Bonnethead sharks

[requiem]

I have had several inquiries about the bonnets but no serious interest. I now have the means to ship them. If any one is interested in them please let me know
Thanks requiem
alligatorkid@aol.com
Ps min size aquarium for a pup is 8' dim.

 

[harlequin]

Didnt know that was even considered an aquarium species since it is sub-tropical rather than the normal tropical. Note that I have seen them up to almost 6 foot, of course i was catching them on rod and reel too heheh. Hey Reqium, where are you that you can find them so small? I am in their breeding area and I rarely see them at less than a foot and a half.

 

[ams153]

i currently have a pond thats probably 10 feet around total.. and have been keeping sharks for 1.5 to 2 years.. but i will be moving to souther california in around a year and dont want to have to move a huge shark down there.. so i just wanted to know how big they are right now before i made up my mind.. and how much you wanted for them! and i have never kept a bonnethead before but how well do they do with other sharks if i wanted to put the bamboo from my 220 in with one? my e-mail is ams153@yahoo.com!

 

[robn]

Would love to have a bonnethead, just don't have a big enough tank.....got a chance to pet some of these sharks at the Georgia Aquarium.....they have a bunch of them in with some stingrays.....
I'm looking for an epaulette though....know where I could find one?

 

[requiem]

up

 

[ravennreef]

is that your shark on ----?

 

[robn]

Requiem,
What tank dimensions would a bonnethead require? I've going to trade in my 2 240gal tanks for a 120X48X30 tank, but I'm thinking that would still be too small for a bonnethead...

 

[requiem]

For around the first year yes. After that most likely it will not be large enough.

 

[robn]

Kinda what I thought.....guess I better stick to the Hemiscylliidae family then.......got a chance to pet some bonnetheads while visiting the Georgia Aquarium a few months ago.....great fish!
BTW, are Ward's Wobbegongs available at all, that you know of?

 

[krj-1168]

First off Bonnethead pups generally run between $700-1,200 each.
And a Bonnethead pup really needs at least a 10ft diameter pool. Even that may be fine for the first 18 months. After the pup reachs nearly 3 ft, it should be moved to at least a 15ft diameter(4,000 gallons) pool.

 

[robn]

Well then, that's 2 reasons not to get one, cost and too small a tank.

 

[krj-1168]

well - bonnetheads are also kind of picky feeders - and really best left to expert shark keeper.
Still robn - if you get the 750 gallon tank (10' x 4' x 2.5') - you would really open your options up, as to the types & amount of sharks that you could keep.
You could go with bamboos, epaulettes, carol catsharks, small wobbies(like Japanese), or the Horn shark. And you could actually have several sharks.
Your could easily keep a couple of bamboos, an epaulette, & and a coral catshark all together in a 750.
Or maybe a pair of japanese wobbies, or a pair of horn sharks - if you were thinking about breeding your sharks.
Actually if you stick with bamboos & eppies - you could do this - get a pair(male & female) of bamboos(which ever species - you want), as well as a pair of epaulettes, then breed both species, together in the same tank.
just a few thoughts.

 

[robn]

The whitespotted bamboo and the epaulette are the 2 I'm most interested in.......from what I understand, the Japanese wobbie eats up too many fish and the horn shark is a colder water species.....I love the horn sharks though......I would have to get a massive chiller for it since my tanks run about 80 degrees......
Some good thoughts though, appreciate it!

 

[krj-1168]

Well robn - Horn sharks aren't the cold-water species that most people believe them to be. I have read alot of data about the wild horn sharks off the southern California, Baja & mexican coasts. As well as, have talked with several owners & even a breeder of Horns. And all these different sources have said basically the same thing. Horns are very hardy sharks - easily revivaling the bamboos for ease to keep. Also they all have said that horns seem to prefer water temps of 68-74 F. In fact this is even backup by Scott Michael - himself - in his 2 part article on sharks & rays for home aquaria for Tropical Fish magazine back in Oct/Nov. 1990.
I suggested the Japanese Wobbie - because you asked about the Ward's wobbie- which is almost unknown in the U.S. But the Japanese Wobbie is also a small species of wobbegong(in fact it's the only small wobbie, that's regularly seem in the U.S.) - although they still can reach about 4' long.
But the whitespotted Bamboo & Epaulette sharks are also excellent choices. Especially if you were to eventually want to try to breed them - as both species have bred in captivity.

 

[robn]

So, how do you think a horn shark would do in 80 degree water?
The wobbie is an interesting one.....I have noticed an online fish dealer with Japanese wobbies for sale.....I have read in Scott's book that wobbies tend to eat fish though....but he mentions the Wards wobbie as being very docile....but I think you're right, I have never seen the Ward's wobbie for sale anywhere. Just don't want to buy a wobbie and then slowly have all my fish disappear :thinking:
I think I may take your advice though about a pair of sharks for possible breeding.....that would really be a kick!!!

 

[krj-1168]

Well - while I've heard Horns possibly being able to stand water temps up to 80F. I would have to recommend against doing it, as this temp is about 5-6 degrees above the preferred temps for this species. At 80F - the horn's growth rate would greatly increase, it's normal life span would be shortened, and it's risk of disease would also be greatly increased. 80F is even at the upper limit for the Port Jackson's.
But there a few species of bullhead(the horn genus) sharks that can easily stand 80F. Species like the Japanese & Zebra bullheads - these are the horn sharks - more tropical cousins. the problem is both the Japanese & Zebra bullheads are extremely rare in the U.S. And both are also extremely expensive - $ 2,500-5,000 each.
At water temp of 80F - your best sharks are bamboos, eppies, and coral catsharks. This is actually a little warmer than the japanese wobbies can stand.
Also if I may ask why is your tank temp at 80F? Just wondering - because this seems a bit warmer than most aquariums I've had or seen. The general temperature for most home aquariums is between 72-78F .

 

[ams153]

woah you guys should start a new thread for this probably... your kinda stealing his thread!
lol if this sounds like im being mean im not trying to.. just though maybe you didnt notice lmao!

 

[robn]

I live in West Texas

My 2 240 gallons both run about that temp....my reef tank runs about 82 because of the halides, the fish-only is about 80 running VHO's. The ambient room temperature is about 78.
Thanks for all the info.....I would like to keep the horn shark if I had my choice.......we'll see.

 

[robn]

Sorry requiem....I'll shut up on this thread now

 

[krj-1168]

Sorry ... didn't mean to steal requiem's thread