Shark Aquariums. These tend to be what a lot of people see as the ultimate in home aquariums. But what we see a lot of in our line of work is the design and installation of horribly inadequate shark systems. Mostly by companies and hobbyists who either do not understand the needs of the many of the shark species that are kept in captivity or simply don’t care to provide the basic requirements for these amazing animals.

 

Hopefully, this blog can help those interested in sharks understand some of the basics when it comes to successful shark aquariums. We’ll split this topic into two separate blog posts. In this first installment, we will deal with the “smaller” sharks. Lets go over some the basics.

 

Things to consider before buying sharks:

 

1 – Size: Are you able to provide the minimum space requirement for the species you are planning to keep. Keep in mind that even the smaller species (cat(Atelomycterus), banded(Chiloscyllium), bamboo(Hemiscylliidae)) have large tank requirements. These guys will get anywhere from 15″ to 30″ in length once fully grown and need ample space to turn around and swim freely in their environment. They are also highly sensitive to water quality and fluctuations, which means a larger(240 gallon minimum) well filtered system is the only way to achieve long-term success with these “small” sharks.

 

2 – Cost: The financial upkeep of the smallest of shark systems (say 240 gallons) can be very high. Just because you could set-up a 240g on a shoe string budget DOES NOT mean that you should. We cannot emphasize this more. You have to budget for emergency water changes, addition or upgrade of filtration, quarantine or medication of livestock, accidents due to factors (ie loss of electricity) outside of your control, etc. etc etc. If this level of financial obligation to your sharks is out of reach, then we recommend to stay away from a shark aquarium until you are able to take on that financial duty.

 

3 – Sustainability: The fact of the matter is that the wild populations of sharks (not necessarily “small” sharks) is in a steep and speedy decline due to horrible fishing practices by countless countries over the globe. So if you are looking to keep these creatures in an artificial environment, please pick specimens that are not endangered or on the brink, that are collected by properly licensed catchers and in a sustainable fashion. There’s no need to destroy the worlds oceans so someone can have a pretty animal in a glass cage at their home. Period.

 

4 – Filtration: As mentioned prior, filtration is one of the key aspects to creating a healthy environment for sharks. Heavy protein skimming and chemical filtration is a MUST! Most sharks are highly sensitive to water quality. There can be no shortcuts taken if you plan on keeping sharks long-term. Equipment geared to keeping chemical stability (ie dosing pumps) are a great way to keep your PH and dKH levels in-line in systems where the organic waste load will be high. Our approach is to always oversize everything. Don’t try to get away with the minimum. Having back-up plan for power outages is critical as well: back up generators along with having a facility (like Reef Playground) where you can move the sharks to during an emergency or natural disaster is a good way to ensure the survival of your animals.

 

5 – Feeding: Many species have a very varied diet, and will require the feeding of a variety  off foods that are well stored and well prepared. this is mainly time consuming, so make sure you can put in the time or hire a professional service company like Reef Playground.

 

Now if you are comfortable with all these aspects relating to shark upkeep, than a beautiful shark aquarium may be right for you