Would it be against the law to own a real shark? Dwarf dog sharks only grow about 8", one of those would be a nice show fish.
(Yes, it's just me dreaming, but you never know...)
(Yes, it's just me dreaming, but you never know...)
Legalities of owning a marine shark
- Thread starter Wippit Guud
- Start date
As with most critters, as long as it's not illegal to import it in, and it's not something with could be released and survive, you're probably okay. I would check with your local Game and Fish/Department of Natural Resources for verification is you're worried.
I always advise people to think about why they want the critter before purchase. Sharks are often purchased with the hopes of getting a savage beast who will tear into foods and fish...In truth, most sharks that stay small enough for an aquarium aren't that mean. They also require a big tank because most of them must be moving most of the time--unlike most fish, they can't pull water across their gills, so need to be swimming to get oxygen. This means they need an even bigger tank than their body size would indicate.
I always advise people to think about why they want the critter before purchase. Sharks are often purchased with the hopes of getting a savage beast who will tear into foods and fish...In truth, most sharks that stay small enough for an aquarium aren't that mean. They also require a big tank because most of them must be moving most of the time--unlike most fish, they can't pull water across their gills, so need to be swimming to get oxygen. This means they need an even bigger tank than their body size would indicate.
I'm not looking for a savage beast, I'm looking for something few to no people have in an aquarium. I don't think I've seen anyone in a residential aquarium with a real shark.
Big problem would be finding one, I know I won't get one locally (either in a store or on the docks) as it's a tropical shark... only local things we have up here are blues, basking shark (woo! 20ft shark, get me a tank)...
Big problem would be finding one, I know I won't get one locally (either in a store or on the docks) as it's a tropical shark... only local things we have up here are blues, basking shark (woo! 20ft shark, get me a tank)...
Wippit Guud,
I agree with oriongirl. Most sharks if not all should be left in the sea. If you want a shark get one that stays small 1 to 2 feet in at least a 180 like a bamboo or epaulette with a wide not tall tank. The tank must be cycled for some time and have good filtration and very important to have the tank set up for sharks different requirments than a regular fish tank.The other shark will get huge ang then what get a pool or pay big money to send it back to the ocean. A local fish store just sent a nurse shark back to the ocean it had been in some bars tank until it had closed poor thing was transfered in a trash can to lfs, the king of the ocean should not be treated like that.
I agree with oriongirl. Most sharks if not all should be left in the sea. If you want a shark get one that stays small 1 to 2 feet in at least a 180 like a bamboo or epaulette with a wide not tall tank. The tank must be cycled for some time and have good filtration and very important to have the tank set up for sharks different requirments than a regular fish tank.The other shark will get huge ang then what get a pool or pay big money to send it back to the ocean. A local fish store just sent a nurse shark back to the ocean it had been in some bars tank until it had closed poor thing was transfered in a trash can to lfs, the king of the ocean should not be treated like that.
I'm not crazy enough to get a big shark... once upon a time, I wanted to be a marine biologist (dunno why I didn't go through with it), and if i did do it, it'd be a small shark (dwarf dogshark being the smallest, most pages say 8" max), and it's probably be just him in the tank, maybe some inverts.
But this is all really just me looking into the possibility, it actually happening is a far different story.
A nurse shark? Man, those things get like 8ft long!
But this is all really just me looking into the possibility, it actually happening is a far different story.
A nurse shark? Man, those things get like 8ft long!
I see shark eggs in fish stores around here seasonally. Most of the time the eggs will hatch. However, you don't always know what you're getting with this. Try asking your LFS if they could order one. It will still need a big tank--sharks tend to do poorly in captivity. A LFS in Denver used to have a small nurse--about 5 foot--in a tank that was about 10 X 10 X 6. Poor thing had a banged up nose, and you'd watch it just swim in circles all day.
HTH
HTH
Well, kind-of off topic, but I'm looking to buy a home sometime before summer, and want to put in a 400g, but that was gonna be a FW tank.
If I were go get a dwarf dogshark or something that stays under a foot (not many of those), was thinking of a 125 or a little bigger...
If I were go get a dwarf dogshark or something that stays under a foot (not many of those), was thinking of a 125 or a little bigger...
I don't think a 125 would provide enough swimming space for a shark. These guys really are ALWAYS moving, and need to be able to turn comfortably. I would want a tank that was at least 4 times front to back as the shark was long, which means at least 2 1/2 foot--don't think that's a standard tank size. One of the local public aquariums lost a couple of sharks when they got stuck in some rock and couldn't get free--they ended up drowning. I woud worry that a tank where they couldn't turn around easily would be risky.
I was thinking that an LFS might be able to order a specifc species for you. I know they are available to institutions, but I am not sure about the general public.
I was thinking that an LFS might be able to order a specifc species for you. I know they are available to institutions, but I am not sure about the general public.
