I'm setting up a predator tank...

da1jewfish · #1 12/16/2007, 07:45 PM

Its going to be a 125 (getting a good deal on it used) and I'm going to make a 29 gallon fuge underneath it. The fuge will have about 5" of sand with some live rock too.

My questions are: First off which fish can I put in there? I would like to get a shark, preferebly one that stays small. As far as aquascaping there shouldn't be too much in there right?, cause that will take away from the swimming room.

Thanks all. any info will be considered.

stevelkaneval · #2 12/16/2007, 08:29 PM

you should ask the guys in the, Fish only and aggresive tank forums. they would be able to tell you.

dwd5813 · #3 12/16/2007, 09:34 PM

as cool as it would be to have a shark, that tank is barely enough for some tangs, and really unsuitable for any shark. hope you have good luck in the fish only forum

BangkokMatt · #4 12/16/2007, 09:36 PM

I agree - you can't put a shark in a 120g

steven_dean17 · #5 12/16/2007, 09:42 PM

No shark and no rays. That would be a great lion size though.

Reef'in Colorado · #6 12/16/2007, 09:46 PM

Def don't put a shark in that tank. I would reccomend triggers, groupers, wrasses, eels or lionfish in a 125. Be sure to check on the mature size, care requirements and compatibility before deciding what fish to purchase.

I would keep liverock in the tank, and create some hiding spots etc too. All of the fish will appreciate it, and it will provide some extra filtration. I would also go with a skimmer in your sump, predators are messy eaters.

da1jewfish · #7 12/16/2007, 10:15 PM

alright thanks all. i rather do the research prior to setting it up so I know how I should set it up.

Is there such thing as a dwarf shark? or a shark that isn't a shark but looks like one?

steven_dean17 · #8 12/16/2007, 10:18 PM

What's the smallest shark? A cookie cutter maybe?

FishyMel · #9 12/16/2007, 11:20 PM

I would say smallest tank for a sharks lifetime would be a 220 for a coral cat. You can probably keep about 5 fish in 125. You will need very heavy filtraltion, a protein skimmer, sump, and fuge. You can have a little higher nitrates though for FO (up to 30 ppm).
I recommend lots of live rock, as it makes for a good biological filter, the fish don't mind the space it takes up.

yellowwatchmen · #10 12/17/2007, 12:10 AM

I would get a big eel. Mabey a snow flake. Or a big green Moray. My LFS has one thet they have had for 2 years it has grown about a foot since they have had it right now it is 3' 10". Cost them around $2000 to keep it since all the tank space it takes up. And all the food.

yellowwatchmen · #11 12/17/2007, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by yellowwatchmen
I would get a big eel. Mabey a snow flake. Or a big green Moray. My LFS has one thet they have had for 2 years it has grown about a foot since they have had it right now it is 3' 10". Cost them around $2000 to keep it since all the tank space it takes up. And all the food.

Oh yeah it would not cost you that much to keep one it is just that it takes up so much room that they could be using to sell other things.

dwd5813 · #12 12/17/2007, 02:09 AM

snowflake yeah, but green moray? you were kidding right? the last few times i've seen green morays they were in public aquarium tanks of no less than a couple hundred thousand gallons and somewhere around 5 feet long.

da1jewfish · #13 12/17/2007, 08:42 AM

what about clean up crew? is it non-existant in a predator tank? could I add a brittle or serpent star?

clekchau · #14 12/17/2007, 08:46 AM

125, put a small lionfish and an eel and call it a day. would make an awesome predator reef

tydtran · #15 12/17/2007, 09:52 AM

If you want a fish that has the streamlined look of a predator, I would recommend panther grouper. These are usually available as small specimen and grow into large, impressive fish. Miniatus grouper doesn't have nice shape but nice color. Triggers are also beautiful and most are very active.

Question for you. Since the main purpose of a refugium is to lower nitrates and this is not as much an issue for FO as it is for a reef, would you consider skipping it? Just use a sump with a big skimmer.

I would pass on the eel recommendation. Snowflake is the only one I can think of that does well in a home aquarium and basically all it does is sit and eat.

mille239 · #16 12/17/2007, 10:53 AM

Not to hijack, but I have a similar tank vision I though I would share. One of my tanks is a 120g AGA with only a tesalata moray in it. (every fish I have tried to keep with it, it eats including a 5" clown triggerfish). I suppose I could get rid of him and get some other fish, but I am quite attached to him. he is a little over 2 ft long now, and I've had him just over 2 years. I am going to be getting some new lights on this tank and add even more live rock. My plan is to have a zoanthid/mushroom reef with big ol' Tessy as the centerpiece. I may even add a rose-bubble tip anemone. I think it should make for a really dramatic tank.

Once I have all the live rock added and a good deal of the zoa's and shrooms started, I might try a cleaner shrimp or two. I have heard sucess with people keeping large morays and cleaner shrimp wherein the shrimp actually go in the moray's mouth to feed/clean! Might be an experiment in vain, but worth a try.
I also heard if I add a small school of tiny chromis, they may be too small to interest the eel, but that is yet to be determined.
Good luck with whatever direction you follow!

clekchau · #17 12/17/2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tydtran
If you want a fish that has the streamlined look of a predator, I would recommend panther grouper. These are usually available as small specimen and grow into large, impressive fish. Miniatus grouper doesn't have nice shape but nice color. Triggers are also beautiful and most are very active.

Question for you. Since the main purpose of a refugium is to lower nitrates and this is not as much an issue for FO as it is for a reef, would you consider skipping it? Just use a sump with a big skimmer.

I would pass on the eel recommendation. Snowflake is the only one I can think of that does well in a home aquarium and basically all it does is sit and eat.

panther grouper in a 125?

and i also disagree with your eel experience, my snowflake is out and about all the time and not just at night. also there are plenty of eels that make excellent aquarium additions ie zebra moray, chainlink moray. how long have you kept eels? what eels have you kept in captivity?

tydtran · #18 12/17/2007, 02:13 PM

I see your point about the panther grouper. My statement was about a substitute for a shark which, at any size, would be worse than the largest panther grouper I have ever seen in captivity. Moreover, a 5 in. panther grouper would take years to grow into 15 incher (if it even gets that big) and looks good even as a small fish.

As for the snowflake, I had mine for six months before I gave it away. Most of these things are a matter of preference. Even when my eel was at its most active, it was less attractive to me than a fish. I have never kept a zebra moray? Could you explain to me how an eel that can grow to 2 or 3 feet in size would be better in a 125 than a fish that grows to 15in. Especially when the eel tries to bite.

salty duck · #19 12/17/2007, 05:44 PM

You could go in another direction and keep something like cuttlefish. What an awesome predator, i'm sure there was a thread on here where a guy had a cuttle-reef tank. Or octopuss.

da1jewfish · #20 12/17/2007, 07:21 PM

thanks for all the suggestions
octopus, panther grouper, interesting.

what size sump or fuge should I use? I wanted to use a 29 gal, but its not going to fit unless I cut the back support and then put a new one in.

mille239 · #21 12/17/2007, 09:03 PM

Use as big a sump as you can possibly fit. You can link two smaller tanks (say 20gals) together via bulkheads if you don't want to cut apart your stand.