coral cat info required?

[krj-1168]

everything i read on them says that and plus they dont swim a hole lot and thus can live in small tank but i wouldnt do anything less than a 150 my self

And there in - lays the problem. Especially if your reading an quoteing "Aquarium Sharks & Rays". I also was once "a Fan" of that Book - until I was shown the error of my way of thinking - by some people that are much more knowledgeable than Mr. Michael's is.

Keeping Sharks (or any thing for that matter) should be about more than just relying on what others have said. It's always wise to use common sense, and research topics before jumping in (And sometimes -I'm known for doing that as well). And quoting from a single source is usually a bad idea.

But as I stated before - Mr. Michael's Figures keeping sharks are grossly underestimated - to the point of cruel. Most of the shark species - he lists in his book should have a minimum tank size of at least 200% greater than what he suggests. And remember - it's not about volume -but surface area(footprint).

 

[thefishofdoom]

you are probably right and i see u are. its true u need more surface area then volume but i dont see any one with a sain mind putting one in a 20 tall. and i will take what you said about size as true because sharks dont belong in small tanks but in large enough ones to experiance there true nature

 

[krj-1168]

Well - it's often said - especially by aquarist that don't know - that sharks need an ocean to live in. But if this was true - then why are certain species able to breed in captivity.

The Best bet is to create a "Mini" natural Habitat. For small tidal pool species - such as Coral catsharks, Bamboos & Eppies - this can be done in a large Aquarium or small pond(300-1,000 gallon range).

 

[mininmarble]

well i had a one foot port jackson a two foot banded catshark in a 4x2x2 for about 2 years till i moved them to my 500 they were fine as long as you plan on upgrading when they are getting close to outgrowing their home,if you space out their feeding,like every 3 days is what i do for feeding and i vary their diet but definitly dont over feed,also i had a lionfish in there for months and they all got along perfect it was the feeding time that scared me because i hand feed my sharks still and the lionfish always thought i wanted to hand feed him too

 

[chrisdef15]

well i had a one foot port jackson a two foot banded catshark in a 4x2x2 for about 2 years till i moved them to my 500 they were fine as long as you plan on upgrading when they are getting close to outgrowing their home,if you space out their feeding,like every 3 days is what i do for feeding and i vary their diet but definitly dont over feed,also i had a lionfish in there for months and they all got along perfect it was the feeding time that scared me because i hand feed my sharks still and the lionfish always thought i wanted to hand feed him too

You do know port jacksons are from alot cooler water then bandeds dont you? And can grow about 5' although if he is only 1' after 2 years ide say he is seriously stunted and on his way out anyway. They are born about 6-7" so his growth rate def isnt right. Unless ofcourse you exaggerated your numbers.

 

[Zoodiver]

Agreed. That is WAY too small for a Port Jackson's of that age. They do very well in water around 60F or so - maybe as high as 70F. I wouldn't go less than 75F for a bamboo shark. Temp ranges can dictate a lot of things like metabolism and growth rate. I'd get those two into proper temps and feeding right away.

Tank volume for most sharks should be measured by foot print, not gallons.
Coral cats are great home tank species as long as you can provide proper conditions. They are even known to breed in captivity when kept well.

 

[krj-1168]

Yeah - a 2 year Port Jackson (if kept at water temps in the 65-70 range) should be about 15-18" in total length - not 12". And keeping a Port jackson in constant water temps of greater than 72F will cause it to grow faster, larger and ultimately shorten it's life span.

Personally - if I were to suggest keeping any Heterodontid species with Bamboos - it would be either the California Horn (Heterodontus francisci),or the Japanese Horn (H. japonicus) - since either species tend to be much more tolerate of water temps in the 72-78F range, than the Port Jackson's is.

 

[ben128]

how many gallons is a 5ft by2ft by2ft would that be ok for a coral catshark?

 

[Jim96Sc2]

how many gallons is a 5ft by2ft by2ft would that be ok for a coral catshark?

I'd increase it to the minimum for any side is 3'.

 

[Zoodiver]

Height isn't nearly important as foot print. Just think of turn around space. They don't see the tanks like we do. Imagine trying to live in a hallway instead of a livingroom.