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Old 12/13/2006, 05:48 AM
krj-1168 krj-1168 is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Jacksonville, NC
Posts: 264
As to - if you need a chiller with Horns - well it depends on if you have a heater or not.

The Horn shark is just one reason - I recommend that before you get any shark - research it.

I don't mean just what's written in one book or website. Look for info based on wild reports. This will tell you the species preferences and tolerances.

Most people believe that Horn are strictly cool water sharks (requiring temps 70F or lower) - just because it says so in "Aquarium Sharks and Rays". Even Scott Micheal in his 1990 2 part article for Tropical Fish Magazine of sharks & rays for home aquariums stated that Horn Sharks (Heterodontus francisci) prefers water temps between 65-75F.

Horns are actually considered warm temperate - to sub-tropical sharks. Unlike most sharks - horns often spend their entire lives in one general area(with a few miles). The horn sharks near the southern tip of Baja California can even tolerate summer time water temps in the 82 - 84F range.

Wild reports on the Horn shark states that they prefer waters above 70F.

Still if the tank is in a climate controlled area like your house - then you may not need a heater or chiller.

But if you do get a heater - then a chiller may be good to have to prevent the tank's temperature from ever going above 82F(in case of a problem with the heater) . But you don't need set it at 70F either. I know of several people who have kept Horns successfully in tanks that were in the 72-78F range. In fact that's the general range most horn keepers use.