Can someone clear this up for me? Sharks and rounded corners/ends

[castro1212]

I have watched tanked (i know they don't really know what their doing when it comes to fish) they always say that sharks need tanks with rounded ends/edges so they don't bump into the glass with their nose because it could cause problems or be potentially fatal. It makes sense because their nose is sensitive and has a bunch of "things" (cant remember the actual term) in it to sense prey and the other stuff it does. What makes it confusing is that i am always seeing them in rectangular tanks with out any rounded corners or anything that would give it rounded edges or ends. Can someone clear this up for me?

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[gnorris23]

First of all. Tanked does know what they're doing Its easy for people to see a show like tanked and see all the fish they place into one aquarium and say they don't have a clue. But shows like that are all about the money and giving the viewers what they want to see. With that being said not all sharks have to have a tank with rounded corners. It depends on the type of shark and size of the tank. But I will say that the best setup for any shark would be a large rounded swimming pool. Not everything is black and white when it comes to aquariums. There are right ways to do things , better ways and wrong ways

 

[Zoodiver]

^^ Perfect answer!

Some sharks (mostly benthic sharks - ones that lay on the bottom most of the time) do just fine in odd shapes and corners. In fact, in the wild, you'll usually find them wedged into rocks or under out croppings seeking protection.

Other sharks (like ram ventilating sharks - the ones that need to swim to breathe) have issues. Usually the corner is the problem because of a small tank. If you have a HUGE tank, a corner isn't an issue at all. The real problem is giving the shark enough glide room to turn around or change direction without having to change speed or make an abnormal twist in it's body.

The rubbing can cause issues with infections - and that is usually the result. Shark denticles are tough, but once rubbed through, bacteria can quickly take hold and cause major health problems for the shark. If you want to see an example of that, somewhere in here I have a thread about a black tip reef shark that injured it's eye and rubbed it's rostrum raw b/c it was housed in a tank that was too small. It took awhile to treat and I had to relocate the shark to a better display (where it is doing very well).

 

[castro1212]

Thank yall both

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