Shark Pond

[quakstar]

Thinking about putting an 8x12x5 shark pond in my house... Just a basic above ground pond... I want to put something like white tips or black tips in it possibly even a bamboo or so... but my question is what else could you keep in there i want to do some rays but could i keep som descent larger fish in there like large tangs, wrasses, i know triggers would be a no but some nice large fish would they go ok in there ???
plus other suggestions of things to go with the sharks is welcome

 

[limitedslip]

even at that size, the black tips and white tips would be cramped, they are free swimmers (dont rest) and grow upto about 5 feet. to be honest, I wouldnt subject those to anything less than a 4000 gallon setup or at least 20'x20'x8'. for the size you are doing, you could house bamboos, epaulettes, wobbys, or even any other bottom dwelling shark. rays is pretty much open to anything w/ that size w. the exception of a batray. If you do not care about permance, then you could get the free swimmers, and a batray, but once they get to large for it, you better make sure a local aquarium can take them...
do not add triggers, puffers, or angels with them, as most of the time, they tend to attack sharks and rays or at least pick at them. best bet fish for a shark pond is a grouper.

 

[quakstar]

yeah i was thinking about some blue spotted rays and and california rays bc they would not bother each other... It is going to be around 3800 gallons how many bamboo sharks could you possibly do in there.... I could do some nice live rock work annd have a nice shark lagoon with some metal halides rotating over top from side to side... Was thinking a 72 inch hamilton fixture with 3x 400 watt MH and VHO and with these i could do a lagoon and have some corals as well

 

[limitedslip]

that large, you could fit 4 bamboos. mine tends not to mess w/ the 1 piece of coral in my tank (moved it there because it didnt do well in reef). Be sure if u do MH, that they are positioned at least 2 feet above the water. and make sure u dont run them more than 8 hours a day, as, from experience, bamboos like minimal light, as long as you have the halides on, it will hide.

 

[limitedslip]

since you wanna do a few corals too w/ rock structures, be careful w/ the structures you build, as sharks tend to knock over rock whenever they can...make sure each piece of rock is at least 20 to 30 pounds, and make sure it cannot be knocked over.

 

[mike22cha]

For sharks, you can do any bamboo, eppie, horn, wobby, catshark, even a smoothound I think. If you're going to get a blue spotted ray, make sure it is a T. lymma and not a D. Kuhli.
For other fish, I wouldn't suggest tangs unless you got some UV sterilizers.

 

[limitedslip]

outa curiousy mike, why wouldnt u recommened a d. Khulli? and w. that size of a pond, a UV is needed

 

[krj-1168]

Yeah - an 8'x12' pond might work for a smoothhound - although it would be a tight fit given your dimensions.
Truth is the dimension of your pond are all wrong for any shark - be it benthic or swimming. Benthic species such as bamboos, Eppies & horns do better in shallower ponds. And Swimming species such as smoothhounds, and small requiems need more room.
In the case of Whitetip & Blacktip Reefs - they ultimately need at least 20,000 gallons - at least 38' long x 18' wide.

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Limitedslip
outa curiousy mike, why wouldnt u recommened a d. Khulli? and w. that size of a pond, a UV is needed

Ummm not quite sure. Got it while talkin' about that with KRJ, sooo I guess.
Point is just make sure you get the right one, otherwise you're in for some trouble. At least a dead ray that is.

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Limitedslip
outa curiousy mike, why wouldnt u recommened a d. Khulli? and w. that size of a pond, a UV is needed

Ya, just thought ablout it a minute. You're right. Sorry guys, blanked out.

 

[limitedslip]

d.khullis are hardier than T. lymma. and tend to do better in captivity, i have one, and its been eating since day one, and from talking to ppl who have had both, D.khullis dont have the spontaneous death instances that alot of T. lymma do.

 

[limitedslip]

Originally Posted by krj-1168
Yeah - an 8'x12' pond might work for a smoothhound - although it would be a tight fit given your dimensions.
Truth is the dimension of your pond are all wrong for any shark - be it benthic or swimming. Benthic species such as bamboos, Eppies & horns do better in shallower ponds. And Swimming species such as smoothhounds, and small requiems need more room.
In the case of Whitetip & Blacktip Reefs - they ultimately need at least 20,000 gallons - at least 38' long x 18' wide.
ive seen bamboos do well in 10feet deep tanks...so 5 feet isnt that bad, he is planning on intense enough lighting to penetrate that deep. ideally, 3 feet tall tank would be the best IMO though. you dont wanna have to put on ur scuba gear to clean ur tank.

 

[mike22cha]

That's awesome. Got any pics? they are an awesome fish. Saw a T. lymma at a lfs and it was awesome, just not anything I'd put money on.

 

[limitedslip]

 

[krj-1168]

d.khullis are hardier than T. lymma. and tend to do better in captivity, i have one, and its been eating since day one, and from talking to ppl who have had both, D.khullis dont have the spontaneous death instances that alot of T. lymma do.
Yeah - The Blue-spotted (Dasyatis kuhlii) is a much better choice than the Blue-spot Ribbontail (T. lymma). D. kuhlii is much hardier, and easier to keep than the T. lymma - which tend to do very poorly in captivity. Basically looking at the Blue-spotted rays remember the following - and you'll be fine. Diamond shaped disc - Good, Round disc - Bad.
BTW- Nice pic of the D. kuhlii

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Limitedslip

Very nice!

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Limitedslip

Your profile says you have a 125g. Is that and your bamboo in there? is the angel and puffer in there too?

 

[limitedslip]

thad be correct lol. no one messes w/ anyone, its like, the perfect

[hr]
setup

. I spent time to find the right personality fish and the correct size. Everything is in perfect harmony

heres the family

theres also a hammer coral on the rock in the very back, since it refuses to do well in my reef

nothing picks on it either...I guess im just lucky. im workin on a 300 gallon pond, should have it done in the next few months.

 

[mike22cha]

Originally Posted by Limitedslip
thad be correct lol. no one messes w/ anyone, its like, the perfect

[hr]
setup

. I spent time to find the right personality fish and the correct size. Everything is in perfect harmony

heres the family

theres also a hammer coral on the rock in the very back, since it refuses to do well in my reef

nothing picks on it either...I guess im just lucky. im workin on a 300 gallon pond, should have it done in the next few months.
What demisions for the pond? Sounds like you need a 500g at least for a brown banded and a blue spotted. Hey, shoot me an email charger21_sd@yahoo.com
I know a great site about sharks and rays that you might be interested it

 

[quakstar]

Yeah i am thinking something like 300 lbs of rock with nice caves but all will be very sturdy i am very good aquascaper :-D but that doesn't mean i can spell it
if anyone has some nice pictures of a shark ponds would love to see them...
I am planning on using bricks above ground with a down looking platform next too it to see down into it... with a pond liner and lots and lots of live sand...