Atlantic Sharpnose

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Atlantic Sharpnose

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 15, 2012
9
0
0
Los Angeles, Ca
hi everybody,
i just joined this forum so i am pretty new at all of this. i recently began to take an interest in owning a pet Atlantic Sharpnose. They seem to be great for beginners and only gets up to around 3 feet long. I know for a fact that they caring for em is quite expensive. So... do any of guys know of any CHEAP BUT GOOD FILTERS? do these kind of sharks need sand or just a bare bottom is good enough?

Thanks :)
 
Sharpnose are best kept in groups. Not really a 'beginner' shark. You'll want a pretty good sized tank. Filtration will need to be pretty heavy duty, big pt skimmer and probably some temp control.
Smallest pool I've had success keeping sharpnose in is a 26' round holding that was about 3' deep.
 
I agree with Matt (Zoodiver). While Sharpies may seem to be perfect "beginner" swimming sharks - they are anything but.

Yes their small adult size (average 3-3.5 ft) may seem ideal for anyone looking for swimming shark with a "Classic Shark" look. But these sharks are a very high strung species. It's only with proper acclimation in a large tank/pond with several other sharpnose has anyone been successful with this species.

While the needed tank/pond size for keeping sharpnose may be smaller than other ORV sharks like Blacktip reefs. Blacktips reefs tend to be easier to acclimate and keep in captivity. Not that Blacktip Reefs should be considered to be a "beginner" Shark either.

Also I noticed that your from Los Angeles. Which means that your more likely to find Pacific Sharpnose - Pacific Sharpies are a bit larger than the Atlantic Species - as they average nearly 4 ft long and can grow to about 5ft in total length.
 
Thanks guys. :) do u guys know if atlantic and pacific sharpnose are legal to keep in California? also, isn't 26 feet a bit way too big? the biggest tub that i can find is 8 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height. is this ok for a pup?
 
Even pups will need a lot more area then a 8 foot diameter tank. As stated these sharks do better in groups and there aren't many private individuals that have any success keeping them in captivity. Your best bet would be to stick to the hound sharks.
 
Atlantic Sharpnose said:
Thanks guys. :) do u guys know if atlantic and pacific sharpnose are legal to keep in California? also, isn't 26 feet a bit way too big? the biggest tub that i can find is 8 feet in diameter and 2 feet in height. is this ok for a pup?
Click to expand...

I've been very successful with the 26' size. 8 ft is VERY tight for an active species like the sharpnose, especially when you look at doing more than one (they do best in groups).
And as for legality, I believe they do not fall under the restricted list in CA.
 
As I stated before - Atlantic Sharpnose is a very active, high strung species. I've seen juvenile Atlantic Sharpnose dozens of times, during the late spring and early summer months - along the North Carolina coast. They are often seen darting after small fishes that swim in the shallows. They are not a slow cruising shark species like smoothhounds or a species that handles tight spaces well like many Reef sharks do. They need lots of room that is clear open - without obstructions.

Also I've never ever heard of neonate or yearling Atlantic Sharpnoses being successful(at least 5-6 months) kept in a tank or pond with less than a 200 sq.ft footprint(16 ft round or 20ft x 12 ft oval), or about 4,500 gallon volume. Even then they would need to be moved to a much larger pond/tank(with a footprint of at least 500 sq.ft). before reaching maturity.

So if you are seriously thinking of keep Atlantic Sharpnose or Pacific Sharpnose for life - it's best to plan on a pond which is at least 26ft -round or 36ft x16ft -oval, and 3.5-4 ft deep.

If you can only afford or have the space to have an 8-12 ft pond - and you looking for an active swimming shark. Then your best bet would be a smoothhound. While smoothhounds may be roughly the same size as Atlantic Sharpnoses - they aren't nearly as active, and can handle tight spaces much better than Sharpnose sharks can.
 
darn! i rlly wanted an atlantic sharpnose but i guess i can't have one... is there any shark that has the " classic shark" look that can fit in a 8 ft pond in diameter and 2-3 feet of water?
 
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