california horn shark

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Still the ponds are alot cheaper than aquariums of similar volume.

As for keeping eppies - it all depends on which species you choose. The largest and most common species - the Ocellated Eppie (H.ocellatum) would really need at least a 750 gallon tank/pond to keep it for life. While a smaller species - like the Papuan or PNG Eppie (H. hallstromi) could be kept in a 480-500 gallon tank.
 
If your that tight on cash maybe it's best to wait, keeping a high maintenance animal like a shark isn't cheap...think a few kilos of fresh seafood a week, large water changes, lots of salt, large pumps, skimmers, reactors, and equally large electric bills..if your not willing or able to put all these things in place then your gonna spend some money and end up with a dead shark, and a some wasted money, it doesnt sound like you have a tank already? Sharks are a lot of work, I had a black tip rescue that took tons of work each day... Do a bit more research, 180 gallon is way too small like the guys said 1000 plus is where you will end up eventually....And square tanks are kind of a no no with sharks, sad to see the lil guys with their faces all smashed up from running into the corners
 
oh, i suppose so....i had just thought they could be kept in a smaller tank because all of the research i had tried to conduct had led me to believe that (liveaquaria, bluezooaquatics, animalworld, etc) sorry to have wasted your time :shakehead
 
Ok, I tried not to but I just have to ask: what is the shark with the smallest tank size requirement and what is the tank size requirement? Just so I can know for the future and not wonder...sorry to post when I said I was done
 
Well most online sites that sell sharks tend to quote the tank sizes from a single source "Aquarium Sharks & Rays" by Scott Michael - the problem is this source is so conservative on minimum tank size that it's practical unrealistic. As example - trying keeping a 3ft bamboo in a 180-240 gallon tank - is basically a kin to keeping an adult tiger in a 10 ft x 10 ft dog pen. Those minimum tank sizes may work for juveniles - for the 1st year. But the shark - if well cared for will quickly out grow those tanks.

That said the smallest shark (and no we are not including the so-called freshwater "sharks") - tend to be cool water catsharks. One of the smallest is the Izu Catshark, which has a maximum length of about 16 inches (41cm). So it's actually possible to keep one of these sharks for life in a 180 gallon tank(6ft long x 2ft wide x 2ft tall).
Other cool water catsharks of note - The Cloudy Catshark, grows to 20 inches (51 cm), and the Chain Catshark, at 20-24 inches (51-61 cm).
As for tropical sharks - the smallest available species tends to be the Coral Catshark at about 27-28 inches (70cm) and the Australian Marbled Catshark at about 24 inches (60cm).
 
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