SantaMonica
Well-known member
I still get asked about the best "beginner" shark to start with.
Sharks in Home Aquariums
- Thread starter lucky_snapper
- Start date
Where do you live?
Even though you can't have a great white you still have a great selection to chose from.
melvinakshay
Member
maybe a nurse shark. I know that they are popular.
Illhaveanother
In Memoriam
Nurse sharks are a terrible choice of sharks to keep
krj-1168
Member
Yes - the Atlantic, Pacific, and Tawny Nurses are a bad choices for home aquaria as these species can get to be 9-10 feet in length, and will require a good swimming pool sized shark pond(25,000+ gallons) to keep for life.
On the other hand - the Short-tailed Nurse is an excellent species for home aquaria - because it only grows to about 2.5 feet in length. That is if you can find it.
As for keeping sharks - such as Blacktip Reefs, Whitetip Reefs, Atlantic Sharpnose, & Bonnethead. IMO- this should only be done by very experienced home aquarists who also happen to have very deep pockets. As these sharks also tend to require a large swimming pool size shark pond(15,000+ gallons for Atlantic Sharpies & Bonnetheads, 25,000+ gallons for Blacktips) in order to keep them for their lives.
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I was going to comment on you stn care guide the other day. You need to update it. It says that stn are only in Europe. Alprazo has a pair that has been dropping eggs. Also benthic sharks bred them.
They are great guides anyone looking to get a shark should give it a read. I know I enjoy reading them. Even the ones for the sharks it will never get.
TFP Marine Biologist
.Registered Member
For the majority of home aquariums, tanks that are under 300 gallons, most sharks are inappropriate to keep. Even smaller species of sharks like Black tips use far too much energy in a confined space, are easily spooked and at risk of trauma from colliding with tank walls. The only sharks that are going to do well in what would be considered a very large home aquarium are cat sharks, which are benthic, and stay relatively small.
krj-1168
Member
Well - Keeping sharks isn't for the vast majority of home aquarists any way. This is mostly because of either limited experience(on the part of the aquarist), or limited funds, or limited tank Size.
Keeping sharks is for only the home aquarist who are very experienced. & resourceful, with the funds and room to keep tanks/saltwater ponds that are in excess of 300 gallons. I say ponds - because that is the best way to keep sharks, be they benthic species or active swimming species. Unlike glass or most acrylic aquariums, ponds usually don't have sharp corners. In addition - ponds are usually much cheaper(in cost), and easier to maintain than similar sized (volume) glass/acrylic tanks are.
Even then the active swimming species such as the Blacktip Reef and White Reef sharks (both species can reach up to 6 feet in length) need a swimming pool sized pond. These sharks should never be kept in an rectangular shaped aquarium, nor should they be kept in a pond under 2,000 gallons (as juveniles).
The best sharks for the home aquarists are the small benthic species. Still most benthic sharks available to private aquarists tend to get to between 2-4 feet in length. But there are a few cool water species which are smaller.
Keeping sharks is for only the home aquarist who are very experienced. & resourceful, with the funds and room to keep tanks/saltwater ponds that are in excess of 300 gallons. I say ponds - because that is the best way to keep sharks, be they benthic species or active swimming species. Unlike glass or most acrylic aquariums, ponds usually don't have sharp corners. In addition - ponds are usually much cheaper(in cost), and easier to maintain than similar sized (volume) glass/acrylic tanks are.
Even then the active swimming species such as the Blacktip Reef and White Reef sharks (both species can reach up to 6 feet in length) need a swimming pool sized pond. These sharks should never be kept in an rectangular shaped aquarium, nor should they be kept in a pond under 2,000 gallons (as juveniles).
The best sharks for the home aquarists are the small benthic species. Still most benthic sharks available to private aquarists tend to get to between 2-4 feet in length. But there are a few cool water species which are smaller.
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Zoodiver
As seen on TV
Though I fully agree with the concept of high energy sharks and tanks, I think the term "smaller species" describing Black tips (which get 6 ft) might be a stretch.
Lol I was thinking the same thing.
That's not such a stretch...if your comparing the Black Tip to Great Whites, Basking Sharks, or Whale Sharks
krj-1168
Member
True - but since we are talking about sharks available for home aquaria - that's a very different story. Generally speaking most sharks available to private aquarists tend to be in the 2-4 foot range, not 5-6 feet like the Blacktip Reef.
As for the really big sharks like Great Whites, Basking Sharks, & Whale Sharks - these are only suited for large public aquariums of at least 1 million gallons. And even then some of those species can only be kept in captivity for a few months. The Whale Shark is really the only large shark (more than 18 feet) which has been kept in captivity more than a decade.
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krj-1168,
I think you missed the sarcasm font in my post
BTW, I know I certain store back on LI that routinely had juvenile black tip and white tips for sale I won't mention their name, as they got banned so many times for shilling that we nearly wore out the ban button.
I think you missed the sarcasm font in my post
BTW, I know I certain store back on LI that routinely had juvenile black tip and white tips for sale
I won't mention their name, as they got banned so many times for shilling that we nearly wore out the ban button.TFP Marine Biologist
.Registered Member
I totally agree, Black Tips should not be on the list of sharks to be kept by home aquarists, I should have been more clear. I cringe at some of the tanks that I have seen Black Tips, Bonnetheads and Nurse Sharks in over the years. Most of my personal experience with captive sharks comes from the public aquarium side of things. In my mind, Black Tips will always be a "smaller" species of shark, Because I am comparing them to Sand Tigers.
SantaMonica
Well-known member
Any go-to source for these recommended cat sharks?
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