tank size?

[dmopar74]

would a 72x48x18 tank with a 150g sump be big enough for a bamboo catshark for life? is depth, as in tall, important or would 18" be enough?

note- i have no intentions of even buying a shark for years, but would like to learn about them regardless. if any body has any links to good info on keeping smaller sharks i would greatly appreciate it. these fish have always amazed me since a small boy. i know they deff. arent begginer fish.

 

[alcohologist]

tank's just enough wide, slightly short on length, and definitely needs to be deeper. for a full grown bamboo, that is.

 

[krj-1168]

Yeah - definitely needs more length & need to be taller.

Ultimately tank size will depend on the species of Bamboo shark.

Gray Bamboos - at least 300 gallons.
White-spotted - at least 500 gallons.
Brown-banded - at least 600 gallons.

 

[water_baby83]

Don't lock yourself into gallons as much as you do dimensions. Gallons can vary depending on the footprint of the tank, ex: You can have a 500 gallon tank that is several feet long, but only 15inches wide and a foot 1/2 deep. Just because it's 500gal does not mean it would be suitable, so keep that in mind when you start to plan. If I were you, I would look into either custom designing an acrylic tank, which can be rounded, or look into making a mini lagoon with a 10' or 12' radius pool no less than 3ft deep. Go that route and you could comfortably house a pair of Brown Banded's.

 

[krj-1168]

Good Point Emi - about Gallons vs. Dimensions.

Footprint or surface area is much more important than the volume.

But for my point about the minimum gallon size. Basically figure a round pond/pool that is at least 2 ft deep, with a diameter that is at least 2.25 times the maximum length of the bamboo shark in question. And remeber this is only for a single animal. For 2 bamboo sharks - figure a diameter at least 3 times the max. length of the shark.

So Gray Bamboos - reach a max of about 30". So the Minimum diameter needs to be at least 68" for a single shark. Or at least 90" for a pair.

White-spotted Bamboos max. at about 37". So a single shark need at least a pond with a minimum diameter of 84"(7 ft). For a pair - that would be a diameter of at least 108"(9 ft).

And a Brown Banded Bamboo is often quoted at maxing out at about 40". So that would mean a single adult would need a minimum diameter of 90"(7.5 ft). For a pair of Brown banded Bamboos - that would mean a minimum diameter of 120" (10 ft).

BTW - my gallonage estimates were actually a bit low.