^ That is if you are sure you want to go saltwater, as was mentioned above you have some fw options for aggressive fish as well.
What is the smallest shark?
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If I may input my $.02 to the OP. MFK is an awesome place to get information for people in this hobbie and to learn from other people's experience, however, there are a lot of very opinionated people who don't have much patience, so it makes it hard to have a discusion like the one you attempted in this thread without getting attacked.
I've been keeping fish for over 15 years and I have always loved and kept predatory fish. Although I've always dreamed of keeping sharks, I have 0 experience with salt water fish keeping. That said, I think you should look into keeping a fresh water predator. It cost a lot less then keeping a salt water tank and requires less time and effort (from what I have come to understand because, again, I have never had a salt water tank). Also, it sounds like the shark you're looking for isn't possible given your circumstances. 180 gallons should be sufficient for some pretty cool and pretty big fish. Over the last year and a half, I've raised a Florida Gar and it very quickly became my favorite fish that I've ever kept or seen. These guys have personality, are pretty active, they're hearty, usually not agressive toward fish around their own size, they get big but not too big and they look like some sort of sea monster you'd expect to read about in Homer's The Odyssey. There is a plethora of info, pics and vids in the "Gar and Bowfin" subforum here and I think you should look into it.
I respect you for researching and asking questions to avoid getting in over your head or putting a beautiful animal at risk. I see good points in both your side and the other side of the argument that you could release it into it's native environment, however, I think the biggest problem is that it sounds like even a juvinile shark would need more space(at least from what I've read from people with shark keeping experience). Also, I disagree with the idea of giving your pet to the fishmarket and I think that that is a horrible idea.
Just the humble opinion of someone who took the time to read this whole thread. Take it for what it's worth.
I've been keeping fish for over 15 years and I have always loved and kept predatory fish. Although I've always dreamed of keeping sharks, I have 0 experience with salt water fish keeping. That said, I think you should look into keeping a fresh water predator. It cost a lot less then keeping a salt water tank and requires less time and effort (from what I have come to understand because, again, I have never had a salt water tank). Also, it sounds like the shark you're looking for isn't possible given your circumstances. 180 gallons should be sufficient for some pretty cool and pretty big fish. Over the last year and a half, I've raised a Florida Gar and it very quickly became my favorite fish that I've ever kept or seen. These guys have personality, are pretty active, they're hearty, usually not agressive toward fish around their own size, they get big but not too big and they look like some sort of sea monster you'd expect to read about in Homer's The Odyssey. There is a plethora of info, pics and vids in the "Gar and Bowfin" subforum here and I think you should look into it.
I respect you for researching and asking questions to avoid getting in over your head or putting a beautiful animal at risk. I see good points in both your side and the other side of the argument that you could release it into it's native environment, however, I think the biggest problem is that it sounds like even a juvinile shark would need more space(at least from what I've read from people with shark keeping experience). Also, I disagree with the idea of giving your pet to the fishmarket and I think that that is a horrible idea.
Just the humble opinion of someone who took the time to read this whole thread. Take it for what it's worth.
Thanks everyone who took time to read this thread and think about it and contribute with useful advice. I trully appreciate it and I've gathered some useful info from it. Just a little correction to everyone saying it's a 180 gal tank. I have stated in one of the posts that I could build a set up of a 8x4x2 foot tank which would b a 480 in galons if I remember correctly plus a 100 or maybe even a 125 gal sump, so total water volume would be around 600gal with 8'x4' footprint. That is why Turbo suggested those shark species he suggested. I'm still thinking about the chain catshark, but it appears to be extremly hard if not even impossible to aquire here in Morocco.
About the other large predatory fish being salt or fresh water i must say I'm not the type that likes to keep huge predatory species so I would definitely not build this kind of a huge set up to keep any other fish and specially not for a single fish. The shark was an idea that was supoused to be a b-day gift for my wife since she is in love with sharks and I wanted to explore possibilities and get suggestions. That's why I was insisting on a real looking shark, as for hers (and most people ) perception of a shark and not get into a situation where she would ask a question like: "What is this fish?", cuz that would officially make it a sucky birthday gift
Anyways the whole thing was and still is just an idea, it's not like I came here and said hey guys I have a black tip shark in a 180 gal, what do I feed it?
Just looking for info and thanks to all that provided thoughts and ideas.
About the other large predatory fish being salt or fresh water i must say I'm not the type that likes to keep huge predatory species so I would definitely not build this kind of a huge set up to keep any other fish and specially not for a single fish. The shark was an idea that was supoused to be a b-day gift for my wife since she is in love with sharks and I wanted to explore possibilities and get suggestions. That's why I was insisting on a real looking shark, as for hers (and most people ) perception of a shark and not get into a situation where she would ask a question like: "What is this fish?", cuz that would officially make it a sucky birthday gift
Anyways the whole thing was and still is just an idea, it's not like I came here and said hey guys I have a black tip shark in a 180 gal, what do I feed it?
Just looking for info and thanks to all that provided thoughts and ideas.
With all due respect, you've been here since August. Assuming I'm one of the impatient people you're talking about, that's fair, but I'm perfectly willing to be patient with those that genuinely want to learn. I'm not so much with people that ask questions that could easily be Googled, and refuse to accept reality when it clashes with their desire to plunk a potentially massive fish into the smallest tank they can because it looks cool. This happens frequently here, on other boards and elsewhere in the hobby, and it spits in the face of everything people that work hard to keep these fish and other animals do.
I think you mean "thanks to those that told me what I wanted to hear".
Thank goodness for chain catsharks then.
Then tell her you did the right thing and left them in the ocean. Sharks aren't a novelty gift... they are creatures with extremely specialized needs. For the same cost of your initial investment you could fly to South Africa and cage dive with her, and then you wouldn't have to eventually eat her gift.
No, you didn't, but plenty of people do, and what you're proposing is just as lazy, selfish and offensive, and you were told that in a number of polite, patient ways before this became what it's become. I'm not calling you names, I'm being being realistic, warnings, infractions and bans be damned.
Personally I doubt that Chain Catsharks will be easy to find - in Europe or Northern Africa - since they are a North American species. Especieally since it's fairly difficult to find them over here.
That said - there are some options. Naturally you will have to check and see what's available in Morocco. But there several species of catsharks in European & Mediterrean waters. Also you may be able to get species from South Africa and Australia, where there's several species of catsharks . Just take your time and do your research on the various species.
That said - there are some options. Naturally you will have to check and see what's available in Morocco. But there several species of catsharks in European & Mediterrean waters. Also you may be able to get species from South Africa and Australia, where there's several species of catsharks . Just take your time and do your research on the various species.
Yea i'm slowly begining to realize that it'll not be possible to aquire a chain catshark. Talked to some fish stores in my city about the supplies of sharks with no success. Looks like I will have to do some more research and think of some other ideas and look outside my city.
I must admit Comatose, ur sugestion of cage diving is a good idea, but I bet you would be very happy if u got Enchelycore ramosa or kamara as a gift. Other then that there was no need for this to become what it became if u kept ur cool and take it down a notch on the sarcasm and we can be sports. If you really wanna help ur more then welcome, but if u wanna boss someone around and appear high and mighty on my expense don't expect ur advice to be taken in consideration.
Anyways another reminder that this is just a research on the possibilities, no decision is yet been made on if I will end up keeping a shark.
So was the purpose your thread about putting a white shark in a bathtub to prevent people from spitting in your face also? Because I was trying to figure out what purpose that served.
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