, shark skeletons are cartilage

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15350218#post15350218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BonesCJ
Shark jaws are bone, shark skeletons are cartilage

It's not quite bone, it's cartilage with a layer of calcium reinforcing. Either way, I'm speaking from experience - the jaw, untreated, will become soft and rot. I'm sure you could dip it in clear epoxy or something.

 

[jayb12]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15348411#post15348411 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by LobsterOfJustice
It's cartilage - it will decay and fall apart.

edit:

:bum: