Weekly Shark Feeding at Big Als, Hamilton Ontario Location
- Thread starter flagtail
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the tank was water changed weekly. About 200 gallons a week if I recall.
there is a giant sump and protein skimmer in the back room behind the tank that keeps the ammonia and nitrite levels down at zero.
Instant ocean salt was used, at least when I was there (I left there in 2005 because I secured a position in my intended feild). Iodine was added each week to prevent thyroid problems that sharks can get.
I know people freak out about seeing a nurse this big in a tank like that, but what people do not realize is that nurse sharks are not very active sharks, unlike lemons, white tips and black tips (all of which are kept in captivity too). they are only really active like you are seeing the video during feeding..other sharks are crusing around all the time..nurses, well, they rest on the bottom most of the time...
-12 Volt Man
there is a giant sump and protein skimmer in the back room behind the tank that keeps the ammonia and nitrite levels down at zero.
Instant ocean salt was used, at least when I was there (I left there in 2005 because I secured a position in my intended feild). Iodine was added each week to prevent thyroid problems that sharks can get.
I know people freak out about seeing a nurse this big in a tank like that, but what people do not realize is that nurse sharks are not very active sharks, unlike lemons, white tips and black tips (all of which are kept in captivity too). they are only really active like you are seeing the video during feeding..other sharks are crusing around all the time..nurses, well, they rest on the bottom most of the time...
-12 Volt Man
12 Volt Man - I was referring to the 800gallon tank in the Brampton Franchise with a Blacktip Reef. I never onces stated I hated Big Al's, they are the best LFS franchise in Ontario. However I simply just disagree with the whole Shark tank advertising scam. I have not been in one Big Al's that has a tank large enough to house anything other than bethnic type Sharks. For instance the Edmonton franchise had 3 Leopard Sharks, 2 Brown Banded Bamboos, and a White Spotted Bamboo all in a tank approx. 900 Gallons. Its just not ethical, sure some of the Sharks may be healthy, and sure they do their best to keep it that way. But if they have been trying to get rid of it for the past three years, thats a good indicator they shouldnt have gotten it in the first place.
Just my thoughts, but if that is a 7 year old nurse, it's not even close to healthy. I've got some that age that are 8 feet plus and several hundred pounds. It looks as thought the shark grabbed ahold of the feeding tongs. Rule #1 when that happens is LET GO. I've seen SOOOO many sharks with broken jaws due to SFE (Stupid Feeding Errors). Nurse eat much better (and safer) off a pole type feed when they can just suck the food off of the end.
Save the shows for Sea World and Disney.
Save the shows for Sea World and Disney.
LOL we just had the discussion in another thread on the forum.
just because a fish is not its full size yet does not in any way shape or form mean that it is not healthy, sick, dying or about to drop dead..
lots of fish out there lead long healthy and happy lives without necessarily making it up to full size, be it in nature or an aqarium..
now, granted, as this fish grows it is important to find it a new larger home.
but you can't simply use its current size of 6 feet as an automatic indicator of health.
it encompasses so much more than that...
look at all the board members on this board who have fish that are not technically their full adult size yet.
are these fish all unhealthy and dying?
no, they are not.
health is not strictly a function of size.
-12 Volt Man
just because a fish is not its full size yet does not in any way shape or form mean that it is not healthy, sick, dying or about to drop dead..
lots of fish out there lead long healthy and happy lives without necessarily making it up to full size, be it in nature or an aqarium..
now, granted, as this fish grows it is important to find it a new larger home.
but you can't simply use its current size of 6 feet as an automatic indicator of health.
it encompasses so much more than that...
look at all the board members on this board who have fish that are not technically their full adult size yet.
are these fish all unhealthy and dying?
no, they are not.
health is not strictly a function of size.
-12 Volt Man
it was 14 inches long when they got it.
It has grown about 5 feet in about 7 years.
you all may not believe me, but it is, at least up until now, a healthy fish.
It has grown about 5 feet in about 7 years.
you all may not believe me, but it is, at least up until now, a healthy fish.
I used to go to the shark feedings every week as a kid, the Big Al's in Whitby doesn't really keep a shark in the display anymore, right now it's a couple puffers, queen angel and I think a snowflake eel. They had a shark for a few months earlier this year but sent it off to get checked out because it wasn't eating. Guy mentioned they might be getting in a black tip reef shark soon though.
