Shark tank substrate--bare or fine sand?!?!?

[REEFIN RIOS]

At school in Aquatic Science we are setting up 12 tanks for different projects.
One of them is to study a cat shark egg from hatching in a 55 gallon........ I know, I know.
My question is should we consider sand and rocks in there or just leave it bare bottom?
When the study is over in a few months we would like to find a home for the shark as the 55 gallon will be way to small, how go about finding him a good permanent home?
Or do you guys think this whole Cat Shark egg thing is a bad idea?

Thank y'all in advance!
Lucas
happy reefing!"


@Diesel

 

[Diesel]

If you ask me you should be fine as long it's just the shark egg in the tank.
We all know how the Shark Police thinks of this.
Great project btw.
How you go by filtering this?
Also did you checked on your schools AC as many schools will turn it off for the weekend.

Maybe there are a few here who already have experience with this shark egg thingie.
If so I think the OP would like some input.

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

We are using giant hobs and hob skimmers! And big water changes.

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

One thing is feeding when we have off like the breaks and all. My teacher is going to train one of the other science teachers to feed and top off the tanks!

 

[Tahoe61]

Fine grain substrate would be my recommendation.

Note that it will be difficult if not impossible to place the cat sharks after they hatch and the novelty wears off, so you have to weigh if the concept of the the experiment versus the quality of life for those specimens used in the experiment.

 

[Diesel]

One thing is feeding when we have off like the breaks and all. My teacher is going to train one of the other science teachers to feed and top off the tanks!

You can use glass covers for less evaporation during the breaks.

 

[Fishmanz]

Fine grain substrate would be my recommendation.

Note that it will be difficult if not impossible to place the cat sharks after they hatch and the novelty wears off, so you have to weigh if the concept of the the experiment versus the quality of life for those specimens used in the experiment.

If it's a true coral cat shark, Atelomycterus, it will be pretty easy to place, I would even love to get one as they stay fairly small

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

Ok cool diesel I think she got lids. Idk I'll double check.

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

If it's a true coral cat shark, Atelomycterus, it will be pretty easy to place, I would even love to get one as they stay fairly small

Well when it gets to big for the 55 and you have a tank to support it you can have it I would say that will be up to my teacher. But I don't know how to ship a skark. But i think if some one here in Texas at least would give it a great forever home would be optimal!

 

[Tahoe61]

I raised 3 cat sharks in California and they are not easy to place appropriately. No aquarium will want them and very few fish stores. They are in constant movement, they are initially a little difficult to feed. Most reefers know they are not appropriate for you average reef tank.
IMO there are a lot of other more appropriate SW experiments then to encourage the market for cat sharks, the vast majority perish.
With so many commonly available specimens there is no shortage of interesting animals to house and study.

 

[Diesel]

So tell us a bit more about this project at your school.
You mentioned 12 tanks, what sizes and what is the game plan for fish and corals?

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

Ok. So yes 12 tanks. 2 qt tanks and a shark tank, a few will be reef tanks, maybe a octopus tank, anemone tank, an invert tank, and maybe a fowlr tank with a few eels!
Basicly she is going to teach the class husbandry on saltwater fish tanks! We will be testing water, feeding, doing water changes, and learning about specific animals like sharks, fish, corals, and inverts! And learning all about the ocean and stuff!

 

[Tahoe61]

Some alternative ideas:

1. Octopus in a secured system, life span about a year, very interactive and easy to feed.
2. Clowns and Anemones, always a hit and easily rehomed, fairly easy to feed and tolerate swings in water chemistry.
3. Mantis shrimp, who does not love a Thumb Buster, highly intelligent and fascinating.

Love that you are exposing fellow students to the world of saltwater. Having managed a smaller public aquarium I know the challenges of keeping some of the more exotic specimens. Sharks are really not an ideal candidate.

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

O and they are all 55 gallons and she is trying to gets 150 to propperly house the sharks but won't be for a few years.

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

Yes I agree but my teacher is marine biologist and studied sharks she is only a teacher to help pay for her phd I think. And she worked at moody gardens for a long time! So I think she is pretty qualified to keep these sharks. And plus with my skills that I have of keeping fish already.

 

[REEFIN RIOS]

My goal this year is to get my fellow class mates into our amzaing hobby!