Tankmates for a 6/2.5/2.5 eel and shark

[JoeySiew]

I'm currently considering converting my 6/2.5/2.5 sps tank to house my 2feet japanese dragon moray and an incoming 6inch Hasselt's shark. I will probably be keeping my existing 4inch sailfin, 4 inch powder brown, 4inch unicorn tang together with the moray and shark. I do not mind relocating the tangs. Considering some new tankmates for them. Considering getting a long fin batfish. But the juvenile is too small. Anyone have any ideas. My eel have been house together with fire clowns and chromis. Never touched them at all

[Zoodiver]

I don't know if anyone has said anything yet, but DON'T get the Hasselt's Bamboo. They die. Even if you get it eating, it will only live a few months and die without warning. I have yet to see one thrive in a home tank. I've even put together projects at public aquariums without having any of them live.

I'd avoid any grazing type fish with a benthic shark. They like to eat eyes.

[krj-1168]

I don't know if anyone has said anything yet, but DON'T get the Hasselt's Bamboo. They die. Even if you get it eating, it will only live a few months and die without warning. I have yet to see one thrive in a home tank.

Agreed. You would really be much better off with a getting juvenile White-spotted or Brown banded bamboo. As these are much hardier species, and much easier to find.

Also sharks and eels can both be very messy eaters, So honestly if you keep both in the same tank - it's best to limit the number of fish you have in the tank. Even if you a very good filtration system.

And how big is the eel? Because a large eel with a small shark is possible a bad combination.

[JoeySiew]

Should have posted before I get the Hasselt. Nowonder I couldn't really find much information about it. My dragon moray is about 2ft. Hope he doesn't eat my Hasselt for dinner. Thanks for the advice. Guess I'll just keep it with it's existing tankmates.

[Cu455]

How about some pictures of them.

[JoeySiew]

Just nice got both of them in one shot. It just looks like a tasty meal.....my dragon moray have not shown any aggression towards any fish over the year I have him. Of coz I know it might all change in a second. Just keeping my fingers cross on able to get the Hasselt to feed.

[anbosu]

That shark looks like it's about an inch long in that picture, did you take a fish eye lens shot or something?

Awesome eel, btw - I've always wanted to set up a FOWLR for one of those guys.

[Cu455]

That eel look enormous compared to the shark and mushrooms. Great looking eel and shark. Did you try feeding it yet?

You should consider moving the shark until it gets a little bigger. Maybe a sump or breeders basket.

[Zoodiver]

I agree. I'd look into a floating basket for the shark. It will keep him out of the eel for now, and you'll be able to see if it's eating or not. You're best bet for food is going to be live mysis or ghost shrimp (very small ones).

[JoeySiew]

It's about 5inch long. The eel is about 2ft. It's probably the angle that it's taken. It's not really that small haha. It was in a floating basket before it just wiggle through lol. Trying to relocate it now.

[krj-1168]

Yes - it's likely just the angle the photo was taken at. But still at 5 inches long , the shark would be basically "bite size" for the 2 foot dragon moray eel.

[alprazo]

Good luck with the shark. I agree that they do poorly and consider them doomed in the home aquarium. I thought I was going to be the exception. Mine was doing well, growing, eating and then it suddenly died one night. I had it only 3 months.

[JoeySiew]

Thanks. Bro ZooDiver is it possible to share on the information and research for the Hasselt shark which u had done? I got it to feeding prawn for now. Will be trying brine shrimp and mysis. Can't really find much information on its diet. Just wanna try to give it a whole variety.

[Zoodiver]

Hasselts started into the US mislabled as 'zebra sharks', so I alot of people where getting them for about $90 thinking they were getting a great deal on a $1500+ Steg pup.

Most came in as wild caught hatchlings and not eating yet. Most will never eat. Few that I have had (or have talked to the owners about) that did take food were a struggle. Usually it was mysis, brine or some type of shrimp. They seem to last a few months on that diet. Most that I know of all died rapidly with no real signs of problems.

When I had them, we tried them alone and in groups, low salinity, normal salinity, higher salinity, open sand, rocky areas, high light, low light, a range of temps etc.... Nothing seemed to work to keep them going long term. After we ended up with no luck, I made the call to not import them anymore. I felt that our efforts to figure out a way to keep them alive was feeding into the harvest of this species, only to have them die. In the wild, they are collected in 74-76F range with salinity about 30-32ppt. They feed on small shrimp - so high levels of iodine and calcium.

If memory serves me, there were at least one or two members of Monsterfishkeepers.com who kept them up to about 5 months. That is about as long as they've lived that I know of.

[JoeySiew]

Seems like even keeping it for a few mths is a huge challenge. Thanks for the info. Will try to keep it alive for as long as I could. It was actually sold as a zebra shark pup. But I managed to ID it before I got it.

[enchelycore808]

Awesome pick up! Hope it does well for you at least. My eel would mess that thing up at that size though.. I wouldn't trust my dragon with something that tiny.

[Zoodiver]

If you are searching for info on the Hasslet's, the other name it went by previously was the "Indonesian Bamboo shark" (same latin, though: Chiloscyllium hasseltii).