hoges Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 when I was out at St George Aquarium a few weeks ago they had a couple of port jackson sharks in with their live coral. What is the deal with these??? Do people ever buy these for just their aquariums in their houses or are they more so bought by companies like Star City Casino for big display tanks??? They were soo interesting and I loved watching them!!! Would love one day to be able to have some!!! I'm guessing they require a salt water environment??? Anyone know how big they grow??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 Hi hoges, Port Jacksons are marine, require special care and are not easily kept in captivity. They are pretty, even though they possess a nasty spike, and grow to nearly 1.4m. merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 The sad thing is that people DO buy them for home aquariums. Often aquariums of 4' and such. It truely is sad. And I personally believe fish like that should require liscensing that can only be obtained providing you have monstrous tanks to house such a great beast. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveraddicted Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 i thought they grew over 6ft!!! 180+ cm... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benn Posted February 1, 2004 Share Posted February 1, 2004 They are amaizing fish while studying last year at the Pt lincoln Marine science Centre a SARDI reasercher was stuying Pt Jackson shark including tagging and collecting PJ sharks of all sizes and their eggs. The largest ones were around 5 ft.. at work we have two eggs on display that we are expecting to be able open at the end see into the babies in the next few weeks and hopefully around september they will emerge. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoges Posted February 1, 2004 Author Share Posted February 1, 2004 Thanks for that info!!! I doubt very much that I would ever keep one, I don't like seeing big fish that normally have the whole ocean to swim in kept in a little tank. Would love to hear more about your babies when they come out, if you could post some photos that would be fabulous!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
searlesy Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 I think it is outrageous that any LFS is allowed to keep these fish in stock. I am with Ducksta, although generally I am completely against licencing or certification of fish keepers, I agree that fish like these should not be able to be sold to someone without proof of a suitable environment, through some sort of licence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudrat Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Having just returned from a weekend of scuba diving and watching PJ's in their natural habitat, I've got to agree with the above comments that keeping these beautiful fish in such small tanks is horrendous and cruel. btw, patting them in their natural environment is magic!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoges Posted February 2, 2004 Author Share Posted February 2, 2004 Where were you scuba diving??? I would love to do a dive so close to these fellas!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudrat Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 Hi Hoges, Did a few dives around Nelson Bay. Counted 5 of em' over the weekend. Drop me an email or a PM If you would like some more info. tchensee AT dodo.com.au Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benno Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 If anyone is plannin on keeping one of these all i can say is good luck i have caught a few while fishing the biggest being at least 1.5 metres long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveraddicted Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 yeah, ive seen a few snorkelling off the coast down here, a small group of them of about 4 passed under us ranging from 3-4.5ft... a very cool peaceful fish!! just crusing around the ocean must be a hell of a good life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gutty Posted February 2, 2004 Share Posted February 2, 2004 If any of you are ever around Sutherland shire area check out Majestic Aquariums at Taren point. They have a BIG(probably 10-12ft x4ft x 3ft) tank with a few sharks in it. Pretty cool and all but i agree they really shouldn't be in tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benn Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I agree they should not be sold through shops. The home is not the place for such fish, I dont think seeing them in public aquariums is a bad thing because the are looked after alot better than most could keep in their home. Ill see if I am able to put a couple of photos up of their development inside the egg that we were given for display ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benno Posted February 3, 2004 Share Posted February 3, 2004 I believe in South aus they r protected anyways i think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benn Posted February 6, 2004 Share Posted February 6, 2004 Hi everyone, I put a few photos of the PJ shark egg developement. the baby was taken out of the shell and kept in a tiny aquarium and placed inside another aquarium until 'hatching'. And ufortunatley they are not protected in SA Benno enjoy the pics Ben I removed this link because it will be dying soon. see below posts for different link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E4G13M4N Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 I was always under they were protected in SA Benn.. Or is that only in and around the Barker Inlet area ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ant Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 I'm pretty sure they are protected down my way around Port Noarlunga. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benno Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Well where i do just about all of my fishing around the Yorke Penninsula im 99% sure that the Port Jackson shark is protected as i have seen 1 man caught by the fisheries for having half of one of the sharks in his crab net. Oh yeah Benn, those are some awesome pics mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoges Posted February 8, 2004 Author Share Posted February 8, 2004 cool thanks for the pictures they are awesome!!! Keep them coming as he/she continues - if you can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Thanks for sharing the photos...they are incredible shots . I thought that Port Jacksons were protected everywhere??? merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benn Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 I just got off the phone to Roger who is a fishwatch fisheries duty officer and there is no legislation in SA to protect PJs. In NSW thre is a protected breeding colony and other than protected marine reserves (Aldinga reef) there are no laws regarding the taking of PJs. The officer said it was one of those myths that quite alot of people believe. I have also beentold by a couple of old fellas down the warf that they are good eating. Not something I would rush out to try though. Cheers Benno, The egg sack on the little fella is amaizing I rekon. The little fellas at work are just over 16 weeks and it is great to see the little tail waving about in the shell when we put a torch behind it. I will put a couple more pics on with a pic of a cat shark egg. Cheers Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benno Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Thanx for clearin that up Ben, Whilst on holidays at Pt vincent i was invited to the local school by one of the teachers who i was fishing with and he had found a Pt jackson egg washed up on th beach and he placed it in one of the 3 four foot aquariums that they have and it actually hatched it was amazing when he peeled back a layer of the egg to reveal the baby shark. He also had an array of corals fish etc some of the creatures they had in there were truly amazing and he only had to find them in and around the jetty or wharf. Hope i didnt get too boring. Benno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Thanks for that info Ben...that explains why the bastages that were playing soccer with them on the jetty did so with such abandon They knew it wasn't an offence. Alcohol + fishing + bastage = merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E4G13M4N Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Good eating mmm i wouldnt know but then i think i would rather put them back anyway.. I can always remember the one we pulled up wrapped around the anchor, gave him a pat and sent it on its way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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