# soon to be shark owner



## RachelS. (Feb 21, 2007)

I am new to the forum and my boyfriend and I are currently planning to make a saltwater shark aquarium for a juvenile marbled cat shark and juvie coral cat shark. I am going to the petstore tomorrow to buy a glass tank and all the extras. I have being doing a lot of research on the sharks themselves and also the best pricing and such for the materials I will be needing. (Btw, Petsmart is cheaper than Petco haha). I have kept reptiles, mostly snakes, all my life so it's actually kind of natural for me to know how to research and try to find the best means of husbandary for any animal I own. 



My question is, what is the best way to keep these sharks, and is there any possibility I could add a ray or maybe a moray eel to the aquarium? 

These are the products I've found and was planning to get: Aquarium tank, lighting fixture (probably not the hooded type because I couldn't find any that were made for over 100 gallon tanks, unless SeaClear makes any for their acrylic tanks, I could probably use one), Pentair Aquatics Lifeguard Bed Filter FB300 for up to 300 gallons / Pentair Aquatics Lifeguard Aquarium Filter System for up to 100 gallons / Rena Filstar Canister Filter for up to 175 gallons, Oceanic Natural Sea Salt Mix, CaribSea Aragonite Seaflor Special Grade Reef Sand, Seachem Prime Conditioner, Aquarium Products Saltwater Biozyme (yes/no???), and a Live Meter Master Test Kit. I might also put a few plants and decor in the aquarium. It really depends if the sharks will just knock them over or plow through them, whatever they do. 



Is this a good list? Is there anything I'm missing or that you would recommend over any of the other products? Which of the 3 filters would be best for this type of Aquarium? Also, how would I go about feeding the sharks? I was thinking of having an extra aquarium just for live food that I could stock once a week. I also have a large freezer that I could use for frozen foods that I once used to bulk rabbits, rats, and mice in for my snakes. What are your thoughts on carnivorous commercial foods? 



That's really all I can think of asking. Any and all information is greatly appreciated. Thank you for all your help 



Rachel


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

I have personally never had experience with sharks. But i hope you have a rather large aquarium, atlest something like 200 gallons. These sharks get quite large and need alot of room.


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

Please as a rational adult with experience, do not make this purchase.


You seem to be very new to the hobby and I see no reason to start by keeping sharks. They are VERY difficult and should only be attempted by persons with many years experience. 

IMO- Sharks should not even be offered for sale at pet stores. It is irresponsible of the shop keepers.

You equipment list seems to hover at no more then 150g. How large of a tank are you thinking? You do realize that you should be in the range of NO LESS THEN 600g right? These impressive creatures grow to 3 feet long. A proper, healthy, shark tank needs to be at least 4 feet wide and 8 feet long MINIMUM! If you buy a 150g tank for a shark I'm going to sum it all up like this. As a human being you die you are buried in a coffin, how would you like to live your entire life in that coffin?


Not only the fact that the creature needs room to live but it needs massive amounts of water volume to help export wastes. Put a nice dog, everyone loves dogs and would never do the things that many intelligent humans do to fish, in a crate kennel and leave it there for a week. See how often it craps and then has to live in it's own fecal matter. That is down right criminal. Now think about leaving the dog in the backyard for a week, see the difference? A large animal in a small tank being fed whole food stuffs will quickly ruin it's water paramters and always live in poor health.


I do not feel that any home hobbyist needs a shark. Please I challenge you to prove me wrong. It has been said many times that unless you can
provide a tank of 5,000g or more, sharks belong in the wild reproducing.


I'm going to say something that will definitely get my PM box filled with hate mail from the moderators, possibly threatening to banish me from the site, but I feel it should be said this bluntly. I hope this opens your eyes to the situation.

A shark is a gorgeous creature with high demands. Anyone coming to a website saying they are goign to purchase one but need help choosing equipment has no business pursuing such a creature. If you were truly ready to keep a shark as a pet you would have enough experience as a hobbyist to already know what it takes.

I just emptied my PM box to recieve the hate mail.


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

As what CRM states dont go the shark route. The LFS I work at has 2 sharks now. I reason we have them are because we had 2 shark eggs hatch and now its hard to sell them because nobody has a tank that meets there needs.


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## RachelS. (Feb 21, 2007)

Thank you for your replies.

I was actually intending to buy a 180 gallon aquarium. These sharks are said to reach 2 feet, not 3, I was informed. But if I'm wrong, thank you for clarifying. I came to this site to get information and advice from experienced keepers, and it seems I got a little more bashing than I had hoped for. If sharks are really a difficult species, then maybe I will think about moving on to something a different.

Of course, I am not one to start an argument. But as I was keeping reptiles I was also told venomous snakes and large pythons are only kept for the experienced keepers, and those are what I currently have been keeping. The way I got my experience with those massive and dangerous reptiles is by getting one first-hand and raising it myself. I have been handling and caring for these species for about 5-6 years now. They are my favorite to work with. A few mishaps here and there, but that's how you learn in my opinion. I almost feel the same way about sharks, especially since I will not be the only one taking care of these animals. 

BTW, the petstore was not selling sharks. I would be buying them online from a reputable breeder.


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## Melissa (Nov 28, 2006)

we are just informing you that sharks need large tanks to live in. A 180 gallon will not work for 2 sharks, like i said they need well over 200 gallons. I am noy trying to bash you but imo sharks should not be kept as pets. But you will do what you feel is right.


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## RachelS. (Feb 21, 2007)

Thank you Melissa.

What would be an appropraite size, by gallon and also length x width x height size for these 2 species to comfortably live in?


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## usmc121581 (Jul 31, 2006)

If you have the money to spend on it I will find out for you when I go to work on sunday. Because I know you will have to special order the tank.


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## trreherd (Aug 7, 2006)

If it were me than i would shoot fore like a 1,000 gallon tank, so you see why we all want you to forget about the shark.
But check these out! iv been dreamin about these babys for along time. :BIGcha-ching: 
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=15373&siteid=20
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=16162&siteid=20
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=16105&siteid=20
http://www.liveaquaria.com/diversden/ItemDisplay.cfm?ddid=16487&siteid=20
A 180 gallon tank should be good for one of these but i would go biger like a 400 gallon tank.


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## musho3210 (Dec 28, 2006)

IMO that tank is too small, if you like the sharks for their looks not as much for there personalities, get the freshwater sharks, they look like real sharks (but really a form of cyprinids) and are much easier to take care of, maybe get a saltwater community tank, the 180 gallons opens many doors for freshwater and saltwater but the shark door stays closed and locked


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## caferacermike (Oct 3, 2006)

Sweet.

I give clear rational level headed advice in a tone that a grown adult can be comfortable with and I get accused of BASHING. Awesome. Thanks a whole heap.

What about 600g did you not understand? Did you think I'm lying? I play with big tanks and honestly even I wouldn't mess around with keeping a beautiful creature in it's eventual coffin. Are you the type that would keep a dog in a kennel for weeks on end? Did you not understand my analogy? 

If you want to see bashing I can really hand it out. I was, and still trying, to give the best possible advice I can to help you understand why you shouldn't keep a shark. 5,000g is the agreed upon minimum for a HEALTHY shark display tank, yes even for marbled cat sharks. It's like having a backyard for your dog.


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