Columbian Sharks

[didz04]

Hi

Can someone answer this please, at what size until a columbian shark will need to be in full marine from brackish or can they stay in brackish all their life? I have read that they breed in tropical freshwater and so would it be a bad idea to put them back to tropical water? Also what salinity does it need to be to make it full marine?

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

Colombian shark catfish can be transferred to marine conditions at almost any age. Certainly, the specimens on sale in pet stores 8-10 cm long can be transferred to marine conditions.

Yes, you can keep them in middling brackish water (SG 1.008 upwards) throughout their entire lives. While they enjoy marine conditions, it isn't essential. On the other hand, in freshwater conditions they tend to be nervous and prone to infections.

I would remind you that keeping "a" Colombian shark isn't a good idea. They are intensely social animals, and should be kept in groups of three or more. Since aquarium specimens get to about 20 cm long, they will require a fairly large aquarium. There's more on my FAQ and in my book.

Cheers, Neale

Can someone answer this please, at what size until a columbian shark will need to be in full marine from brackish or can they stay in brackish all their life? I have read that they breed in tropical freshwater and so would it be a bad idea to put them back to tropical water? Also what salinity does it need to be to make it full marine?

 

[didz04]

Whats their minimum tank requirements in litres and what size tank is recommended?

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

I'd be looking at more than 300 litres for adults, and I'd not keep even juveniles in much less than 200 litres. Colombian sharks grow VERY quickly, and will get to 20 cm within the first year, and perhaps a bit more over the next couple of years.

I wrote an article about them for Conscientious Aquarist that you might find helpful, here.

Cheers, Neale

Whats their minimum tank requirements in litres and what size tank is recommended?

 

[didz04]

I will have a good look through that article but skimmed through it quickly and found the venom part lol do they even have them inside as juvenilles? I will be a lot more careful now hearing that lol.
Hopefully I am getting a 680lt fish tank but since they haven't got a cabinet to give with the tank since they are using it, I am looking for one before I can pickup the tank. How many would I be able stock in groups and what other fish will be suitable?

Also what type of environment do they like as in e.g. a more rocky environment or a planted setup?

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

How many would I be able stock in groups and what other fish will be suitable?

Keep 3-4 specimens if you want space for other types of fish. They mix with almost anything too large to swallow: monos, scats, various cichlids, giant sailfin mollies, morays, etc. If kept in marine conditions they can be kept with damsels, tangs, angelfish, etc. The things to avoid are bite-sized tankmates (guppies for example) and anything nippy (such as puffers).

Also what type of environment do they like as in e.g. a more rocky environment or a planted setup?

They come from estuaries, so open sandy areas are favoured. Use rocks and bogwood by all means, but place them around the edges as boundaries rather than obstacles in the middle of the tank. In marine tanks they're fine with live rock and most sessile invertebrates, but crustaceans will be eaten.

Cheers, Neale

 

[didz04]

Thanks for the very quick response and depth of inforomation, will look through your article and tell you what my stocking plan is.

Thanks greatly appreciated

 

[nmonks]

Happy to help. Cheers, Neale

Thanks greatly appreciated

 

[didz04]

Hi Neale would I be able to keep bamboo sharks with columbian sharks in full marine conditions, I was just looking on youtube at columbian shark and bamboo shark came up to and I know my lfs stock them in often. Also ofcourse the sharks being around the same size, never seen a juvenille bamboo shark but would be really nice to start small on both species if they are compatible. Would they both fight with each other?
What other salt water sharks are compatible with each other including with the columbian shark?

Thanks

 

[nmonks]

Colombian sharks are catfish, so let us not get carried away here!

Provided Colombian shark catfish are kept in a group of three or more specimens, they tend to ignore everything else in the tank. They aren't in the least aggressive or territorial. On the other hand, they are greedy feeders, and three specimens will get through a lot of food. That's not a problem with most other fish, but sharks are hugely sensitive to poor water quality issues, and difficult to keep alive even on their own. So my advice -- and I'm sure that of experienced shark-keepers -- would be to maintain the sharks on their own, and leave other fish, including catfish, in another aquarium where water quality problems can be more easily managed.

As with stingrays, any ideas of "starting small" with sharks (as opposed to catfish) is a very, VERY bad idea. It's crucial you buy the biggest aquarium you can, right from the start. Expecting to start small and upgrade the aquarium as required is invariably more expensive as well as hazardous to the shark -- how can you tell when it's it time to upgrade?

Cheers, Neale

Hi Neale would I be able to keep bamboo sharks with columbian sharks in full marine conditions, I was just looking on youtube at columbian shark and bamboo shark came up to and I know my lfs stock them in often. Also ofcourse the sharks being around the same size, never seen a juvenille bamboo shark but would be really nice to start small on both species if they are compatible. Would they both fight with each other?
What other salt water sharks are compatible with each other including with the columbian shark?

Thanks