keeping big freshwater fish vs reef shark?

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picalowpiepi

Feeder Fish
Jan 24, 2017
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okay first of all, im not going to randomly go out and buy either fish, so dont worry. I just get really curious with a bunch of stuff.

So in terms of keeping them, one or the other, which one is easier? Do I generally need a reef for the shark? Do i keep it with other fish or something?

Example: which one is easier to keep (including tank and filtration, etc etc) a black tip reef and/or nurse shark, or a paddlefish/gar/catfish?
 
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picalowpiepi said:
okay first of all, im not going to randomly go out and buy either fish, so dont worry. I just get really curious with a bunch of stuff.

So in terms of keeping them, one or the other, which one is easier? Do I generally need a reef for the shark? Do i keep it with other fish or something?

Example: which one is easier to keep (including tank and filtration, etc etc) a black tip reef and/or nurse shark, or a paddlefish/gar/catfish?
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uhm.....how big is your tank?
 
Hmmmmm... i think if you are putting a Paddle fish VS shark in the same senstance then both will require very large systems with all the bells and whistles to go with it...

But Gars and Catfish seem a bit more hardy and quite commonly kept in reasonably large systems without too much hassle, and by large im talking 300G-500G+ systems...
 
Fat Homer said:
Hmmmmm... i think if you are putting a Paddle fish VS shark in the same senstance then both will require very large systems with all the bells and whistles to go with it...

But Gars and Catfish seem a bit more hardy and quite commonly kept in reasonably large systems without too much hassle, and by large im talking 300G-500G+ systems...
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Depends on the Gar.....SOME Gar (Alligator), all Paddlefish and BTRs or Nurses need over 5,000 gallons and even that might not be enough. The difference is sharks need a round or cylindrical tank or they will bump into the sides
 
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Well, to put it simply, the freshwater option, in my experience, is always easier/simpler than the saltwater option.

In addition, black tip reef sharks do not have the ability to sit still and remain breathing (they have to be moving all the time to push water through their gills) so they need a lot of swimming room. A catfish, and all other freshwater fish in my experience (I could be wrong) have the ability to sit still and kind of "gulp" water over their gills, which means that compared to their saltwater comparison, they don't need as much swimming room, although it would still be nice to provide for them.

Many freshwater aquarium catfish are available that can easily live out life in a 55, 125 or 220 gallon tank. You just have to do your research before buying one to be sure it won't outgrow your tank. Others, that are commonly sold in the pet shops, get way to big to be kept in anything smaller than a large outdoor pond. The red tail catfish is the best example of this.

If you have the ability and money to provide the correct living conditions for either, then you will find that the freshwater will still be easier to care for. But, at that point, it's all up to you and what you want.
 
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tlindsey said:
Are your parents going to support you with this project?
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Pretty sure the question is hypothetical. Freshwater is always going to be the easier option. A shark would not need a reef to survive, however the tank size, flow requirements, filtration requirements, and parameter monitoring will vastly exceed most things in the freshwater realm. Then there's the ongoing cost. You need to replace salt with every water change, which can add up to a huge cost in a large system. Also, with the extra flow and filtration requirements comes a higher power bill.
 
Aquariums have kept them for years at a time in saltwater,however they sometimes take a liking to slow moving reef fish such as triggerfish
 
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