jeff92;1810193; said:
there won't be that great plans
if the shark gets to big i can bring it back to the company...
Sometimes I lose all faith in humanity. No matter how many times it is said, no matter how many ways, and no matter how much information is available, it's like talking to brick walls, while on the short bus.
Ok so, first off, let me just say that that was not totally directed towards you ok. And since you probably have no idea who I am, I will give you a heads up - If you are one of the few who actually coax an answer out of me, trust that it will most likely never be short - AND - if it's coaxed out of me by someones ignorance or sheer stupidity - it will most likely not be the sweetest message you ever get. That said, I don't think you are stupid, and I think your heart is in the right place, and you seem really involved and excited. It is only because of that that I will spare you the flame - for now, but please - for the sake of your shark, and my sanity, read and retain the following I provide to you ok!?!.
If you are to do anything sucessful in the realm of shark keeping there are some basic "Shark Laws" you must never forget
1) Never buy a shark you have not spent sufficient time researching first
2) Never throw a juvenile shark into a tank that will not house them for life without having a life-tank in the making - and the budget to finish that tank and run it for life.
3) Please do not ever ever ever think it is ok to return the shark to the store, local aquarium, or ocean near you. This is never ok - Stores don't want the adult back, aquariums cant risk taking in strays and usually do not have the capacity for them, and releasing an animal back into the ocean can cost you some heavy fines, and time behind bars.
When it comes to your shark specifically, I will spout off some facts for you that hopefully you will remember, and use in order to insure the health, vitality, and happiness of your animal, ready?? - OK...
When it comes to diet, you always need to keep in mind the structural differences in sharks. PJ's get their name Heterodontus portusjacksoni, from the Greek derivitive which means "Different Teeth", and they have just that. While their front teeth are small and pointed, their rears are wide and blunt - used primarily for grinding. Their main diet consists of sea urchins, molluscs, a variety of small crustaceans and smaller reef fish. Juvenile Port Jackson Sharks' teeth are more pointed and tightly grouped than older PJ's, and they feed primarily on soft-bodied prey, whereas sub-adult and adult PJ's diets are further varied and include harder shelled prey and bony fishes. These adult teeth are stronger, and are perfect for holding, breaking and then crushing and grinding the shells of molluscs and echinoderms, but as juveniles, their mouths are generally too small for the vast majority of potential prey, and they are not well equipped to crush shells efficiently, so they will seek out softer prey.
Port Jacksons feed by sucking in water and sand from the bottom, lifting smaller, buried prey into their mouths, blowing the sand out of the gill slits, and retaining the food to be injested. Their digestion is common of benthic (bottom dwelling) sharks, but different than some in that it can take a long time fot the food to actually digest and be moved to the intestines to later be expelled. Food moves from the mouth to the 'J' shaped stomach, where it is stored and initial digestion occurs. Unwanted items may never get any further than the stomach, and are coughed up again. They have the ability to turn their stomachs inside out and spit it out of their mouths in order to get rid of any unwanted contents. However if you notice this practice often in your shark, this should be a clear warning sign of either foul food or a digestive problem with the animal and should be remedied as soon as possible to preserve its health.
Port Jacksons are the largest of the Heterodontid family averaging adult sizes between 75-80cm in males, and 80-95+cm in mature healthy females. Though these sharks are of the smaller species when compared to the vast majority of shark species, they still reach sizes which are for the most part ill suited for your average home aquarist. At the time of birth (hatching with this species) pups range in size from 22-25cm on average, so you have yourself quite the young'in there. While its good that you have been sucessful in initiating feeding, keep in mind that sharks need a varied diet in order to receive the proper amounts of vitamins and other nutrients, as they would in the wild. You might want to look into investing in a quality vitamin gel such as Mazuri Shark Gel, which is a favorite among private keepers and a brand even I trust with my own sharks. Adding a supplement such as this ensures that even the pickiest of sharks will be receiving enough nutrients to keep them strong and healthy.
PJ's are nocturnal, resting the majority of the day in caves, rocky outcrops, and under low ledges in reefs for protection. They are more active and hunt at night, mainly because the prey they are suited for is also nocturnal, as is the same with the diets and habits of other benthics.
Though adult PJ's are commonly found in rockier areas, younger sub-adults and juveniles prefer to hang out in seagrass beds and sandy bottoms, so you might look into providing a much thicker and softer bed than the one you have currently.
I would suggest arranging your rock so that it provides caved areas for daytime rest for your little one, as constantly being exposed with no "comfort spot" can place unwarranted stress on the animal - not to mention that pilings of rock like that, without massive circulation is just asking for detritus build up, which will lower your overall water quality.
jeff92;1810193; said:
...at the tank upgrades it will only be some fish (not to big ones and not to small) just to fill the aquarium a bit and get the feeling it lives more
I do not think this is what was meant when you were asked of an upgrade. As I mentioned above, these sharks still reach quite a large size for the home aquarium, and though while yes, your current tank is suitable, it won't be for much longer (if fed well and kept in ideal conditions, I think 2.5-3 years would be stretching it), so when an upgrade was mentioned, I think they were more interested in your long-term care plans for this animal. If you know already that you will not be able to house this animal for life, you are going to need to start looking for an adoptive home of an aquarist who is prepared to take on such a responsibility. Don't wait until size becomes a factor, just know now that it will be and start looking. It could very well take you quite some time to locate someone willing and able to take them off your hands. Unless you plan to return the animal to the store now, I would strongly advise against that later on, as for one, they probably will not have the holding space for an adult, and for two, there are few individuals who invest in sharks with life-tanks already established (frustrating as that is sometimes), but rather they have "plans" and purchase them as pups - like you have, to expand later. Taking the animal to a local aquarium is also not ok, as I explained earlier that most aquariums do not have the capasity to take in strays, nor the willingness, since it means that animal will have to undergo quarentine, physicals and observation in holding before it could be added to any display, which is usually not something aquariums have the man-power, budget or time to do unexpededly. Do not ever consider a drop-off at an aquarium as an option. And once more, returning the animal to the wild would also be a huge no-no for a number of reasons - the main one that you need to remember though is that it is highly illegal. Upgrading your livestock is fine - as long as that is done responsibly also, but when it comes to the upgrade in question, you are going to need to seriously consider whether or not this is something you can handle for the long haul. Not to mention, you stated you have two other sharks you plan to hatch from casings, and if you intend to keep the PJ and those two others together, you are going to need to do some serious homework and investing into your piggy bank, because a large lagoon will be your only option for housing them all for life, unless you intend to convert your entire living room into a touchpool.
so it ate something *phew*