Shark Tankmates

[New_Tank_Guy]

Hi,

I have a friend who is building a 240g tank. He wants to keep a small type of shark ( banded,bamboo ) He was wondering what other tankmates can he have with it. He said he would like to keep a couple of Tangs, but I know they can be very mean. Could someone give me some ideas to share with him please.

Thanks

[DecoyDave]

Both of the sharks mentioned get up to about 3.5ft long. A 240gal tank is WAY too small for a shark, of any kind.

[Lord Voldemort]

Coral Catsharks can live in there for their whole life only maxing at about 2ft. The grey bamboo shark gets a little over 2ft. and many epaulette/bamboo species get 2.5ft but are unfortunately not common in the shark trade. Getting the Sharks and Rays book by Scott W. Michaels is a must. I own it myself.
About the tank mates. Rays would be ok. Eels would be my favorite as long as there is a closed top

[New_Tank_Guy]

OK I will suggest a Coral Catshark. What tank mates could he have?

[Lord Voldemort]

Added up there.

[mitzel]

as far as tangs go stay with the smaller species. such as yellows, purples , and black tangs . Larger tangs such a sohals can become aggressive . Sting rays are good tank mates . I would stay away from eels . Mainly because they need a lot of rock work to be happy and that would take away from the open swimming space of the tank. Groupers are good tank mates "EXCEPT" for they tend to be pigs and you might have to sneak food down past the grouper to the shark.


Just the advice of somebody that has actually had sharks and aggresive fish

[New_Tank_Guy]

Thanks I will let him know.

[John@JP]

I have
1 Brownbanded Catshark
1 Snowflake Eel
1 Orbiculate Batfish
1 Royal Blue Tang
1 Maroon Clown
1 Passer Angelfish

And they all get along great.

I am planning on also adding one or more of the following
Volitan Lion
Fuzzy Lion
Porkfish
Golden Jack
Humu Trigger
Shy Hamlet
Blue Spot Stingray
Porcupine Puffer

I just have to talk my fiancee into letting me get a bigger tank

[jjcrim]

Originally posted by John@JP
I have
1 Brownbanded Catshark
1 Snowflake Eel
1 Orbiculate Batfish
1 Royal Blue Tang
1 Maroon Clown
1 Passer Angelfish

And they all get along great.

I am planning on also adding one or more of the following
Volitan Lion
Fuzzy Lion
Porkfish
Golden Jack
Humu Trigger
Shy Hamlet
Blue Spot Stingray
Porcupine Puffer

I just have to talk my fiancee into letting me get a bigger tank

If you add a huma huma or porcupine puffer then say goodbye to the shark. Generally passer angels will end up being problems too but I don't know how long you've had yours.

BTW, just out of curiosity, your caption mentions a 75 gallon reef and a 45 gallon fowlr... is your list for a different tank?

[stykthyn]

if you want a shark think 400+ gallons, nothing else will simply do. If you have the space you can make a pond in the range of 1000 gallons for the price of a 2-400 tank. just takes a little more work.

[evolust]

I agree with the above statement 100%. I have a pair of epaulettes in a 300g and they are currently only 25-26 inches and they already seem cramped. It is amazing how fast they can move. If they get spooked on one side of the tank they can kick once and be crashing into the other end of the tank before you can even get your hands out of the water. I'm upgrading to a 600 and even think that is too small. JMO Most people agree with the "rule" of no large angels, no triggers, and no butterflies. As with everything someone out there will get past the rule and be safe, but I would stick with tangs groupers, clowns, and other larger non agressive fishes.

[johno4]

Evolust, why no butterflies. I have not heard that before. I would assmume most butterflies would be ok because they are peaceful to other species. Is there something Im missing? Fill me in please.

thanks,
john

[mitzel]

Some butterflys will pick at the eyes of sharks and rays .

I have triggers now and I wouldn't try to keep a shark with them . the humu is small maybe 2.5 - 3 inches the bursa is about 4 inches ans the niger is about 4 inches . and they are already some tuff customers to deal with . the bursa and humu (a.k.a Picaso) both will nip at me when I'm working in the tank .

[John@JP]

I am really not that worried about it, If i have a problem with one or two fish. My fiancee will have to let me set up another tank.

[John@JP]

Plus they are all really small right now. I am working on building a shark pond.

[jjcrim]

Sweet... a shark in a 45 gallon tank along with 5 others (4 of which are too big by themselves). Nice work.

[stykthyn]

I have a black tip in my bathtub for anyone that cares

[John@JP]

well they are all happy and healthy, eating fine and I have had no problems with disease. So I would appreciate a little less negativity.

[stykthyn]

bet you a $100 that all changes
yes I do take check and you can make it payable to Clay Smith

[John@JP]

Originally posted by stykthyn
bet you a $100 that all changes
yes I do take check and you can make it payable to Clay Smith

Why is that? I have been playing this game for quite some time (12 yrs) with absolutly no bad experiences except for a tank that blew its seal.

[stykthyn]

ok this is my last reply to this post then I will get off my box.

you have been doing this for 12 years great, after 12 years you have a good deal of experience, great. Then you put these fish into what a 45?? 12 years of experience should tell you that this is way to small even for a shortime since you do have a plan or so your sig says. this is behavior I would expect from a newb. have I overstocked a tank? sure. did I learn from it? sure. I sure as hell wouldnt do it now. after 12 years I would hope that you learned patience and to complete a bigger tank before you even got your first fish. then you post this

"I have
1 Brownbanded Catshark
1 Snowflake Eel
1 Orbiculate Batfish
1 Royal Blue Tang
1 Maroon Clown
1 Passer Angelfish

And they all get along great.

I am planning on also adding one or more of the following
Volitan Lion
Fuzzy Lion
Porkfish
Golden Jack
Humu Trigger
Shy Hamlet
Blue Spot Stingray
Porcupine Puffer

I just have to talk my fiancee into letting me get a bigger tank."

all this does is encourage people who dont know any better to go out and try to duplicate what you have done and ultimately set them up for failure. that is an awesome stock list and I would have killed for one like that when I first started. But like you said you have been doing this for 12 years, I have been doing it for 6. In that time I have learned patience and responsibility. I hope it all works out for you.

[John@JP]

Well, I am glad you are off of your 'box'

[John@JP]

Anyway back to the point of the thread... I have had luck with all of the fish that I have mentioned that I have now or that I want all living together and in my opinion they all work out. You might have to watch a few or more of them (triggers, puffers and angels) but i have seen it done

[college429]

I tend to believe the experts. If you read "Aquarium Sharks and Rays" by Scott W. Michaels you will see that he says that one or two small less active sharks such as bamboos and epilets will not only thrive, but often are so at home they will breed in tanks as small as 180 gallons.

Anyone one who wants to keep, or comment on keeping Sharks, should first read this book, so they don't put their foot in their mouth and recommend uneccessarily large tanks.

Also this book recommends appropriate fish and invertibrates to keep with sharks.

[jjcrim]

Originally posted by John@JP
well they are all happy and healthy, eating fine and I have had no problems with disease. So I would appreciate a little less negativity.

Of course they are all ok... you already said they are just babies. So you've had them for a month or so, maybe even a couple months. Like I said, nice work. You can claim this is ok until you're blue in the face but it just shows that you don't know as much as you think about this hobby.

Also, as I said previously, you're thinking about a huma huma or porcupine puffer with that shark?? Remind me to stay away from the LFS you work at.