epaulette shark tank mates...2 down already

jjj1100 · #1 01/01/2008, 12:26 PM

Ok i have a 180, and now i have an epaulette shark in there by himself after he ate the sand sifting gobie and radiant wrasse. The shark is not even 12 inches, and I thought therre was noooo way it was going to happen...i feel terrible.

For future stocking, i was thinking a clown trigger, picaso trigger, large angel of some kind, harlquin tusk, a larger puffer, a naso tang and maybe an antenatta lion fish.

I know these fish all get big, and I will buy them around 4 inches or so, and not let them grow out past 10 inches or there abouts. but would that list be ok with the epaulette.

Kreeger1 · #2 01/01/2008, 12:29 PM

180 is to small for that shark IMO

mwood · #3 01/01/2008, 01:44 PM

I thought I read tangs pick at some shark's eyes.

Kreeger1 · #4 01/01/2008, 01:46 PM

I heard that too

reefergeorge · #5 01/01/2008, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mwood
I thought I read tangs pick at some shark's eyes.

And angels.

jjj1100 · #6 01/01/2008, 02:26 PM

so would you recommend no tang, and no angel with the shark...im not going to keep it in the 180 for ever as I know the grow pretty fast...he is around 10=12 inches now and has plenty of room

TheSaltwaterGuy · #7 01/01/2008, 02:27 PM

Not all tangs pick at the eyes. The main "eye-pickers" are Triggers, Puffers, Large Angels and some wrasse, most of which were given on his list.

From that list, you'd be ok with the Naso Tang, the Harlequin Tusk, and possibly the Lion.

FishyMel · #8 01/01/2008, 03:54 PM

You know all the "eye pickers" are just general guidances, I can tell you of many people who keep Triggers, Puffers, and Large Angels with sharks with success, there are even people on this forum with them. But me personally wouldn't risk it, especially when dealing with a $400 animal. I would go for the lion, tusk, and naso and call it done. You don't want to over do your bioload.
Eppies are my favorite shark.

TheSaltwaterGuy · #9 01/01/2008, 05:36 PM

I also forgot to mention Butterflies.

jjj1100 · #10 01/01/2008, 07:52 PM

so maybe one or two nice big butterflies, one lion, one puffer, and the tusk?

sounds like it would be a good tank

limitedslip · #11 01/01/2008, 07:59 PM

Parrotfish are great tankmates too...for some reason, they are always overlooked. Try a princess.

krj-1168 · #12 01/01/2008, 08:02 PM

Quote:

You know all the "eye pickers" are just general guidances, I can tell you of many people who keep Triggers, Puffers, and Large Angels with sharks with success, there are even people on this forum with them. But me personally wouldn't risk it, especially when dealing with a $400 animal. I would go for the lion, tusk, and naso and call it done. You don't want to over do your bioload.

Ummm. Not really. People that have kept Large Angels, Puffers & Triggers with "success" - have either been incredible Lucky or have kept them with more active & aggressive sharks - such as Nurses, Smoothhounds or Requiems sharks.

For the most part all these fish are "bad" for shark tank because they tend to pick on the shark - possible to point of death. Also butterflies, & Lion fish are equally bad choices.

The best choices of tank mates for small benthic sharks like the Eppie - is generally small moray Eels (like the Snowflake), groupers, and small round rays (such as the Cortez ray).

BTW - the Eppie will likely out grow the 180 in about a year to 18 months. You'll need a tank that is over 500 gallons to keep it for life.

reefer334 · #13 01/01/2008, 08:24 PM

I have had a trigger kill a shark,please do not make the same mistake I did.If you go with a grouper just make sure it does not grow faster than the shark or get bigger than the shark as I have also had a grouper that has tried to eat some sharks, luckily I was there and saved the shark.Good luck.

sixball · #14 01/02/2008, 10:15 AM

As others have stated, only the Naso and Tuskfish are appropriate tankmates for your eppie from your list. Parrotfish would not be good choice at all, for a multitude of reasons, and buttefly's are generally a no-no. I have never had a problem mixing tangs with sharks. Other safe bets are groupers, larger wrasses, and some of the mild mannered moray's (i.e. not a tessalata).

Also, your statement about not letting them grow beyond 10" is a little amusing. There is nothing you can do to stop the growth of any of these fish short of killing them. Please plan an appropriately sized system for whatever you decide to keep.

Puffer Queen · #15 01/02/2008, 11:25 AM

Any fish that buries in the substrate is food for a epaulette. They naturally will forage in the substrate for food.

I have kept tangs, squirrel fish, hawk fish and rabbit fish with my sharks.

TheSaltwaterGuy · #16 01/02/2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jjj1100
so maybe one or two nice big butterflies, one lion, one puffer, and the tusk?

sounds like it would be a good tank

When I said I forgot to mention them, I meant they are not usually good with sharks or rays. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

limitedslip · #17 01/02/2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sixball
As others have stated, only the Naso and Tuskfish are appropriate tankmates for your eppie from your list. Parrotfish would not be good choice at all, for a multitude of reasons, and buttefly's are generally a no-no. I have never had a problem mixing tangs with sharks. Other safe bets are groupers, larger wrasses, and some of the mild mannered moray's (i.e. not a tessalata).

Also, your statement about not letting them grow beyond 10" is a little amusing. There is nothing you can do to stop the growth of any of these fish short of killing them. Please plan an appropriately sized system for whatever you decide to keep.

why would parrotfish not be a good tankmate? I had my bicolor with a bamboo for a long time without any problems, and I have known ppl who have had hte same experience? Not trying to call you out, Im just curious on what the multitude of problems you claim are?

FishyMel · #18 01/02/2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by krj-1168
Ummm. Not really. People that have kept Large Angels, Puffers & Triggers with "success" - have either been incredible Lucky or have kept them with more active & aggressive sharks - such as Nurses, Smoothhounds or Requiems sharks.

For the most part all these fish are "bad" for shark tank because they tend to pick on the shark - possible to point of death. Also butterflies, & Lion fish are equally bad choices.

The best choices of tank mates for small benthic sharks like the Eppie - is generally small moray Eels (like the Snowflake), groupers, and small round rays (such as the Cortez ray).

BTW - the Eppie will likely out grow the 180 in about a year to 18 months. You'll need a tank that is over 500 gallons to keep it for life.

I didn't say it was a good idea, I just said that there is a very slim chance it would work if he was willing to risk the animal and his pocketbook. Which for most people would be morally wrong or too expensive.

Didn't limitedslip have a stars and stripes puffer and juvie emp angel with his bamboo? How'd that work out?

jjj1100 · #19 01/02/2008, 08:08 PM

I realize that I can't stop a fish from growing, I meant I would take them to the LFS...thanks for all of the suggestions. I may be getting rid of the epaulette shark sooner than later, I really wanted a clown trigger, angel of some kind and a puffer.

Reeferdude2 · #20 01/02/2008, 08:33 PM

I have a buddy who has a Grouper in with his and a Barracuda.The cuda is only about 6" now.But for now everything is fine.They are in a 750 gal tank.A new tank is being built now in the basement that is around 1500 gal for the cuda to go in.As it grows not sure of a tank mate for it unless it is called food.

Carnavor180 · #21 01/02/2008, 09:55 PM

id go with a 6in undulated trigger

limitedslip · #22 01/03/2008, 03:12 AM

Ya, I had a S+S puffer and a Juv emperor angel (along w/ some other fish) in the same tank as my bamboo. I wrote a whole thread on an easy way to adapt an angel to a shark a while back. It worked out great, and I never an into any problems with the setup.

From experience, Its not the animals temperament, but how it is raised, If you raise an angel or a puffer in their juvi stage along with a shark thats is too small to eat them, then they can coexist in their environment. The angel will have no reason to attack the shark and vice versa. However, A large angel + small shark or vice versa could be hit or miss. From the size of your eppie, I wouldnt risk it. My bamboo was raised w/ an angel since its birth, and the emp was 1 inch.

I never ran into a problem w/ the S+S puffer most likely because their sleep cycles seemed to be a mirror of each other, so while the shark was active, the S+S was sleeping.

There was also a parrotfish and a Porc puffer in the tank as well lol. Thats what 4 fish that ppl commonly say no to w. sharks?