5ft long white tip reef shark at my LFS (Pic & Video)

[xenon]

There is a 5ft white tip reef shark at my local Big Al's that is in a 2000g tank. I was told the minimum tank size for a shark this large is 20,000g.

He has been in this tank for at least 3years and was only 3ft when they first got him.

It's unfortunate that a shark like this must suffer in order to pull in customers.

Click Here To Watch The Video

[fish like me]

Boycott Big Al Now!!

I saw the video, and it's sickening how the poor animal is going round and round. You can clearly see that he's cramped in there and very unhappy. This suXX. Just like eXXon.

I'm going to call this store tomorrow and register my disgust with them. You guys should do the same.

[MikeBrke]

I love the fact that he is trying to sell live rock at 11.99 lb (middle right hand side of pic)! That is crazy! When are people going to stop paying those crazy prices and let LFS's know we want it cheaper!

[Prock1]

Awesome

[Amphiprion]

That is pathetic.

[xenon]

Originally posted by fish like me
Boycott Big Al Now!!

I saw the video, and it's sickening how the poor animal is going round and round. You can clearly see that he's cramped in there and very unhappy. This suXX. Just like eXXon.

I'm going to call this store tomorrow and register my disgust with them. You guys should do the same.

There is two bigals in my city (Ottawa & Kanata, Ontario) with a shark in the exact same size tank.

[fish like me]

Originally posted by MikeBrke
I love the fact that he is trying to sell live rock at 11.99 lb (middle right hand side of pic)! That is crazy! When are people going to stop paying those crazy prices and let LFS's know we want it cheaper!

In Canadian dollars that amounts to roughly about 10 American dollars. RIP OFF!!!! BOYCOTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

maybe if he didn't charge $12/lb of live rock he wouldn't need to slowly kill that beauty for more customers.....

[drummereef]

That makes me sick.

[fish like me]

Man, this is really ****ing me off. So much so that I've already searched for their phone numbers online. Here they are if someone here wants to call these people and give them a piece of their mind.

Ottawa East - 1900 Innes Rd. Ottawa, Ont. K1B 3K5
(613) 244-3474
Ottawa West - 145 Roland Michener Dr. Kanata Ont. K2T 1G7
(613) 592-2822

If for nothing else, I am going to let them have it for the sake of my own livestock.

[xenon]

It's not just overpriced live rock.. everything in Canada is 75% more than US. You can check the http://www.bigalsonline.ca compared to the http://www.bigalsonline.com and laugh.

[zemuron114]

11.99 for VANUATU live rock is pretty good actually. My LFS gets some in and it is gorgeous rock. huge slabs and porous... It isn't the usual crap most LFS get. lol

Big Als is just like pet co in a way, but on a much larger scale. lol

The one in FL i hear is the best in the Chain and does treat everything well.

[xenon]

Originally posted by zemuron114
11.99 for VANUATU live rock is pretty good actually. My LFS gets some in and it is gorgeous rock. huge slabs and porous... It isn't the usual crap most LFS get. lol

Big Als is just like pet co in a way, but on a much larger scale. lol

The one in FL i hear is the best in the Chain and does treat everything well.

Are you smokin crack? lol

I paid $5/lb for my Hatian LR and that seems to be the going rate. $12/lb is borderline stealing.

[ACBlinky]

Ugh, I don't like seeing sharks in captivity at all, let alone such a big one in such a small (relatively speaking) tank. That's one thing I find really distasteful about the Big Al's chain -- their shark tanks.

I do shop at BA's on occasion because they have things I can't find elsewhere, and I've bought LR from them -- Fiji usually costs about $5.50-$6.99 CD, others cost anywhere up to the $12 you see above, which is usually for really premium rock (at least at the location where I shop). The more you buy, the cheaper it is -- if you buy over 30lbs it's usually a few dollars less per pound. If you're there at the right time you can get some very nice rock -- the last few pieces of Fiji I purchased had zoas, macro, little snails and worms and a tiny crab that looks like a mithrax (he's in the 'fuge until I can be sure he's safe). They're happy to let you cherry pick from new shipments, and have HUGE rock bins, so it's not all bad.

[mk2flip]

Seemingly great prices on aquaria and supplies pales in comparison to the fact that beautiful animals have to suffer to draw business.

[Reet15]

Thats so sad. Things people won't hurt for that almighty dollar!

[mikeadams1985]

thats wrong!!! how unfair on that shark


also LR over here in the UK, cheapest ive found is 8GBP a kg which is like what...14dollars?

[Aquaman]

Not a good tank for the shark, but it would make one heck of a reef tank.

[waif]

Originally posted by xenon
There is two bigals in my city (Ottawa & Kanata, Ontario) with a shark in the exact same size tank.

The Big Als in Edmonton, Alberta has a shark as well, in with a bunch of other fish. Its a gimmick they promote (at least used to) with their "Shark Feeding days" a lot of people think it is quite neat, those more informed look on with horror then seem to keep buying there. I for one do not shop there, nor have I ever.

[waverider17]

my first post on RC (lurking for a while and learning a lot thanks guys and gals) I am horrified at this! Yes I can see the attracation for those who know no better "ooh mommy look its jaws!!" But cruel is not a strong enough word for it. If this was happening in the Uk the RSPCA would close the shop down. what I find unbeliveable is that this is happening in more than one shop a bloody chain of them!!!! Boycott big als definately and complain complain complain. THIS IS CRUEL/SAD UNFORGIVABLE PERIOD!
well done xenon for bringing this to everyones attention.
Rick

[emerald chondro]

wow one of our local Lfs has the same shark but in a 15,000+ gallon tank......and i thought he had it reall bad

But this is an atrocity

BOYcott Big Al

[JokerGirl]

Originally posted by MikeBrke
I love the fact that he is trying to sell live rock at 11.99 lb (middle right hand side of pic)! That is crazy! When are people going to stop paying those crazy prices and let LFS's know we want it cheaper!

That's Canadian dollars Mike.

[Rosseau]

At ~.86 cents on the dollar, that is still about $10.30

The Oakville, Ontario location has a 5,000 gal with 2 of those sharks in it. It seems a little more humane. I believe it is/was hailed as the crown jewel for Big Al's stores, at least when it opened.

http://bigalscanada.com/images/store...04/pic24lg.jpg

[jacmyoung]

Looked like a well maintained LFS to me. I have seen sharks in smaller tanks in many stores live as long as the stores last. The fact he has grown two feet in the last three years tells me he was treated well. If that is what it takes to support a good reef store stay in business...

I started off being critical of people keeping fish in smaller settings than we believe proper, has since changed my atittude. There are more and more evidence that if you feed fish properly some rules can be broken. What is unacceptable is not spending time and effort to keep the LFS in top condition and you begin to see livestock getting sick all the time and dead fish floating around.

[reefshadow]

Don't get me wrong, it is very unfortunate, but i've seen worse. At least it can turn around.

I think it's hard to judge w/o knowing the story, maybe they were kind enough to take this animal off an owner that was in even less of a position to take care of it. Hard to get public aquariums to take animals like this.

Lol, maybe i'm an optimist.

Hopefully they are trying to find better placement for this animal.