krj-1168;485741; said:
Why do fish grow larger in the wild? Rather than being fed everyday in a fishtank?
Can I get the information given to you by these experts?
Witnessing fish in a public aquarium really doesnt mean much, btw.
NURSE SHARK
- Thread starter TOM A.
- Start date
Why do fish grow larger in the wild? Rather than being fed everyday in a fishtank?
Can I get the information given to you by these experts?
Witnessing fish in a public aquarium really doesnt mean much, btw.
If a fish doesn't grow to it's full "wild size", then you are doing something wrong.
Nurses will get 12 feet no problem. Tank size will be well over 10,000 gallons. I just got out of my 8,900 after some scrubbing. Thinking of putting a nurse from the other place I work in there (even at 7') is wrong.
Size at a public aquarium means nothing unless you have more info (like age). Our's are still growing quite well. We were actually talking about large bodied sharks in home tanks at the aquarium last week (spurred on my the K-Fed/Brittney sandtiger issue in the news lately).
Nurses will get 12 feet no problem. Tank size will be well over 10,000 gallons. I just got out of my 8,900 after some scrubbing. Thinking of putting a nurse from the other place I work in there (even at 7') is wrong.
Size at a public aquarium means nothing unless you have more info (like age). Our's are still growing quite well. We were actually talking about large bodied sharks in home tanks at the aquarium last week (spurred on my the K-Fed/Brittney sandtiger issue in the news lately).
One of my lfs's has a three and a half foot nurse shark in a 1000 gallon tank. Her roomates are a large bumble bee grouper and a remora.
that shark is still in that tank ...... he swims in a tight fig. 8 pattern all day ..seems frustated
First off, when I said that a 240 gallon would be fine for a Brownbanded Bamboo. But I didn't say a standard 240 gallon(8x2x2). The truth is your standard aquariums aren't really good for most species of sharks for "home aquariums", because they are generally to narrow.
I made the suggestion about the Brownbanded - because the fact is it's simple a much better choice(than a Nurse) for a home aquarium shark.
Most sharks for "Home Aquaria", like Bamboos, Horns, & Catsharks really need tanks build like the clam tanks you find in some LFSs. That is fairly shallow but wide & long.
And a adult Brown banded needs at least a tank that is 3 ft wide & about 7ft long.
By the way Zoodiver - yes, Nurse sharks can 14ft long - but remember encountering 14 ft nurse shark - is like encountering a guy like that over 7ft tall(unless you go to NBA games on a regular basis). Generally 99% of the sharks(of any given species) your going to see won't ever reach the maximum size of the species.
Also Remember, a species average is general the average size of all available adult specimens of that species. So if you take a fairly common shark like the nurse - your may have hundreds of adult specimens. And even in the wild the nurse shark averages about 3m(10ft).
And yes, Zoodiver, your nurse should still keep grow for several more years - nurses don't full sexually mature(general sign of adulthood in all animals) until they reach 7.5ft
long.
Personally I think sharks like Lemons, Nurses, & Zebras - should be banded from ever being sold to LFS - this guys simple get way too large for even experienced shark hobbists to keep. Yes, I believe that these guys are best seen at public aquariums
Also most requiem sharks like Blacktip & Whitetip Reef sharks, as well as Leopards should be resticted - requiring to the shark hobbist to show they have experience(ie must get a license or permit- to own) with smaller free-swimming sharks.
Only the following free-swimming sharks should be available to most shark hobbists, without requiring a premit or license. But even these still require a large shark pool(at least 10-15 on diameter), to keep.
- Atlantic Smoothhound - 4 ft long - at least 1,700 gallons
- Brown Smoothhound - about 3 ft long - at least 1,200 gallons
- Grey Smoothhound - about 4 ft long - at least 1,700 gallons
- Dogfish - about 4 ft long - at least 1,700 gallons.
Note that smoothhounds are mostly free-swimmers - but also can rest on the bottom for brief periods.
- Atlantic Sharpnose - about 3.6 ft long - at least 2,100 gallons
- Bonnethead - about 4.5 ft long - at least 3,200 gallons
Both of these species are true free-swimmers (Ram Ventilators).
And when planning to keep any shark in your home - remember - Bigger is always Better.
I made the suggestion about the Brownbanded - because the fact is it's simple a much better choice(than a Nurse) for a home aquarium shark.
Most sharks for "Home Aquaria", like Bamboos, Horns, & Catsharks really need tanks build like the clam tanks you find in some LFSs. That is fairly shallow but wide & long.
And a adult Brown banded needs at least a tank that is 3 ft wide & about 7ft long.
By the way Zoodiver - yes, Nurse sharks can 14ft long - but remember encountering 14 ft nurse shark - is like encountering a guy like that over 7ft tall(unless you go to NBA games on a regular basis). Generally 99% of the sharks(of any given species) your going to see won't ever reach the maximum size of the species.
Also Remember, a species average is general the average size of all available adult specimens of that species. So if you take a fairly common shark like the nurse - your may have hundreds of adult specimens. And even in the wild the nurse shark averages about 3m(10ft).
And yes, Zoodiver, your nurse should still keep grow for several more years - nurses don't full sexually mature(general sign of adulthood in all animals) until they reach 7.5ft
long.
Personally I think sharks like Lemons, Nurses, & Zebras - should be banded from ever being sold to LFS - this guys simple get way too large for even experienced shark hobbists to keep. Yes, I believe that these guys are best seen at public aquariums
Also most requiem sharks like Blacktip & Whitetip Reef sharks, as well as Leopards should be resticted - requiring to the shark hobbist to show they have experience(ie must get a license or permit- to own) with smaller free-swimming sharks.
Only the following free-swimming sharks should be available to most shark hobbists, without requiring a premit or license. But even these still require a large shark pool(at least 10-15 on diameter), to keep.
- Atlantic Smoothhound - 4 ft long - at least 1,700 gallons
- Brown Smoothhound - about 3 ft long - at least 1,200 gallons
- Grey Smoothhound - about 4 ft long - at least 1,700 gallons
- Dogfish - about 4 ft long - at least 1,700 gallons.
Note that smoothhounds are mostly free-swimmers - but also can rest on the bottom for brief periods.
- Atlantic Sharpnose - about 3.6 ft long - at least 2,100 gallons
- Bonnethead - about 4.5 ft long - at least 3,200 gallons
Both of these species are true free-swimmers (Ram Ventilators).
And when planning to keep any shark in your home - remember - Bigger is always Better.
Elasmofreak;486739; said:Bringin on the heat!! Man its like Shark Biology up in here!
And there are some limitations on shark collections as i have mentioned before. Unfortunately not many on pacific species, only atlantic. Nurse sharks, and Leopard sharks are illegal to sell, unless you have a private collectors licence, and the buyer must have one also.
Really? - I don't know that Nurse sharks required a license to keep. I mean personally I think they should. They are a really huge fish.
I knew about the leopard - needs to be at least 36" long - because the pups are illegal to capture.
As for the private collectors of the atlantic species vs. pacific species of sharks.
While - not experience dealing with them.
But in talking to the local online fish dealers in the carolinas.
While certain species of sharks are resticted by size or number,like Blacktips, Sandbars, & sandtigers. But most of the smaller coastal sharks aren't resticted - like the Atlantic Sharpnose, Atlantic Smoothhound, Bonnetheads, or Dog fish.
krj-1168;487323; said:
Actually ALL are regulated. It's controlled by each individual state, not by a national law. As someone who legally collects and transports these types of animal on a regular basis, I'm very familiar with the regulations. Where did your information come from?
Catching and releasing is one thing. Catching and cleaning (killing) is most often size limited. Catching and keeping live is illegal without proper permits.
