I have a 200gal tank with a 16 inch. female nurse shark. She eaten almost all of her tank mates which include a engineer goby, Niger Triger, a few clowns, and as of last night my wifes Domino Damsel. The tank is looking kind of bare so wanting to put some new fish into it but not sure what I can put into the tank. As of right now the tank has two moray eels which she hasn't try to eat, and a star fish. We are also looking into getting her a custom tank being made. However my wife has been wanting to make a quarter of the tank a coral reef. Which as of right now we do have a few live rocks to protect the Eels. So I my question is would I be able to make a quarter of the tank reef and what can I put into the tank that the shark won't it. Now I know I cant put any anemone in the tank cause of the eels getting stung. Also I have been haveing a Alge problem I was told I could put a Tang in the tank I just not sure what type. Thanks for the help.
Tank mate for Nurse shark
- Thread starter LCPL_DSM
- Start date
90cat;2946652; said:
My wife and I have been going around to local fish shops an get estimation on a 500gal. custom tank. Which should work till I am out of the Marine Corp.
Okay - first off the problem is the species in which you chosen - the Nurse Shark.
Talk about a true - Monster Fish - that's it in a nut shell. As a full grown adult - it will eventually get to be at least 8-9 ft long. and weight at least 240-330 lbs, possible even more. The really big problem is that it's likely the Nurse will become a mature adult(of 7-7.5') in as little as 6-8 years - based on average captive growth rates.
So naturally a 500 gallon tank won't hold it for life. But if your planning to leave the Marine Corp in 12-18 months - then a 500 gallon tank may be enough to keep it in for that time. A better & cheaper option - if you have the room is get a small rubbermaid pond (about 8-9' in diameter) for a small shark pond. At that size of pond you could keep in there for at least 2 years.
While Nurse Sharks are usually known to have fairly gentle temperments toward humans. They are very aggressive feeders. Any fish that is kept with a Nurse should be too large for the shark to eat - other wise it's a potential meal. Even Eels aren't safe from these sharks.
I heard of a 30" Nurse Shark eating a 16-18" Blacktip shark. I've also heard of a 30" Nurse shark attempting to eat a 30" Dragon Moray.
While public aquariums often have Nurse sharks with other large sharks (6-10' long), and other large fishes (at least 4-5') without any major problems. There tend to be very few choices available to the private aquarist that would make suitable tank mates for a Nurse. But I have seem some Bamboo sharks kept with young & subadult Nurse sharks with out any major problems, provided that the Bamboo is at least 1/3 the size of the Nurse.
I wouldn't suggest a coral reef with a Nurse shark. As it will likely eventually destroy damage & destory the coral, and possible the tank in the process. But Nurse sharks are often found in shallow rocky reef type habitats. So a small reef made of Live Rock would be okay.
The best option I would recommend - give the Nurse is own pond & leave the tank to the Eels and other fishes. As a Marine - naturally you would want a pond that would be movable - such as a premade poly or rubbermaid pond. After you get out of the Marine Corp - you may want to look into a good size(27-33' in diameter) above ground pool as an eventual pond for the Nurse - when it gets full grown.
Talk about a true - Monster Fish - that's it in a nut shell. As a full grown adult - it will eventually get to be at least 8-9 ft long. and weight at least 240-330 lbs, possible even more. The really big problem is that it's likely the Nurse will become a mature adult(of 7-7.5') in as little as 6-8 years - based on average captive growth rates.
So naturally a 500 gallon tank won't hold it for life. But if your planning to leave the Marine Corp in 12-18 months - then a 500 gallon tank may be enough to keep it in for that time. A better & cheaper option - if you have the room is get a small rubbermaid pond (about 8-9' in diameter) for a small shark pond. At that size of pond you could keep in there for at least 2 years.
While Nurse Sharks are usually known to have fairly gentle temperments toward humans. They are very aggressive feeders. Any fish that is kept with a Nurse should be too large for the shark to eat - other wise it's a potential meal. Even Eels aren't safe from these sharks.
I heard of a 30" Nurse Shark eating a 16-18" Blacktip shark. I've also heard of a 30" Nurse shark attempting to eat a 30" Dragon Moray.
While public aquariums often have Nurse sharks with other large sharks (6-10' long), and other large fishes (at least 4-5') without any major problems. There tend to be very few choices available to the private aquarist that would make suitable tank mates for a Nurse. But I have seem some Bamboo sharks kept with young & subadult Nurse sharks with out any major problems, provided that the Bamboo is at least 1/3 the size of the Nurse.
I wouldn't suggest a coral reef with a Nurse shark. As it will likely eventually destroy damage & destory the coral, and possible the tank in the process. But Nurse sharks are often found in shallow rocky reef type habitats. So a small reef made of Live Rock would be okay.
The best option I would recommend - give the Nurse is own pond & leave the tank to the Eels and other fishes. As a Marine - naturally you would want a pond that would be movable - such as a premade poly or rubbermaid pond. After you get out of the Marine Corp - you may want to look into a good size(27-33' in diameter) above ground pool as an eventual pond for the Nurse - when it gets full grown.
krj-1168;2947072; said:
I am getting out in less then a year. An moving back to Ohio. The plain is when we get back to Ohio is to put the shark in a tank that will hold her to full adult size. The only reason for the 500gal. is just a time being type deal. I just wish I would have did a little more research before I put her in with the others. However I was also plain once I got back to Ohio get some black tips but I guess thats out now.
And you would be wrong - in thinking that. There are people that I have talked to & emailed that have success kept a Nurse from a small pup(less than 2') to an adult of more than 9' long. The difference - while a small pup can be kept in a good size aquarium (like a 500 gallon). As an adult the private aquarists that have successful kept Nurse Sharks use a a large above ground swimming pool at least 27-30' in diameter.
As for Keeping with Black Tips. Yes. that could be a problem - especially if the Nurse is a lot larger than Blacktip. The problem would be keeping a juvenile Blacktip with a much larger juvenile/subadult Nurse. But keeping an adult nurse with an adult blacktip reef is a diiferent story. A fully grown(5-6') Blacktip Reef would be too large to be seen as possible prey, by the adult (8'+)Nurse. But instead would likely be seen more as a possible rival for food. Also if the juveniles of both Nurse sharks & Blacktip reefs are similar is size, given plenty of space, and they are both well feed, - then there likely won't be any major problems, between the too species.
