requiem sharks question???

[Zoodiver]

I hate that book more and more daily.

Seriously, depending on the shape of the tank 30K might not be big enough either.

One of the exhibits at the last place I worked had an 84,000 gallon, and there would be NO WAY to keep a black tip in it.

 

[krj-1168]

While I admire the fact - that Scott Michael's tried to educate the private aquarists on the basics of keeping elasmobranches. After all private aquarists do need to be informed.

Many aquarists tend to tout it as - the "Shark Aquarists Bible" - which is completely wrong. The Book is actually more like "Complete Idiot's Guide to Elasmobranch Husbandry". With little more than basic info of keeping sharks & rays.

Seriously, depending on the shape of the tank 30K might not be big enough either.

One of the exhibits at the last place I worked had an 84,000 gallon, and there would be NO WAY to keep a black tip in it.

Hmmm ... Ok, Matt. Just wondering are you talking Blacktip Reefs (Carcharhinus melanopterus) or the Blacktip (Carcharhinus limbatus)?

 

[goldenswimmers]

I am not one to offer experience but you'd think 84,000g should look after a blacktip reef variety...these guys reach about 6ft if i have info correct..like i said..not experienced so only commenting....out of curiosity what are the smallest requeims???.....I would love to get into these guys in the future but want to do it right so am starting off with some epaulettes in a pool type set up (about 10ft diameter I'm thinking would be ok??)..to get experience etc and then if funds and room dictate I would look into a bigger set up and some of the smallest requeims(which are?) in the future....its a pain...obviously the "look" of the requeims is what is different (along with the open waters aspect!) as compared to the carpet shark look...need some "bonsai" style tigers/makos,etc... can only dream....a nice 2ft great white....

 

[Zoodiver]

(Holy old thread Batman!)

It's about the shape. The 84,000 I talked about was 14' deep and had a lot of rockwork. Couldn't keep anything more than bamboos and epps in it.

Black tip and black tip reef are two very different species when it comes to care. BTRs are fairly common, I only know of a handful of keepers who have kept black tips long term.

 

[turbo253]

(Holy old thread Batman!)

It's about the shape. The 84,000 I talked about was 14' deep and had a lot of rockwork. Couldn't keep anything more than bamboos and epps in it.

Black tip and black tip reef are two very different species when it comes to care. BTRs are fairly common, I only know of a handful of keepers who have kept black tips long term.

Agreed, I can't wait to get another stab at blacktips. One of my all time favorite sharks!

 

[goldenswimmers]

Just realised how old this is!...I thought that just as I posted,if the shape is not good..it doesnt matter how much water is in there...a badly shaped enclosure would waste room and not give much movement space at all...you have been recommended Zoodiver as the man to talk to for sharks so might send you a quick msg if ok Matt?

 

[krj-1168]

Yeah this thread is over 2 years old.

As for the smallest requiem shark that is available in North America - that would be the Atlantic Sharpnose - which reachs a max length of about 4 ft. But these are hardly the easiest requiems to keep - since they are a high strung species that needs to be kept in small schools. And with Atlantic Sharpnose - that are a small coastal species - which means that need a pond/lagoon/tank with very little rock work in it.

Blacktip reefs on the other hand don't need to be kept in small schools. And because they are a reef species - they can handle more rock work (although not too much) than sharks like sharpnose & bonnetheads can.

As for the best general shapes for requiem sharks - basically Round, oval, or lagoon shaped ponds or tanks. They need a tank/pond without any sharp corners. And as much open space as possible to allow for their natural swim & glide patterns.

 

[FLESHY]

Also planning for a Blacktip Reef to only reach 5' long -is asking for trouble. Especially since the species is very capable of reaching 6' in the wild(with some reports that it may exceed 6').

If your planning to keep a single adult Blacktip Reef for life then you will need a pond/lagoon of at least 20,000-25,000 gallons with a minimum footprint of 650-700 sq.ft.

Truth is no requiem shark should be kept in a 6,000 gallon pond/lagoon for life.

I have done a lot of diving. I have seen a lot of blacktip sharks. I dont think that I have EVER seen one even come close to six feet.

Please show me the resource that suggests that it is "very capable" for them to break six feet in the wild.

I think that 6000g is too small. But a tank in the 9000g range I think would be bare minimum. That is a little bigger than 20'x15'x4'.

Now for a pool I would probably go something like 25'x25'x5'...and that is a 19000g pool.

Better plan on keeping other fish, because that is a lot of wasted space.

The blacktip (limbatus) we have in the united states is usually less than 5' in length, HOWEVER, the record limbatus was 9' and weighed over 200#. This is not the rule, it is the exception.

The tropical one (melanopterus) is significantly smaller, with a max recorded size of a little over 6 feet.

Either one I think could be kept in a tank outlined above, and in the rare case of one that is obviously going to get too large needs to be re-homed or euthanized.

 

[Zoodiver]

I've seen plenty of 5-6 foot black tips off of South FL.
I was brought a body of a big dead (preg) female last year to necropsy. Turned out she died from a hook lodged in her throat.

 

[krj-1168]

Okay - first off - if we're talking Blacktips(C. limbatus). Then while it's true in the western Atlantic, they do tend to be a bit smaller than they are in other parts of the world. Still keep in mind that there are United States fishing records of the Blacktip Shark(C. limbatus) that comfirm they can reach 8 ft or more in length.