With more than 1000 + species, sharks have outlived the Jurassic period and are an apex predator of oceans.
Many people who including mostly hobbyists, often want to keep sharks as their pets.
However, one may not see them in this position that often because of the high cost and maintenance, which is not worth it for many.
Lastly, before you are still keen on keeping the apex predators of oceans as pets, do not rush.
How Big Will a Shark, Grow in a Fish Tank?
Eight inches!
A shark can also outgrow the surroundings if you are not giving it a proper tank, and it will die or remain stunted if the tank is small.
PS – You must look for such a size of the tank that is fit once the shark becomes mature as well.
Pre-check list of keeping shark as a pet:
Firstly, we need to understand the process from the beginning so that one can plan.
- Sharks often sell as catfish first at those specific pet centers, and these are freshwater sharks.
- Keeping real sharks as pets is also becoming popular as more persons have affordability and budgets.
- Researching for a shark is important as you can put yourself in legal trouble later.
PS – Also, understand the shark’s success rate in captivity, or you might leave it stunted.
Factors that affect the shark’s growth:
Physical, chemical, and biological factors must be considered before buying anything.
- Sharks’ growth often gets stunted due to their toxic accumulation, and even water filters do not filter them off properly.
- They need nitrates level below 25 at any cost, or they will stunt soon.
- Pheromones are hormones of sharks, and in their ocean habitat, they often release them to mate, which is not possible here.
- So, changing the water regularly is key to their growth.
- Ammonia can also build up very quickly because sharks give off ammonia via their bodies.
- Ammonia build-up can cause damage to the gill and membranes of sharks.
- Diet is an important part as they are apex predators and have no interest in random fish food, so research is a must.
- Water quality should be top-notch, so you must ask the local store for technical details.
- Lastly, water chemistry and genetics also play a role, so do not keep it in a stressful environment and maintain the ph.
Shark growth and right size of a tank:
Sharks, like any other organism, keep growing throughout their life history.
They get nutrients that help them to grow fast.
- Sharks can reach up to four to five meters in the ocean, while some do not.
- Great white sharks can easily outgrow in captivation and cause problems.
- Their roaming speeds are also swift, and they can injure them in the aquarium’s limited space.
- Their electroreception system also gets fumbled due to glass so take care.
PS – It is important to research properly beforehand, or you can harm the sharks, which is not appropriate.
Some other questions,
Related Questions and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Q1.) Can a shark outgrow its tank?
Answer: No!
They are going to stick to the tank’s dimensions only, and very unlikely that they will go as big as in the ocean.
If you want to grow fish in the aquarium, just follow a rule of thumb that each fish should get an inch of space for every gallon of water to not make them fight for limited resources.
Q2.) How big can a shark reach in its tank?
Answer: It depends!
Some have reported sharks growing to a gigantic eight inches in size, which is not that big but still looks big enough.
And remember that do not listen to myths; a shark is never going to outgrow its environment or you.
It is like us that we do not grow when having more small-minded people around us.
Q3.) Can we grow a shark in the living small fish aquarium?
Answer: Yes.
They will reach as big as the tank size and die before reaching maturity.
Also, due to the unsuitable chemical balance of water, they can die.
One shark died due to insufficient water space as well, so be sure to take care of everything.
Q4.) Are their real sharks in the aquarium?
Answer: Yes! But quite rare as this can only be a work of extreme hobbyist.
Other than that, we can keep the freshwater aquarium sharks in the tank of freshwater.
Lastly, these fish have the name of shark only because their appearance is quite identical.
However, they are not real sharks for sure.
Q5.) Does the fish tank size determine the length of fish growing there as well?
Answer: No!
It is more a myth than the fact that a bigger tank means a bigger fish size. We do not want too small a tank where they suffocate.
So, ideally, go for the thirty- or forty-gallon tanks, and one can see the fish easily expands up.
Q6.) Does the size of the aquarium affect the Pisces growth?
Answer: Not much!
As per a rule of thumb, if you are going to put a fish that cannot grow to its full size without feeling suffocated, it should not be put into such a tank.
Q7.) Which is the smallest shark in the world?
Answer: Lantern Shark is smaller. It barely fits the human hand.
Due to it and its rarity, one does not observe it that easily.
One may have observed it only once or twice across South America at lateral depths of 266m.
Q8.) How big can the shark reach?
Answer: twenty feet long easily.
However, not all reach this, and the average females reach no more than 15 to 16 feet.
Q9.) Where can we buy the pet shark?
Answer: Not easy as there are very rare places where one can find the shark as a pet.
This should not discourage you as shark supply and fresh marine is two good brands where anyone can buy the same.
SFS is another brand that regularly lists local and international dealers.
However, as a beginner, you might want to stick with SS and FM only.
Q10.) Could sharks thrive underwater?
Answer: Yes, but rarely!
Most sharks must retain the salt in their bodies because without it, their cells will simply rupture, and they will die.
Due to this reason, very few sharks enter freshwater as their salt level can dilute, soon raising many problems.
Q11.) Is it costly to own a shark?
Answer: $15,000 to $1M can be the cost of a special shark tank only.
It is more of a luxury or a hobby to pet them because they need lots of care and cost increases.
Q12.) What other fishes can you add with sharks?
Answer: One should put the only active type of fishes that go well with shark-like silver dollars and tinfoil.
Or go for a cichlid of medium sizing, large loaches, and similar.
This way, the entrance will be patrolled by them, and you do not need to worry about any invasion.
Q13.) What is the smallest shark fit for an aquarium?
Answer: Dwarf Shark!
The reason is that they are only 20 cm at their proper length, and as a comparison, the giant white shark reaches up to 1500 cm!
Moreover, sharks are saltwater species.
Only some of them exist in freshwater.
Q14.) Why do sharks not grow easily in fish tanks?
Answer: To collectivize, there are two major reasons for this.
- One needs lots of resources in an aquarium which also costs a lot and asks for rigid maintenance rules.
- Lastly, they can die outside their ocean habitat even if a keeper follows all protocols.
Q15.) Can the fish adapt to its tank size?
Answer: Yes!
This is more of a general belief than any real, and this is because the major reason for fish not reaching their full size is their growth gets stunted.
Q16.) Can a fish cease its growth if one puts them in a small tank?
Answer: No!
They pay for their toxic accumulation and similar factors, and their growth stunts due to this.
Lastly, a poor environment which cares for them the least is also one reason.
The filter one uses in the aquarium is not very great for the removal of those toxins and hormones.
Q17.) Who are the most aggressive shark species?
Answer: Bull sharks!
They are the most dangerous among the sharks and have attacked sixty-nine times humans without any reason, aka unprovocative attack.
So, remaining far from these predators will be the best bet for you.
Final Verdict:
The majestic apex predators of sharks have fascinated everybody for a long time.
They are of prime importance to the marine ecosystem’s balance, and unfortunately, they are facing lots of hardships from humans.
Some enthusiasts and hobbyists also work on the same principle and pet them without doing proper research and hamper their growth forever.
One of the most common reasons is their toxic biological accumulation in their fish tank, where they can die with time.
A great white shark can look like a favorite option for your tank, but it can be a mistake due to its genetics and biology.
They have evolved themselves for swift movement and can harm themselves in congested spaces.
Diet is crucial for any shark if it needs to grow and fight pathogens, so make sure you offer them their natural food only.
The shark can easily outgrow the tank if it is not of its size, so proper research is paramount here.
We do not want to harm them and cause discomfort in any way.
Thanks For Reading!