Help with shark

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

Right guys. So I've got an empty tank. Just under 400g excl sump, about 450 incl.

Having done the whole sps thing it's time to go predator. Got a tunze 9430 skimmer rated for 800g. Think this should be good.

Looking at getting one type of shark. Epaulette, coral cat shark or Hasselts bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium hasseltii)

So the plan is to keep the shark with :

Blue spotted ray
Miniatus Grouper
Orange spotted Rabbitfish
Trio of convict tangs
Unicorn tang
Harlequin tusk
Oriental sweetlips

Could someone also advise the compatibility of blue throat triggers, Volitans lionfish, Quoyi Parrot fish and Snowflake eels. Oh, and an emperor angel.

Maybe I could substitute some of those in.

Thanks.

 

[Mfreddy]

I think a nice big Niger trigger would look great in there. He's always swimming.

 

[Mfreddy]

Tough to get a good pic..

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

I think a nice big Niger trigger would look great in there. He's always swimming.

Problem is shark/ray + niger trigger = blind shark/ray.

I'm hoping a blue throat trigger will be better, wonder if an expert could comment here.

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

What about mixing sharks. Hasselts and epaulette?

 

[Mfreddy]

Problem is shark/ray + niger trigger = blind shark/ray.

I'm hoping a blue throat trigger will be better, wonder if an expert could comment here.

Why is that? Sorry I'm not an expert.....

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

Why is that? Sorry I'm not an expert.....

They pick their eyes out.

 

[Mfreddy]

Did not know that. Good thing I went with an eel.

 

[LadAShark]

Did not know that. Good thing I went with an eel.

What type of eel is it?

I hate to say this, but if it's a fanged eel it is pretty likely to fight with the shark. One of them are bound to injure or even kill the other. A snowflake eel is probably the safest eel you could get, with most sharks bot being too aggressive, and the snowflake being a invert eater, they are the least likely shark/eel combo to fight.

The niger trigger can be kept with a shark (and is one of the few triggers that is not likely to pick the shark's eyes out), however, I still don't suggest keeping any triggers with sharks unless you have a large amount of experience with both.

Oriental sweetlips will probably out grow that tank, and are very unlikely to survive more than a couple months.

The Oriental Rabbitfish/Lionfish can very easily injure and kill a shark, bot due to aggression, but their venom in their spines are too risky.

Don't bother with the Hasselt's bamboo sharks, even the most experienced shark keepers struggle and often fail to keep it alive. It's pretty much a gamble, and unless you know a lot about sharks, you're very likely to lose the gamble.

Emperor angelfish are also risky, possible, but risky. They are territorial, and not very likely to appreciate being too close to the shark. While I won't rule them out like I would with tangs, lionfish, pufferfish, and most eels. However, I highly suggest you give up on the angelfish and tangs. They are very likely to pick at the sharks eyes, like the triggers, except triggers won't leave it at eyes, and are very likely to kill the shark.

With the blue spotted stingrays, I also want you to be very careful. There are two types of blue spotted stingrays, the regular blue spot, and the blue spotted ribbontail ray. Both have lower survival rates, but the latter is very unlikely to eat, and furthermore live longer than a month. Unless your LFS has one and you see it eating, don't bother getting one. (I recently saw one at my LFS, and it was eating, but I didn't have a system set up *cries*).

I'm sorry to be a dream killer, but if you're going to keep a shark, the type of fish you can keep become very limited. Many people have had success with weird combos that don't always work, and oftentimes the only way to find out what works is to try it out and lose some money and critters in the process.

If you give up on the shark (and ray) you could actually very well keep all of the other fish you listed together (minus fanged eels, they have poor eyesight and if they're hungry or irritated anything can become a victim).

Rule of thumb: no triggers, tangs, puffers, angelfish, butterflyfish, rabbitfish, cowfish, fanged eels, venomous animals, or larger predators with sharks and rays. There are exceptions, but under no circumstances should you attempt a puffer, trigger (most of them), or large fanged eel.

 

[Mfreddy]

I have a snowflake eel in with a Niger trigger, clown trigger, purple tang, emporer Angel, and a Dalmatian puffer so no shark/Ray issues. Everyone is getting along pretty well but the emporer is always in my face when I approach the tank. Apparently he gets jealous because if another fish wants to greet me he chases or nips a bit.

I didn't realize you have to be so careful when owning sharks and rays.

 

[Duke4Life]

What type of eel is it?

I hate to say this, but if it's a fanged eel it is pretty likely to fight with the shark. One of them are bound to injure or even kill the other. A snowflake eel is probably the safest eel you could get, with most sharks bot being too aggressive, and the snowflake being a invert eater, they are the least likely shark/eel combo to fight.

The niger trigger can be kept with a shark (and is one of the few triggers that is not likely to pick the shark's eyes out), however, I still don't suggest keeping any triggers with sharks unless you have a large amount of experience with both.

Oriental sweetlips will probably out grow that tank, and are very unlikely to survive more than a couple months.

The Oriental Rabbitfish/Lionfish can very easily injure and kill a shark, bot due to aggression, but their venom in their spines are too risky.

Don't bother with the Hasselt's bamboo sharks, even the most experienced shark keepers struggle and often fail to keep it alive. It's pretty much a gamble, and unless you know a lot about sharks, you're very likely to lose the gamble.

Emperor angelfish are also risky, possible, but risky. They are territorial, and not very likely to appreciate being too close to the shark. While I won't rule them out like I would with tangs, lionfish, pufferfish, and most eels. However, I highly suggest you give up on the angelfish and tangs. They are very likely to pick at the sharks eyes, like the triggers, except triggers won't leave it at eyes, and are very likely to kill the shark.

With the blue spotted stingrays, I also want you to be very careful. There are two types of blue spotted stingrays, the regular blue spot, and the blue spotted ribbontail ray. Both have lower survival rates, but the latter is very unlikely to eat, and furthermore live longer than a month. Unless your LFS has one and you see it eating, don't bother getting one. (I recently saw one at my LFS, and it was eating, but I didn't have a system set up *cries*).

I'm sorry to be a dream killer, but if you're going to keep a shark, the type of fish you can keep become very limited. Many people have had success with weird combos that don't always work, and oftentimes the only way to find out what works is to try it out and lose some money and critters in the process.

If you give up on the shark (and ray) you could actually very well keep all of the other fish you listed together (minus fanged eels, they have poor eyesight and if they're hungry or irritated anything can become a victim).

Rule of thumb: no triggers, tangs, puffers, angelfish, butterflyfish, rabbitfish, cowfish, fanged eels, venomous animals, or larger predators with sharks and rays. There are exceptions, but under no circumstances should you attempt a puffer, trigger (most of them), or large fanged eel.

Time to add the Chainlink Eel to this list Give me time and I'm going to change the way these are seen as there are big differences between a chain and snow.

 

[R€€F @DD¡ÇT]

Thanks @LadAShark. Appreciate you taking the time to reply.

 

[Oscaror]

IMO the coolest eel ever would be the Japanese dragon eel. Not sure if it would be compatible with a shark, , since the eel might be too aggressive. Definitely not compatible with any of the other fish on the list

 

[Bbaz123456]

Right guys. So I've got an empty tank. Just under 400g excl sump, about 450 incl.

Having done the whole sps thing it's time to go predator. Got a tunze 9430 skimmer rated for 800g. Think this should be good.

Looking at getting one type of shark. Epaulette, coral cat shark or Hasselts bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium hasseltii)

So the plan is to keep the shark with :

Blue spotted ray
Miniatus Grouper
Orange spotted Rabbitfish
Trio of convict tangs
Unicorn tang
Harlequin tusk
Oriental sweetlips

Could someone also advise the compatibility of blue throat triggers, Volitans lionfish, Quoyi Parrot fish and Snowflake eels. Oh, and an emperor angel.

Maybe I could substitute some of those in.

Thanks.

What are the dimensions of the tank?
Any of those should sharks should be ok, for at least a few years. I hear people all the time saying a 300 is big enough for life, but I doubt any of them have kept one for that long.
The blue throat should be ok but every fish has it's own personality and you will always have to watch them. I would stay away from the emperor and lionfish for sure with the ray. Rays are extremely "clumsy" or maybe careless is a better word. They will bump into everything! Most tangs are ok in my experience, but I am trying to remove a little prick of a hippo tang right now(usually one of the more docile tangs). He's been with my tangs and sharks for a few years and recently started picking at the rays tail. I even think the ray got lucky and stabbed him a few times but he still won't give up. The fish has had two really bad wounds that I would have thought was going to kill him but he healed. Like I said, every fish has it's own personality.

 

[Bbaz123456]

the coolest eel every would be IMO the Japanese dragon eel. Not sure if it would be compatible with a shark, , since the eel might be too aggressive. Definitely not compatible with any of the other fish on the list

IDK the temperament of these either but I'd hate to have one latch on to me!! They are one BAD looking creature

 

[Duke4Life]

IMO the coolest eel ever would be the Japanese dragon eel. Not sure if it would be compatible with a shark, , since the eel might be too aggressive. Definitely not compatible with any of the other fish on the list

This is 1 of 2 eels (other zebra) that has the ability to change its gender depending on what's around.

 

[LadAShark]

IMO the coolest eel ever would be the Japanese dragon eel. Not sure if it would be compatible with a shark, , since the eel might be too aggressive. Definitely not compatible with any of the other fish on the list

It's also worth noting that that eel alone would cost more than the entire rest of his stocking list (1000-1600 dollars probably, not including shipping). It would also likely tear the shark/ray to shreds.

 

[LadAShark]

Time to add the Chainlink Eel to this list Give me time and I'm going to change the way these are seen as there are big differences between a chain and snow.

Yes, my exception for the snowflake eel does extend to all non-fanged eels as well, which also includes the snowflake eel, I believe. Ribbon eels might even be able to do it as well. Plus, it's entirely possible you'll find an angel of a fanged eel that won't harm a thing.

 

[Oscaror]

It's also worth noting that that eel alone would cost more than the entire rest of his stocking list (1000-1600 dollars probably, not including shipping). It would also likely tear the shark/ray to shreds.

Hey, all I said was that it's the coolest

 

[LadAShark]

Hey, all I said was that it's the coolest

Lol.

I am in the process of communicating (or attempting to, since an hour after he posted it earlier today) with this guy on craiglist who has a nice pool 10' wide by 4' deep that he's giving away for free. The thing is, I don't think he's not checking his email. I hope it's not already gone.

If I got this pool, I could perhaps stock one of dem dragon eels since a 3000 gallon pool would be able to support a whitetip reef shark and the two would balance eachother out.