Sharks and Rays in Aquariums Gaining an understanding of how to keep these fishes in captive saltwater systems    New Print and eBook on Amazon   by Robert (Bob) Fenner

Grey Nurse Sharks in Transit  2/19/09 Hi Guys, <John> Love your web site. It has helped me understand sharks a lot but unfortunately not answered my specific query. I am an Insurance Underwriter and one of our customers has asked me to insure 10 Gray Nurse Sharks in transit from a major aquarium in Dusan, Dubai (one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world)to their reciprocal aquarium in Shanghai. The transit will be via Air cargo - via direct flight and the sharks transported in Tubs 2m in diameter - each with pumps to keep the water circulating and aerated etc. There will be 3 sharks to a Tub. <Mmm> They are quite young. <How large? Under five feet, 1.5 meter overall I trust> The flight should be approx 10 hours. My question is, how well do Grey Nurse Sharks travel? <I have been part of moving many sharks... but not this species myself. Though called a "nurse"; this is a Requiem Shark family member: Most often known as the Sand Tiger Shark (in the US and UK), Carcharias taurus... And though it looks very scary indeed, it is known to generally ship very well> I understand from my research that they may get stressed. Is it likely that this stress will be life threatening? <Not if conditioned (practiced in being handled), young/er, and properly, expediently processed... Will these animals be anesthetized in any way? I take it they will be constantly attended> I would appreciate any insight you can provide. Many thank John Martin Underwriter <Oh! I see you're located in Brisbane... you could contact folks down Sydney way re this species... collection, holding, shipping. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Re: Grey Nurse Sharks in Transit   2/20/09 Hi Bob, <John> Thanks for your prompt reply. <Welcome> My understanding is that these are juvenile sharks from their breeding program so we are talking small sharks - hence the 3 to a tub. <I see> They won't be anesthetized. <Ok> The client is (I believe) very experienced in handling and moving marine animals etc. <Very good> I will have a chat with the guys in Sydney also. Thank you very much for your assistance. It is very much appreciated Cheers John Martin <Glad to assist you... My "title" now-a-years is various "consultancy"... But years back I did a good deal of (mainly necropsy) work with institution-kept sharks. Have collected, moved, treated them... This species, as previously stated, is quite sturdy... and "calm", particularly for a Carcharhinid... How to put this... all else being looked after, I give the move very good odds of being successful. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Moving Bamboo Shark 8/13/05 Hi, Hope the WWM crew is well.   I have a 2 1/2 foot Brownbanded Bamboo Shark in a 240 gallon tank.  We are in the process of building a sump on the tank, and I will have to move him out of the tank for a few days.  I am wondering the best way to move him?  I am afraid if I net him, he will be injured. <Yes... very likely> He is obviously a good size fish and I do not want to take ANY chances injuring him while moving him.  Please advise me the best way to move a strong fish of this size without hurting him. Most Grateful Shark Obsessed, Jen Marshall <I would (carefully, and with help from strong individuals), dip in a square-bottomed, 4 mil (get this/these from the fish store), "fish bag", after removing all decor, lowering the water level about half... and slowly drive the fish down to the end of the tank, open the end of the bag a bit more, and scoop the shark into it... after the likely bit of splashing, thrashing about, place another bag, under, over the first one and (without straining your back), lift the shark, water, bags out... Bob Fenner>

-Releasing a leopard shark off the coast of florida: yay or NAY?- Bob, <Kevin here tonight> Thanks for all of your information. First I would like to say I can't believe that people are even allowed to sell/buy sharks to people without a certain type of license. <Troubling indeed, and I'm sure the vast majority receive inappropriate husbandry (namely too small and poorly shaped aquariums) only to die shortly or lead agonizing lives.> I live on the water in St Pete Beach Florida. I have sandy bottom 240 gallon tank with nothing in it but a lion fish. I want to put a Leopard Shark in it. My dimension are 96X24X24. How big can I keep him till? And when he gets to big can I let him go off my dock? <NOOOOOOO! First off, NEVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES release a fish from your aquarium into the ocean! Have you heard about the problems with lionfish showing up in the Caribbean lately? Firstly, its a very bad idea to introduce non-native species into the ocean because they may end up upsetting the ecological balance. It only takes 2 to tango, and if someone else got the idea to let their leopard shark go off Florida, they just might meet up. Additionally, who knows what diseases and parasites from the pacific are hanging out in and around this shark? Like people, fish can carry many different diseases w/out being effected by them, the last thing you want to do is introduce these pathogens into an ocean of fish that don't carry the same immunity.> What are his chances of survival? <I'd say about the same in the ocean as in your tank since this is not a fish from tropical waters. Leopard sharks are caught near Cali in cooler water, water too cool for your lion to handle. Forcing the shark to tough out tropical waters will severely shorten its lifespan.> I also want to put some live rock in a corner with some corals and some different tropical fish and a snowflake eel. would that be possible? <That would depend on your lighting and filtration setup, but live rock is always welcome. Enjoy and PLEASE don't let anything go into the ocean! :) -Kevin>  Thanks, Michael

California Shark Dreaming Hi again!  I'm still going after my crazed 900+220=shark tank + tidepool/bait tank.  Due to its size, it would have to be outside, and in SoCal, during summer I don't think I could get the tank below 70, even if I bypassed a chiller to servicing only the main tank on its own separate loop, disconnected from the filter system. <Could be done... with adequate chilling, insulation... but expensive> This filter setup goes overflow-floss/pad-carbon-skimmers (built from premade skimmer powerheads to avoid airstones with 3' tubes) - fluidized bed filter-wet dry (to reoxygenate) - refugium-chiller-shark[s].  I was thinking of having a rotating box where the output from the wet-dry would fill it up until it dumped its water into the tidepool, where it would be slowly sucked away by the chillers and back into the tank.  is this feasible? <Yes... a few design possibilities here... surge systems, spill-over cammed buckets... but I wouldn't do this. Not enough to be gained for the trouble, added gear, exposure> I am hoping it will simulate waves better, and make the tidepool animals more comfortable.   <Our defunct businesses designed, fabricated and installed such systems... mainly for public aquariums and zoos... not hard to do, but require careful planning, upkeep>      in the main tank for substrate I am hoping to have mostly beach sand (NOT silica) with some refugium mud and rocks at one for a small macro algae forest, also a large cave for the shark[s] to hide in, or maybe the removable-panel idea from the archives.  in the tidepool, a few large rock slabs as the main substrate, with lots of rock and large gravel in the rest to best simulate the tidepool substrate.  I am looking at 1-2 H. francisci, with something to stir the sand, any recommendations on what to stir with or sand bed depth would be appreciated. another option in 2 swell and a guitarfish or stingray. <The Heterodontus will keep the upper substrate moved around themselves> would either of these be sufficient for stirring the sand with the 2 horns, or is the bioload too much? <I would start with the Horned Sharks, test the water for accumulating metabolites and add other livestock in a few months> (I'm worried about the crowding, the FBF is going to be enough for 1500 with only 1150 to filter (the extra 30 from all the chillers, piping, skimmers, etc.)  in the 220, I'm wide open: nudibranchs, cucumbers, anemones, octopi, crabs, snails, I know that I really want a small school of Catalina gobies, they are just too cool! what are the regulations on Garibaldi? <Can't be collected from the U.S. coast, but of all things... can be from Baja... and are... and sold in foreign countries. Have your dealer contact the L.A. wholesalers (likely Quality Marine) and ask re their purchase> is it illegal to keep them?  do you know any legal places to collect (lightly, over a period of 8-10 months) from tidepools?  also, what can I keep as a janitorial crew with the sharks?  I figure I would lose crabs, snails, small lobster, etc. quickly.  would I just be in for a lot of manual labor? <The last> also, I would be going to college, possibly as far away as Maryland (presently) a couple years after setup of the tank, right now my #1 choice is Humboldt state, in Arcata, CA. <A very fine school, esp. for fisheries.>   They have a private aquarium area with a large amount of tanks, so I'm hoping I can overnight the sharks with a battery air pump running a skimmer (about 5) if not, how can I accomplish the 8+ hour transport? <Can be shipped in large Styrofoam boxes in a large truck... with airstones, or if sharks are large (a few feet in length) with 12V fluid-moving pumps... (or if very large sharks with them anesthetized and these pumps recirculating water through their mouths...> I am terribly afraid of temperature stress.  I also had problems deciphering the transporting sharks section of the site, any help would be appreciated.  Right now I am thinking of using one of the transformers that turn a car outlet into 110v AC to power a chiller, air pump, and maybe the FBF. <Not worth trying to run the/a chiller in transit... you can float containers with ice/cubes if there is very warm weather>   is current required for transporting large (for aquarium sharks at least) 3'-5' sharks?  also, depending on location, the tank may need to be 8x5x3 instead of 10x4x3 LxWxH  which would you say is preferable? <Either will do for Horn Sharks... Anthony's Brother in law has some in an eight by system... in Pittsburgh!> recommendations for supplements needed, water movement, pump styles/names, brands, etc. would be greatly appreciated.  For the water coming out of the tidepool, a "wavemaker" <Not necessary. Can run unidirectionally, fine> which turns the powerheads 3 min on, 3 min off would take it out, with either a regular waterfall or the swinging box putting it in, so the water level would go up and down, hopefully simulating the waves as best I can. also, what should the stand be made of? <Either four bys tied together with carriage bolts (for ease of disassembly) and braced in all dimensions, or welded steel, powder-coated...> I am DIY most of the project, and I can't make a steel stand overlaid with wood, which I just learned after reading the site.  can you get me in contact with the guy who has the H. francisci in the 800? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/coldshkfaqs.htm fourth and fifth questions from the bottom. <Will cc Anthony here>   I would like to learn the specs of his setup, and what kind of plant he has in his "forest" as well as his maintenance routine, and where he obtained the shark. Sorry for the essay of Q's! Robert <No worries. DO your homework as thoroughly as you have time, patience for. Bob Fenner>

Re: Chiloscyllium plagiosum WWW Crew: Great News. After over a year, a LFS in the Philadelphia area is able to purchase 2 White spotted Bamboo sharks around 18-24" 1-male, 1-female from a dealer. My question to you is should I allow the store to keep them in a 100 gal tank for a few days/weeks, or bring them home immediately? The tank they would be in @ the LFS is one that has filtration running approx. 50 tanks (potential for disease, parasites, etc). I guess the question is should I have them get acclimated in the LFS then do it again @ home in two 40 gal quarantine tubs for 8 weeks prior going into my 300 gallon tank that currently has a Blue Line Snapper (Lutjanus quinquelineatus) or get them in my q-tanks ASAP. <I would leave then at the LFS for just a week... about all the good anytime there will do (if they're going to die from residual trauma)... then home to quarantine for another week. Secure the cover on the Q tank!> Regarding the Q-tank should I just take a wait and see approach or could you recommend non copper meds for the sharks? <No copper or other chemical treatment> Your reply is most appreciated. I want to do anything in my power to ensure these Elasmobranchs get a good start. -Pat <Me too. Bob Fenner> Patrick Hynes

Tests (note, make up, place in new unlinked shark page, place current data, wait for update) Dear Bob: I have your e-mail from the website on ORP. I thought these tests would interest you. <Thank you for sending along. Okay to post on WetWebMedia.com for others use? Bob Fenner> Kind regards, JOHN VISSER (Owner) Shark Aquarium P O Box 642 Jeffrey's Bay 6330 South Africa Tel: +27 42 2934299 Fax: +27 42 2934309 Mobile: +27 82 411 7709

Sharks and Rays in Aquariums Gaining an understanding of how to keep these fishes in captive saltwater systems    New Print and eBook on Amazon   by Robert (Bob) Fenner