SHARKS
- Thread starter MidasMan
- Start date
I have has several "bamboo" or "cat" sharks. Most likley what you have is Chiloscyllium Puntatum as it is the most common one available. THey are pretty hardy, not very agressive but will eat smaller fish and inverts. Don't put fish like large angels or triggers in with it, they pick on sharks and rays. They are mostly nocturnal but will be active in the day time when feeding the aquarium. They are stripped as juviniles but are mostly solid tan as adults. They normally will grow to about 36" or so, perhaps a little bigger but not much. I'd say it'll be ok in a 120 (4'x2'x2') for a couple years but as it grows it will need a larger tank like a 6 or 8 foot by 2 or 3 foot size to be comfortable. THey are not picky eaters, shrimp, squid, smelt, etc., mixed in with a multi complex food like ocean nutritions formula 1 or 2 is perfect for these guys. Don't feed it just one item, keep it varied so it gets everything it needs in it's diet. No gold fish or other freshwater feeders, that kind of diet is harmful to them in the long run. Do partial water changes often, they can be messy. Don't use medications in the water with sharks & rays, they don't tollerate parasite meds very well. If you don't have it yet, when you get it home, slowly drip water from your aquarium into the water it was sent home in. They shock and die pretty easily when transfered from one body of water to another to quickly. I do this with most all my fish but it's really important with sharks & rays.
Joel
Joel
There are several available that would need about the same as the banded like the white spotted or the marble. Other good choices would be the horn shark, either California or port Jackson. Epaulette sharks are very cool and easy to keep. There is a specie of wobegone (carpet) shark that a decent choice. I can't remember the scientific name for it but one of the wobegones don't get huge. Do your home work on that one because most of the wobegones get way to big. Smooth hound grey are cool and easy, I like leopards too but they need a pretty big aquarium and I don't think you can get little ones anymore. Don't get a nurse, they get way to big really fast. You could not give it away once it gets big.
Good tank mates are peacful eels like Zebra or snowflakes, Lion fish, most groupers (some are too mean), sting rays, Most puffers (some of the arothron might be a problem) Bat fish (they get huge though) Most cardinals are good, most tangs (some acanthurus are mean) Most snappers / soap fish or pork fish. Lots of good choices. Fish that nip or have sharp "beaks" are often times a problem. Many time wrasses of the thalasoma genis (or simular) are a problem. Most clowns would be ok as long as they were big enought. I'm sure that there are many others too.
Joel
Good tank mates are peacful eels like Zebra or snowflakes, Lion fish, most groupers (some are too mean), sting rays, Most puffers (some of the arothron might be a problem) Bat fish (they get huge though) Most cardinals are good, most tangs (some acanthurus are mean) Most snappers / soap fish or pork fish. Lots of good choices. Fish that nip or have sharp "beaks" are often times a problem. Many time wrasses of the thalasoma genis (or simular) are a problem. Most clowns would be ok as long as they were big enought. I'm sure that there are many others too.
Joel
the smaller bamboo marine sharks need at least an 180gallon to keep.
although they are rather in-active sharks, they can get up to 2'.
DON"T GET the port jackson shark, they get pretty big for the aquarium. around 5'
and dA wabbagong shark can get big(4') plus their numbers in dA wild our getting lower.
also horn and nurse sharks can get up to 3~4'.
unless you have experience with marine sharks, i wouldn't advise you on getting any kind.
they are very hard to keep for begginer hobbyists.
instead you should try something else.
it seems like you want a fish that you can interact with so these can be great fish:
-snowflake eel
-fuzzy dwarf lionfish
-antenenetta lionfish
-peacock flounder
-niger triggerfish
-blue spotted pufferfish
they can all be hand-fed, although watch your hands from the lionfish's spine and the puffer and eel's teeth.
there is a risk that the flounder's eye can be eaten out by dA trigger and pufferfish.
also ORNATTAPINNIS mentioned that stingrays are good fish but they are also very hard to keep like the sharks.
the reason he has all thes fish is it seemslike he has experience with marine predators.
so let me know if you have worked with marine carnivorous predators before.
ORNATTAPINNIS, pictures would be awesome!
i luv the port jacksoni shark!
although they are rather in-active sharks, they can get up to 2'.
DON"T GET the port jackson shark, they get pretty big for the aquarium. around 5'
and dA wabbagong shark can get big(4') plus their numbers in dA wild our getting lower.
also horn and nurse sharks can get up to 3~4'.
unless you have experience with marine sharks, i wouldn't advise you on getting any kind.
they are very hard to keep for begginer hobbyists.
instead you should try something else.
it seems like you want a fish that you can interact with so these can be great fish:
-snowflake eel
-fuzzy dwarf lionfish
-antenenetta lionfish
-peacock flounder
-niger triggerfish
-blue spotted pufferfish
they can all be hand-fed, although watch your hands from the lionfish's spine and the puffer and eel's teeth.
there is a risk that the flounder's eye can be eaten out by dA trigger and pufferfish.
also ORNATTAPINNIS mentioned that stingrays are good fish but they are also very hard to keep like the sharks.
the reason he has all thes fish is it seemslike he has experience with marine predators.
so let me know if you have worked with marine carnivorous predators before.
ORNATTAPINNIS, pictures would be awesome!
i luv the port jacksoni shark!
also he mentioned that you can "GIVE AWAY" your fish once it gets big.
not many people would be nice enough to put a 4'nurse shark in their reef tank that they just bought!
and since there is nobody to claim the shark, you will probably dump the fish into the sea.
non-native predators like exotic sharks can easily kill the US native fish.
people like him are the reason people like me can't keep fish that we want.
the state simply makes them illegal to keep.
not many people would be nice enough to put a 4'nurse shark in their reef tank that they just bought!
and since there is nobody to claim the shark, you will probably dump the fish into the sea.
non-native predators like exotic sharks can easily kill the US native fish.
people like him are the reason people like me can't keep fish that we want.
the state simply makes them illegal to keep.
DeLgAdO said:
they are medium sized sharks that get up to 4~5feet.
the average is 3~5'; which is still big for a small home "aquarium"
my friend has a black-tip reef shark(which are active sharks) but it's in some giant tank that is big enough for the fish to swim, feed, not interfere with obstacles, etc.
and swim happily.
you need LARGE tanks to house sharks.
they are left better in public aquariums or my friend's tank.