Concerned Shark Keeper

[blacktip]

I am very concerned. I have to admit I have been away from message boards for quite sometime now and thought I would once again give them a try. To my amusement things haven't changed much. We have people giving others very poor information. I have noticed in some posts people calling other people experts and giving them way too much credit for the info or advice they give. Why would you put a 5 foot reef shark in a tank which measures 10 by 4 by 4. However this is what one expert says. Than this person also goes on to say in a later post 2 reef sharks in a 2000 gallon pond is not going to house them for life. Quick question if a pond is 12 feet long by 12 feet wide by 2 feet deep what is the gallonage of that pond? Roughly 2100 gallons. Do the math, Much more comfortabble than one reef shark in a 10 by 4 by 4???? There is also bad advice given about cat sharks. Cat sharks should NEVER be put in an aquarium with Damsels or any other agressive type fish ( angels, triggers, etc )Anyone who has kept these knows the cat shark lays mostly on the bottom and is subject to attack. The angels and damsels over the course of time have learned to attack the sharks eyes causing them to become blind.
I GUESS THE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS BE WEARY OF WHO YOUR INFO COMES FROM.
I have been in this hobby for 19 years now. I currently house 2 large reef sharks Sammy a 5 foot male and Tammy a 4 foot female. Both housed in a very large pond. Their tank mates include an 8 foot lemon shark as well as a 6 foot nurse shark. A very large school of lookdowns and a few giant groupers.I have owned the sharks since birth .....After keeping these guys for many years I still consider myself a novice. There is no such thing as an expert in this hobby. Until the sharks/fish write the books be careful and check out your " experts " carefully.

 

[rane]

Blacktip
What shark can i keep in my tank i was thinking either a banded cat or lepord shark what do u think i know that they will out grow my tank but it will take a while and by that time i plan on having a bigger tank?
thanks

 

[cadbury]

Hey Rane, I'm not a expert or anything, but I noticed you started your tank 03/26/02, is this true? Is this a brand new tank, if so did your tank even cycle yet? Just seems like you have alot in there for such a short period of time?

 

[rane]

Yes cadbury
I cycled my tank with the LR and Jumbo shrimp and LS i wated for the shrimp to disapper and then started to add the fish my water level is great and so far so good I know its been a short time but as long as my water quality stays good i guess i am safe....other people might not like the idea of me doing it so quick but as long as the fish are happy and the water quality is great then i guess its no problem

 

[cadbury]

If thats the case, well I hope it goes great! I been on this board for a little while now and evertime someone says of adding fish so soon, well, it just seems Vodoo?

 

[scott270]

what does risc say here

 

[pancho]

i agree with blacktip some people come on and answer questions or down others for thier opinions and they have no personal knowledge in the matter. so my advice to others is if you never had the problem than how can you help some one who has that problem? I have ten tanks in my house and i don't know everything seen alot go wrong and a lot go right but haven't seen everything. Don't forget we are trying to save people time and money and not be know it alls.

 

[kris]

I think the frustrating thing for most hobbiest--is that not so much when one person says one thing "for sure" --but when a number of people say different things--obviously if you've been in this hobby awhile or certainly on this board awhile--you'll know how many different OPINIONS there are. It's hard to say who's right or wrong. Because you say this one person was wrong, well he probably disagrees--but point is how is the average person to know who is and who isn't ??? And sometimes there are no other opinions at all, so the person is forced to take the only advice given, regardless of how experienced or inexperienced, right or wrong the advice may be.
And unfortunately for I'm sure alot of us--this board is one of the best resources available--aside from books (very expensive books)
I think (really hope) everyone on this board comes into it knowing full well that NO ONE here is really an "expert"--but just fellow hobbiests who will help out if they can by simply voicing their OPINIONS. And no you can't tell by their "status" how good or bad their advice is.
If you consider yourself highly experienced (we'll refrain from the term "expert") in the area of sharks, I certainly do hope you stick around and help the people (silly people imo)who would like to keep them. Someone may disagree with you here or there but that's when you enter a good debate, which can be very informative and helpful to all involved. (assuming it's debated by mature adults who can differentiate between debating and flaming)
I actually don't think sharks of any kind belong in a home aquarium, but of course that's just one more opinion in a vast ocean of others.

 

[jim27]

What "experts" are you all talking about?