Guest bill33 September 25, 2004 Share September 25, 2004 my nabor next door has a shark in a 180g, and in a few months it needs to go to a bigger tank, so... me and him might make a shark tank in my back yard "if my mom approves" it is kinda farfetched but it will be cool, how you make one, i herd plywood and coat it with something? and for the view i was thinking of a inch and three quarter acrilic? im not sure but, he says if we can do it he can put in the money and labor, has anyone on this board built a shark tank? does any one have a shark? thanks Bill and the nabor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 25, 2004 Share September 25, 2004 i've looked online and they said cement for the walls? and 2inch acrlic for the viewing??? anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacetypes September 25, 2004 Share September 25, 2004 i saw a shark tank on ebat once, it was long, deep, and shallow. hope it helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest goblinshark September 25, 2004 Share September 25, 2004 How big you thinking, and what species of shark? Those are the main factors. I know a guy who has a 500g for his 2 bonnetheads, catshark and bluespot ray. the bonnets are 2 ft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowrie September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 Ben is correct in considering the species of the animal. How will you maintain temperature control year round? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 well it has to house my nabors 1 foot nurse, and im plaining on gettign a bambo, so one had them ands said they didnt fight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 im plaing on having a heater/ac in one like the ones that hangs out the windows Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sph2sail September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 Bill, a nurse shark can get upwards of 8' long. I would not recommend this species in captivity unless you can provide a massive tank for it. Please verify what kind of shark this is. steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatortailale September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 Honestly, you are really showing your age by thinking of getting a shark. Sharks have been over fished for years, are super sensitive and need LOTS of room to swim. PLEASE stop, step back and consider the long term health of all animals you put in a tank. Part of our MACNA focus is to educate people so they make proper choices in what fish they buy. I see to many new members who buy a fish, keep it an month cause it looked good in the store, only to turn around and sell it 1 month later. SAD. I have never sold a fish after I had it just because I was tired of it and wanted something new in my tank. You need to make decisions for the long run and try to create a mini eco system. TOO many people buy a fish, don't care if it dies in a month cause that means they can go out and buy an different fish and are happy they can keep something new. With an attitude like this, it's no wonder the reefs & oceans are over fished. I don't mean to target you specifically with some of my general statements, but people need to start making educated decisions on what they keep and try to keep fish healthy so they don't have to keep buying new ones each week. If we do that, we will have less demand. Also, start demanding captive bread & raised fish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquariaUSA September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 IMO stores should NOT even order any species of shark!!! I have been in this business for 12 years, and have maintained many systems with sharks (nurse, cats/bamboos, epaulettes, horn, wobbies, etc.). Now does this mean I actively sell sharks but speak against keeping them? Yes and no Over the years we have taken over accounts that were getting poor an uneducated service. When the nurse sharks get to big, NAIB is almost 90% unable to take them. The zoo most likely cannot take them, etc. Feel like driving to the Key West aquarium with a shark in the back of the van (along with 300+ gallons of water and life support systems?...it's a long drive, and they might not be able to take them! How about Monterrey? Ripley's...just to test the theory, start calling those AZA member institutions and see how often they are able to take in former shark pets). The problem is they all GROW to big for what most hobbyists can afford to maintain. A 200 gallon tank will not even hold a catshark to maturity (in a humane way). Plywood tanks...yes they are cheap, but if you cannot afford $5-15 thousand or more, don't buy the shark. Think about the cost to feed a shark. Even if you feed them minimally, fresh seafood and vitamins cost more than most of us spend each week on food (shrimp, scallops, fresh fish, etc.). It's not about being cool because you have a shark (I know I sound like an old geezer now!), or keeping costs below what most people would spend to keep the animals we have...but to maintain them to the best of our ability. enter the aquarist...but hopefully an aquarist that is educated first. In this regard, I honestly do not think it's all about age, but the persons ability to be a humane aquarist. Speaking on bamboo/catsharks directly (which I have plenty of experience here) you should know that their growth rate is pretty fast, with the two well known species hitting 34-46" in length (3-5 years easy if you feed high protein foods only 1-2 times per week). They will become AGGRESSIVE during feedings. I have had them eat lions, groupers, and morays, so don't think they are peaceful. Nurse sharks...forget it! Your neighbor should start calling aquariums now. There is a not so ethical aquarium service guy in Baltimore that has/had a nurse in a client's 700 gallon. That tank is also far to small for the 24" species. How about a nice angel for lunch...woah $175 angel? The smallest (bamboo only) shark tank we will do now is over a 1,000 gallons shallow....but the price starts at $25K for the client. I did buy the "shark tank" from the guy on ebay, and it is really just a frag tank (72"x36"x14")...the shark died on the guy (which the store should have not sold in the first place). They can be very sensitive animals. The point is...most of us really get into aquarium keeping, which is great...but there is a fine line of being an ethically minded aquarist, and one that just wants something most people don't have. If you are willing to spend big bucks to keep a small shark species, great, if not, please don't try it just to try. Not trying to pick on ya man, just trying to help you before you get into something you should probably avoid all together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 my nabor, wants a huge tank built in my back yard insulated and such for the climate, but i cant have something that big. i was thinking of getting a 275g, i was unaware of nurse sharks getting that big i will tell him that they get 8 feet, i was plaing on having a bambo cause they are small Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peacetypes September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 wow, in a day or two after having it. are you going to post it on the board that it is for sale? The sharks i mean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquariaUSA September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 I think your neighbor might be part of the problem Insulated plywood tank? Not to make fun, but I would really like to learn more about his plan. The only insulation you would be able to use outdoors would be the earth (if done right), and he would have to go pretty deep just to maintain a hospitable climate (with at least 1000 watts of continuous heat~which would be a nice electric bill addition at the end of the month) for a shark. However, with air exposure to the top of the "shark tank" that would let most, if not all of the heat escape into the air. Greenhouse potential maybe, but that will run the bill up. I seriously doubt keeping a Chiloscyllium in a 275 would be enough. If you can afford at least an 8'x4'x2' tank that would be the smallest I would do, however, to live in a decent habitat you should really go 10-12' in length and as wide as possible to be able to keep the shark through maturity (5-15 years). Remember...pets like these need to be kept for years if they do well. Not like your average goldfish you can just giveaway. I remember after high school years ago, my parents adopted a full grown Iguana (she is now 9-10 years old), a 5' Varanus niloticus (Nile Monitor), a 24" Pangasius hypothalmus (Irridescent shark that I paid $.99 for and bought a 200 gallon tank for $1000 which it outgrew), etc. etc. How would your parents feel about adopting a shark? What if the shark has medical issues that need attention? Do you have the cash for antibiotics, vitamins? Thinking they are easy to handle at 3' is not as easy as you may think (you can't net them). Bill, enough of my trying to convince ya man. I would be more impressed and supportive if you can tell me what you can learn about the species this week. Feel free to post it in this thread. Perhaps then some will chime in to give you a few helpful tips...but until then the "I want to get a shark", is going to be hard to get support for since a lot of the members have been down that road before. What ever happened to captive bred fish? Coral? The National Aquarium in Baltimore (NAIB) charges very little to see 6-7 species of sharks anytime you want. They also have a great Student Volunteer program. In addition, they have one of the better "shark experts" on the east coast (Alan). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 26, 2004 Share September 26, 2004 i try to buy captive bred fish/corals, i feel bad for the nabors shark its in a small tank, and needs a bigger one in a year or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquariaUSA September 27, 2004 Share September 27, 2004 well it has to house my nabors 1 foot nurse, and im plaining on gettign a bambo, so one had them ands said they didnt fight I missed the context of this post!!! Why do you have to house your neigbors shark? Why does he not want it??? At one foot, the species should be able to double in mass every 3 months for the first year if fed the correct diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 27, 2004 Share September 27, 2004 he says he will help build the tank if i can house his shark, the sharks diet is very poor, he feeds it goldfish very sad :( i told him bad nutricen and he said ya ya right right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AquariaUSA September 27, 2004 Share September 27, 2004 Sell your neighbor instead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bill33 September 27, 2004 Share September 27, 2004 and take his shark :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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