Sharks and Metal

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
The apex predatory and king of the ocean doesn't understand the concept of a corner? :ROFL: You are totally right though...I have never seen a square shark tank.
 
as long as the shark is a NON obligatory ram ventilator (eppaulett, marble, bamboo etc.) corners arent a problem. being a ram ventilator (black tip for ex.) means that they always have to be moving to push water through the gills and if they stop they can die. NON obligate ram ventilator=corners, obligate ram ventilators= no corners. I hope this makes sense.

ps- check the october2005 Tropical fish hobbyist article on pg. 106 called Shark Aquarium Ethics

basically if your shark is a obligate than corners can disrupt their swimming patterns enough to eventually kill them
 
prm said:
I hope this makes sense.
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That was very well worded.

I've worked alot with bamboo sharks in metal framed enclosures before and they seem to do well with it. Most were in a 15,000 gallon done with a rebar frame over concrete and wire mesh to support the concrete rock work. That may be a species to look into if you are going to go with it.
 
Wow!! Thanks for all of the replies. I have been away from the forums for a couple days and this is great to return to. (I was closing the big deals that make me able to feed my addiction. ) I plan on keeping 1 bonetthead, 1 atlantic sharpnose, and a couple of rescue sharks from distressed keepers when needed (no nurse or black tip reefs), also hopefully a breeding pair of blue dot rays. I want the steel frame to enable the moving of the tank for sale when I sell the house. A wood frame would be too cumbersome and weak to move.
 
In the original post, you mention 12' x 5' x 5'.....that's too small for sharpnose or black tips.
Maybe a bonnet, as long as it's shaped correctly.
 
In the original post, you mention 12' x 5' x 5'.....that's too small for sharpnose or black tips.
Maybe a bonnet, as long as it's shaped correctly.
Click to expand...

Actually - NOT.

First the tank is too small for an adult bonnethead - which can reach 4-4.5ft in length. and given Scott Micheal's rule of the tank width should be at least 1.5x the length of the adult shark(for free-swimmers) - the tank would too narrow.

Actually for Ram Ventilators like Sharpnose & Bonnetheads - the tank's width should be at least 2x max length of the adult shark. And the tank should be at least 4-5x the max adult length of shark.

So to truely make this tank work for a single Bonnethead - it would need to be an oval tank that is at least 18ft long x 9 ft wide(or about 5,400 gallons - with a 5 ft depth).

For the Atlantic Sharpnose - would have to be an oval tank - at least 16ft long x 8 ft wide(about 4,250) - large enough for 2 Atlantic sharpnose.

Actually the best free-swimming shark for the tank - at it present dimensions - is a species of smoothhound. Because smoothhounds don't need to swim 100% of the time. And most smoothhounds average about 3-3.5ft long.
 
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