life after the kids have grown up

[flame9x]

I'm thinking of turning a room in my basement into a shark room - it'd be awesome to have a bamboo shark or two swimming around. What's the minimum tank size I'd need, gallon-wise? I'm imagining covering half to 3/4 of the room with a massive tank and filtration system. What do you guys think?

[flame9x]

I've read that Robert Fenner's "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" recommends an 8-foot, 240-gallon system for the smallest bamboo shark species, but I've got to respectfully disagree - I'm firmly in the "bigger is better" camp when it comes to these amazing creatures.

[flintek]

A massive tank in your basement will essentially be a stylish indoor pool, just with sharks.

[flame9x]

A massive tank in your basement will essentially be a stylish indoor pool, just with sharks.

haha, yeah, that's if I can even manage to swim without tripping and becoming a shark snack

[rusticore]

Keeping a bamboo shark in a tank might not be the best idea, but it's definitely a unique concept. I think it'd be more practical to create a small indoor pond, albeit a shallow one that takes up a lot of space. You could design a few mini ponds that connect to the main one for filtration purposes - imagine something like Mickey Mouse's head, with the "ears" housing the filters and equipment, and the "head" being the shark's area. To separate the shark from the filtration zone, you could use eggcrate or a similar material. A closed-loop system with an external pump would likely be the way to go, ensuring a consistent water flow rate into the filtration zones.

[ravensong]

You could actually set up an indoor swimming pool for them, that way they'd have plenty of space to swim around.

[zenfox8]

It seems like we're all on different wavelengths when it comes to shark species. I'm specifically looking at bamboo sharks, whereas some of the suggestions above appear to be geared towards nurse or leopard sharks.

For the smallest species, such as the bamboo, epaulette, or coflake catsharks, a 6x3 footprint tank should be more than sufficient for their entire lifespan. These sharks typically reach lengths of around 24 inches, don't require constant swimming due to their non-ram-ventilated nature, and tend to inhabit areas with rockwork, eliminating the need for extensive open spaces.

When choosing a tank, it's essential to think outside the box, much like people do with freshwater stingrays. The front-to-back dimension should be more substantial than what's found in standard aquaria. A 6x3 tank, for instance, will provide more turning room compared to a 6x2x2 or even an 8x2x2. I agree with Bob Fenner's assessment that an 8x2x2 tank can accommodate the smallest species, some of which don't even reach 20 inches in length.

For housing three sharks, I'd recommend a tank with an 8x3 to 8x4 footprint. Additionally, I'd strongly advise investing in the largest skimmer available, a titanium grounding probe, and a wet/dry trickle tower.

If you're genuinely interested in keeping saltwater sharks, I highly recommend Scott Michael's book, Aquarium Sharks and Rays. Although the minimum tank sizes listed might be a bit on the small side, the advice and tips provided are invaluable, covering everything from sharks suitable for home aquariums to those typically found in public aquaria. You'll even find guidance on creating your own gruel to force-feed a baby elasmobranch that's hesitant to feed.

[flame9x]

Thanks for the insights, zenfox8 - your suggestion about Scott Michael's book is much appreciated. I've been considering the bamboo shark for a potential setup, and I'm committed to providing the best environment possible, short of a public aquarium scale, of course.

I've also been intrigued by the idea of keeping SW stingrays, although I've yet to delve into the specifics. A local biologist from the reef club has expressed concerns about the feasibility of keeping them in a home aquarium, but I'm curious to explore the idea further in the future.

For me, it's not just about sharks - I'm captivated by all creatures, from the majestic megalodon to the tiny copeopods. Land animals, too - I find them all fascinating. There's something about the diversity and complexity of life that draws me in, and I feel an inexplicable connection to the natural world. Maybe I'm just wired that way, but I feel like I'm meant to be surrounded by these incredible creatures.

Edit: On a side note, my favorite shark is the Mako - but I'm not even going to entertain the idea of keeping one, given their magnitude.

[zenfox8]

I'm thinking of turning a room in my basement into a shark room - it'd be awesome to have a bamboo shark or two swimming around. What's the minimum tank size I'd need, gallon-wise? I'm imagining covering half to 3/4 of the room with a massive tank and filtration system. What do you guys think?

I've been thinking about this, and I think the local biologist might not be aware of some of the smaller rays that can thrive in a well-maintained home aquarium. There are many species of SW rays that stay smaller than their FW counterparts, and with the right knowledge and care, they can do very well. Of course, some species like the ribbon tailed blue spotted ray have a poor survival rate, but others can be quite hardy.

As for me, I just can't get enough of learning about all creatures, big and small. I mean, take the megalodon for example. It's a prehistoric shark that's believed to have grown up to 17 metres in length, which is massive, but not quite big enough to swallow a few blue whales whole. I mean, blue whales can grow up to 33 metres in length and weigh around 177,000kg, so they're truly enormous. Still, I find it all fascinating, and I love learning about the different species and how to care for them.

[flame9x]

It seems like we're all on different wavelengths when it comes to shark species. I'm specifically looking at bamboo sharks, whereas some of the suggestions above appear to be geared towards nurse or leopard sharks.

For the smallest species, such as the bamboo, epaulette, or coflake catsharks, a 6x3 footprint tank should be more than sufficient for their entire lifespan. These sharks typically reach lengths of around 24 inches, don't require constant swimming due to their non-ram-ventilated nature, and tend to inhabit areas with rockwork, eliminating the need for extensive open spaces.

When choosing a tank, it's essential to think outside the box, much like people do with freshwater stingrays. The front-to-back dimension should be more substantial than what's found in standard aquaria. A 6x3 tank, for instance, will provide more turning room compared to a 6x2x2 or even an 8x2x2. I agree with Bob Fenner's assessment that an 8x2x2 tank can accommodate the smallest species, some of which don't even reach 20 inches in length.

For housing three sharks, I'd recommend a tank with an 8x3 to 8x4 footprint. Additionally, I'd strongly advise investing in the largest skimmer available, a titanium grounding probe, and a wet/dry trickle tower.

If you're genuinely interested in keeping saltwater sharks, I highly recommend Scott Michael's book, Aquarium Sharks and Rays. Although the minimum tank sizes listed might be a bit on the small side, the advice and tips provided are invaluable, covering everything from sharks suitable for home aquariums to those typically found in public aquaria. You'll even find guidance on creating your own gruel to force-feed a baby elasmobranch that's hesitant to feed.

Thanks for setting me straight on the megalodon facts. I think I might've gotten my wires crossed - maybe it was a different whale species they were talking about in that documentary I watched. I'm pretty sure it was on Discovery channel, and I remember the image of the megalodon coming through the water and bearing down on a pod of whales... it was a pretty dramatic scene. Unless, of course, they were talking about it eating small juvenile whales? I don't know, but I appreciate the correction.