Mini-Bull Sharks

[anonymous007]

KRJ,

Apologies if you aren't John M. You just sounded like him. If he doesn't have commercial permits for shark fishing in NC, you better not buy from him. He didn't have permits for SC. You should also know that Smooth hounds from the Atlantic DO require a lot of space. They will jump out of your system, Ken says. They are more durable, but, require colder water and more water than Sharpnose sharks.

We checked on the Shark Supply web site and ther number was listed. That made it easy to ask Ken all this stuff. They do have a long explanation about listing the number and restricted hours for calling. They said one guy called at 1AM before, "just to leave a message". Since they take emergency calls, someone had to take the call. Ken said that's why the number isn't plastered on every web page.

Sorry for the hard core post. It's just that we have seen a lot of fly by night people "selling" sharks (ripping people off) and not many that have been around long. We also se a lot of bashing on forums (most of which is one wannabe seller slamming his competition dishonestly). So, any time we see someone slamming or questioning the reputation of a dealer, we get a little hot. Personally, I would suggest that you check out the site again, and call them during business hours. I'm sure they will be as nice to you as they were to us. Ken answered. He really loves sharks and took his time talking.

 

[anonymous007]

There is no such misspelling on the page you listed for Sharksupply.com/tips
We checked. If you're going to hate, diver, at least quote correctly.

 

[nativelover]

They are a REAL shark unlike dogfishes and leopards. However, they seem to get along fine with most any other shark or ray (feed rays separate from the sharks or feed the sharks first. Rays will lose the competition or be bitten by accident.).

Obviously he hasnt used Rays as bait. lol.

leopards arent "real" sharks?

 

[krj-1168]

Krj-1168 is John McChesney of North Carolina. Call the boys at South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and ask them if they know John. Haha. They may not want to tell you the names of the guys they busted last summer for illegal shark fishing in SC. But word is inside the office that it was John and a buddy of his.

Dude, Your So Wrong - There.

Got to say it's the First time -I've every been mistaken for either John Mc Chesney or Ken Moran.

And for the Record my names not John - nor do I know him personally. Yes - I talked with him a couple fo times thru email (that all). But then I've also talked with Ken Moran of SC.(owner of Sharksupply) thru email as well.

Also I'm really tryiing "trash" or "justify" anyone for their Business practices.

It's just that there's a lot of misinformation going on about keeping sharks any way. It would be nice to have shark dealers that are completely Honest and completely above board - for a change.

By the way - my name's also Ken. And no I'm not a shark dealer/seller - of any kind.

 

[krj-1168]

KRJ,

Apologies if you aren't John M. You just sounded like him. If he doesn't have commercial permits for shark fishing in NC, you better not buy from him. He didn't have permits for SC. You should also know that Smooth hounds from the Atlantic DO require a lot of space. They will jump out of your system, Ken says. They are more durable, but, require colder water and more water than Sharpnose sharks.

Ok - good. Because I'm not John. And never actually met him. Just - talked to him thru email. BTW - if you had read my past posts on this thread - you should have realized that.

While - I will agree with Ken Moran that Atlantic Smoothhounds are more durable & prefer cooler waters than Atlantic Sharpnose. I tend to disagree about them need more space than the Atlantic Sharpnose.

Here's why - it's all about the "nature of the Beast". The Atlantic Sharpnose(Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) are very swift moving, highly active Obligated Ram Ventilators(this means they must swim in or to breath), and fairly high strung species. Provided that the acclimation is successful -they require a shark lagoon of at least 600-700 sq.ft. & a volume of nearly 20,000 gallons. And the Sharpnose "absolutely must" be kept in small schools of at least 3-4 individuals.

Where as the Atlantic Smoothhound (Mustelus canis) is - well a true smoothhound - so it's not an obligated ram ventilator. It doesn't swimming constantly. Yes - it is a larger species than the Gray Smoothhound (M. californicus). So naturally the Atlantic Smoothhound requires more room (roughly a minimum of 170-200 sq,ft and a volume of about 4,000-5,000 gallons). So it still only a faction of what the Atlantic Sharpnose requires.

BTW - I know what book Ken Moran uses as the source of his figures (Hint: certain book wriiten by Scott Michael). And there in lies the part of difference between his figures & mine. Mine are based on actual figures from successful aquarists actually keeping the species in question.

 

[chrisdef15]

Davo,

You are right on the money. Ken said that the species had no real common name. They coined the name to identify the common look between the Mini-bull and Bull sharks. Plus, Mini-bull was a whole lot better than "Small coastal shark not well known". Apparently the fish keepers buying them don't mind.

How does it have no common name? Its fine tooth and its even mentioned under the same pics as the "mini bull" on the same site. Its obviously just a marketing gimmick to sucker ppl into thinking there something there not.

 

[Zoodiver]

There is no such misspelling on the page you listed for Sharksupply.com/tips
We checked. If you're going to hate, diver, at least quote correctly.

Wow, thanks for bumping a thread fr 2006.

As for my post back then - I just checked the website and found more errors in text.

I quoted it directly from the site. And I stand by my post.

"Large sharks and certain species are not to be feed daily or even every other day" - Taken right from the website www.sharksupply.com.

It should read FED not feed.

It also says "immobilization of a shark is death". I see the point they are trying to make - but the way they state it is incorrect. I've immobilized several sharks in my time. And guess what, when done correctly, they live.

Here's my favorite line:

Inexperienced aquarists or hobbyists that do not have time and resources to invest should stick to species such as nurse sharks.....

WHAT!?!?! ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?! Come on. Nurse sharks for rookies? Anyone who tells a new shark keeper to start with a nurse shark should be chopped up and fed to a shark - no joke. I am so sick of people getting nurse sharks as pups then doing one of three things. 1) It dies because it's kept in too small of a tank. 2) They try to drop it at the doorstep of their local zoo/aquarium. or the worse one 3) Kick it out into their local beach.

Also, only using SM's book is a joke. One source for info should NEVER be the end all. Using a book by a guy who has NEVER kept sharks and rays is even worse. Someday, I'm going to end up writing a book with the title "Keeping sharks and rays the right way, not the lies Scott Michael told you".


I could pick apart that entire website - but I won't. I think my point is made.


Edit: I was reading more on that sale site and found the animals on current stock chart with the "6+" (meaning needing a 6foot or more turning radius) to be very disturbing. Most of those sharks get larger than 6 feet. So obvisously the 6+ is ture - but HIGHLY misleading. Hammerheads, browns, lemons? Come on - seriously? I'd love to see a sandtiger pup housed in a 6 foot round cylinder. Even the "smaller" sharks like black tip reef, bonnets and sharpnose should be offered more than a 6 foot turning area. I transport them in larger holding tanks than that.

 

[chrisdef15]

Dont worry about him guys he is just some moron talking crap. No one trying to legitimately stand up for there business would post crap like he did under the username anonymous. All hes doing is making the company look worse. That site is filled with crap from spelling mistakes, Sizing mistakes, and even naming mistakes if you wanna count the mini bull. If you wanna have a ***** at someone anonymous maybe go tell your buddies to sort themselves out and maybe they wont look like idiots. I know they maybe had nothing to do with the design of the site themselves and are probably very knowledgeable but only a complete moron would put there name on something without checking its right.

 

[krj-1168]

Yeah - I agree the Nurse - is most definitely not a Beginner shark. Especially when you consider such things as it's adult size, the size of tank/pond it will require, & how much food per year it will eat(we're talking hundreds of lbs for adults).

Beginner sharks - are species such as Bamboos, Eppies, Coral Catsharks, & Horns. Basically species that can be kept(for life) in tanks or ponds under 1,000 gallons, usually don't grow more than 3.5' long, and are relatively hardy species.

Also -Why is I get the feeling that anonymous007 - may not be connected with Sharksupply.com or Ken Moran. At least I hope not - for Sharksupply's sake. Because - I must say - if you are - your not helping them, at all.

 

[SharkBait81]

No KRJ is not John M... I am... and is i got busted in SC.. them show me the public records from SC... If i did,, it would be there.. SHOW ME!!!!!! You cant so why try to start something..... If you really wanna start we can... I have a lot to tell..... Your supposed mini bulls are nothing more than a Fine Tooth Shark. no common name...... THAT IS THE COMMON NAME..... F-I-N-E T-O-O-T-H.. Don't try to hop it up to make it sound all big and bad. I do have permits for North Carolina If you were man enough to ask to see them I have no problem showing.... lastly Smooth Hounds do not require a permit in the state of North Carolina.. check marine fish and games web site. If you cant find it I will send you a link...... now show me the record from South Carolina showing i got busted......!!!!!!.....