tank size?

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nativelover

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what are some good dimensions for a shark tank?

i want to go native. and have a few other fish in there, this is what i would like.

what will go in for sure:

1 leopard shark

1 smooth hound

1 shovel nose guitar fish

1 type of ray (probably round)

1 halibut

possibly:

2 calico or sand bass

8+ surf perch species

2 corbina

1 or 2 spotfin croaker

2 opoleye

definatly want to try:

sculpin (california scorpionfish)

octopus

sand dab/flounder

sargo

kelpfish


i want to have two different settings in it. so one part would be rock and kelp and the other would be just sand with a little more turbulence to simulate the surf (power heads swirling water a bit more).

i was thinking 20' long. 7' tall and 10' deep/wide (how many gallons is that?)

ill have the room for it in the comming year. its going to be either alot of small tanks or one super tank...i opted for the super tank:D
 
Leopard shark - 5ft
Shovelnose guitarfish - 5 1/2ft
Calif. halibut - 5ft
Octopus - cannot have any tankmates.

Conservatively, you're looking at 16ft X 12ft X 4-5ft. Adjust up for selecting so many bottom fish.
After the tank, all you'll need are permits to keep the restricted species like leopard sharks.

BTW, why only one of each? Wouldn't breeding one or more species be a satisfying goal?
 
Oddball;954652; said:
Leopard shark - 5ft
Shovelnose guitarfish - 5 1/2ft
Calif. halibut - 5ft
Octopus - cannot have any tankmates.

Conservatively, you're looking at 16ft X 12ft X 4-5ft. Adjust up for selecting so many bottom fish.
After the tank, all you'll need are permits to keep the restricted species like leopard sharks.

BTW, why only one of each? Wouldn't breeding one or more species be a satisfying goal?
Click to expand...


leos are restricted?

ya it would be satisfying to breed them, but i wouldnt be able to care for the young after birth. (would need another tank and full time care right? or am i wrong?) i know their on their own right after birth in the wild, but only like 40% actually live...right?

i could try to breed the perch as food.

i figuered it would be cool to have a variety and not over crowd it with one species.

btw, ive caught leopards to 6ft. and sngf to 6.5ft. cant say ive gotten a halibut over 3ft...yet:naughty:
 
Leopards have minimum angling catch size restrictions and the retaining of live specimens has been outlawed in CA several years ago.

I list average adult sizes.

I bred leopards (1-male/2-females) for 3 years of the 5 eyars I had them. Each female averaged 7 pups and I only lost 1. They were maintained in a 5800 outdoor pond. Water changes were directly from the surf (I used to live on the beach in I.B.)

A large portion of your list comprised the menu I offered to my sharks and bat rays.
 
I.B.?

im going to be living in Oceanside (close to base). and water changes shouldn't be a problem.

i figuered id have to get the leo 36"+ but if i need a permit i guess i could find a way to get a small one so it doesnt eat all the other fish right away ;)

what kind of ray(s) did you have?

also would frozen squid be ok as a main part of their diet with fish on weekends or if i go fishin during the week? or should it be Alot of fish? so i would need to stock up on perch and/or mackerel....smelt should be good too right? ive caught countless smoothies and leos on them, but not sure their nutritional value.

thanks for the help Phil!
 
Well since you want to go native -

Try the all elasmobranch tank.


- Leopard (actually grows to near 6', but averages about 5')
- Gray Smoothhound (grows to 4', averages about 3-3.5')
- Horn Shark (grows to about 36-40")
- California Round ray or Cortez round ray (16-22")

and I would tend to recommend a larger tank - say at least 7,700 gallons (24' long x 12' wide x 4') although bigger is certainly preferred.
 
I tried hauling water from the free tap at Scripps. My truck bottomed out the whole way back to the house with 200gals of water in the bin (a ton of water). Keep this in mind when planning around weekly water changes.

I was being facetious about the permit. Hobbyists can't get them. Only institutions with proper research credentials can get permits in CA.

I kept 2 small bat rays that friends brought over because they looked 'cool'. They needed heavy parasite treatment and wound care in 500gal bins before being let into the pond.

Frozen squid is fine. I alsofed mine sand/butter bass, live sardine schools (caught with umbrella nets), rock crabs, mole crabs, swimming crabs, octopus, live arrow squid, smelt, beef heart, sand worms (hook jaws removed), etc.

Newborn pups went into a 240gal in the house. Bulked up pups went into 300 or 500gal bins until they were sold (before the current restrictions).
 
Don't be fooled into thinking that as long as you don't take restricted fish you're in the clear legally. CA DFG rules state that no fish you capture at the beach may be taken off of the beach alive (assuming you are collecting with a sport fishing license). If you want to legally take live fish from the ocean (including 36"+ leos) you'll need a Aquaria Collectors Permit from the DFG. Good luck finding out who handles those up in Sacramento. I tried to get one a few months ago but nobody up there knew who handled those. If you do get one, plan on spending about $400 for it. Also make sure you know the rules and regs regarding what you're taking. Don't just call your local DFG office and ask because many times they are incorrect or misunderstand what you are actually wanting to do. I can assure you that the warden who greets you on the beach will know exactly what is ok and what is not for you to take. And trust me, the judge that hears your case for any violation you commit isn't gonna give a damn what someone at the DFG office told you. He/she will go by the regs and that's it. Good luck with your collecting, though. Hope all works out for you.
 
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