Tank mate for Nurse shark

[AW2EOD]

How are you planning on transporting this shark almost cross country, once you're discharged?

This is a bad deal, all around. Certainly, you've grown attached to the shark, but in the long run, this situation just isn't gonna work out, to the benefit of the shark.

 

[Zoodiver]

To answer the original question, your nurse shark is eating tankmates because it's hungry. Sharks don't eat when they aren't hungry. What and how much are you feeding it? What water temp are you running? Tropical shark pups eat a LOT when growing.

 

[siebertn]

the shark will outgrow the 500 gal pritty soon maybe 2 years

 

[gregt8]

think u would be better off moving it on either to the wild or a public aquarium its gonna get bigger than you lol so think how big of a tank it will need!!!! what a beast of a fish tho lol i never new you could buy them

 

[Zoodiver]

Can't release captive pets/animals to the wild.... it's against the law.

 

[krj-1168]

Also giving the Nurse to a Public Aquarium - it may not be a great option either. Since most public aquariums tend to be "overstocked" with Nurse Sharks already, and therefore usually tend to be unwilling to adopt Nurse Sharks from a private aquarist.

 

[krj-1168]

I would even think a pool that is 30' in diameter would be cruel.

What do others think?

For an average sized(8-10') adult Nurse Shark, - not really. But I do consider it to be a bare minimum suggested pool size for a single average size adult Nurse. The main reason is because of the nature of the shark in question, but also the shape of the pool (in this case round) may help.

Now if we were talking a similar sized non ORV requiem shark - such as the Lemon Shark, then I would say a 30' diameter pool would definitely be cruel. As the Lemon - is much more active and capable of swift bursts of speed.

However the Nurse Shark is a slow, cruising swimmer, and is active only about 30% of the time. So most of their time is spent laying around on the bottom like a large "Couch Potato".

 

[LCPL_DSM]

How are you planning on transporting this shark almost cross country, once you're discharged?

This is a bad deal, all around. Certainly, you've grown attached to the shark, but in the long run, this situation just isn't gonna work out, to the benefit of the shark.

The same way the shark was ship to me from Florda. However I am lucky to have a friend who owns a local pet shop that has a pool display with two black tips so she'll stay there. Till the new tank is built for her.

 

[LCPL_DSM]

To answer the original question, your nurse shark is eating tankmates because it's hungry. Sharks don't eat when they aren't hungry. What and how much are you feeding it? What water temp are you running? Tropical shark pups eat a LOT when growing.

When I was deployed my wife would feed her 3 to 4 times a week. I kept with the same pattern however I tend to feed her more then my wife with going an buy gold fish and hand feeding her with silver side or shrimp.

 

[AW2EOD]

I don't want to be the "bad person" here. I was in the Navy for more than 6 years, deployed for more than 5 of that. Do you realize what it's gonna cost, out of pocket, for you to try to move this thing?

I'm sure your shark was shipped overnight to you, but at what size? In the time that it takes you to get discharged, what size is it gonna be then? It's not so easy.

I worked for Shedd Aquarium for many years and we'd routinely get in large sharks...but at what cost? Are you gonna be able to afford some company, who has experiance in moving large sharks? It's not gonna be like you're moving a piano, cross country.

As I already said...I'm sure you're attached to this shark but are you gonna go with what you think is best for you, or whats best for said Nurse Shark?