450 Gallon Miracle Ray/Shark Reef Build Thread

WheatToast

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do you guys think tuxedo urchin safe in this setup? I'm having gha issues despite all my tests showing low NO3/PO4 and any other CUC i can think of is going to get eaten by my ray
Unsure (never kept urchins), though it would definitely destroy that branching Coralline I mentioned earlier, as well as any other potential macroalgae additions. Maybe it's spines could also injure the ray.
@Jay Hemdal what do you think?
Edit: Heterocentrotus mamillatus might be a better choice with its blunt spines, but it seems very hard to source.
 
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Unsure (never kept urchins), though it would definitely destroy that branching Coralline I mentioned earlier, as well as any other potential macroalgae additions. Maybe it's spines could also injure the ray.
@Jay Hemdal what do you think?
Edit: Heterocentrotus mamillatus might be a better choice with its blunt spines, but it seems very hard to source.
I actually got like 5/6 tuxedos, they are pretty small and the ray doesn't seem to mind them. He just ignores them unlike shrimp/snails. And they are doing a good job cleaning up!
 

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I was looking at LiveAquaria’s miscellaneous fish category and saw some other potential stocking ideas:
Goatfish (sand-sifter, in stock)
Porkfish (in stock)

Also, how’s the shark doing? Is it eating?
 
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Oh I like that goatfish! Thanks for the recs, he might be on my list now!

Unfortunately no eating still and I'm beginning to think he might not make it. I've tried live and every frozen I could think of. He looked like he thought about it once but that's it. Next time I might try to buy local and make sure they are eating beforehand
 
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Bamboo is too thick. People have used heavy monofilament fishing leader, that works even better because it is clear. Anything large and visible and the shark is going to shy away from it.

Bear in mind - this may not work. There could be other reasons the shark isn't feeding.

Jay
Monofilament did the trick! Got him to eat a few guppies but still won't try frozen. Yours have any favorites? Tried scallops tonight after the guppies
 

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Monofilament did the trick! Got him to eat a few guppies but still won't try frozen. Yours have any favorites? Tried scallops tonight after the guppies
The trick is this: try live guppies, then freshly dead guppies, then frozen and thawed guppies, then silversides cut into a guppy shape. Then, start augmenting other seafoods. Eventually, you'll be able to stop stick feeding it.

Jay
 
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Got him to eat silversides tonight!! I had done the dead guppies but not frozen, but tonight I was up late and he looked super active so I busted them out with the monofilament and he scarfed down three big ones. Though my ray wasn't happy he was eating all the food and carpeted him a few times lol
 

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IMG_20210918_105927.jpg


Got a squirrelfish too! Stocking coming along nicely
Looks more like a Soldierfish to me. How is it doing, though?
 
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Looks more like a Soldierfish to me. How is it doing, though?
You know what i think you are right, though the lfs definitely had him labeled as a squirrel. Either way he's doing pretty good, eating :) he's probably the shyest/least active out of all the fish and pretty skittish though
 
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@WheatToast @Jay Hemdal

So my catshark is eating consistently which is great! But i've heard mixed advice on supplementing iodine to prevent onset of goiter in captive sharks. Jay i know you have hands on experience with these... do you supplement it and if so how do you introduce it to their food and how much? Or is it really not necessary
 

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@WheatToast @Jay Hemdal

So my catshark is eating consistently which is great! But i've heard mixed advice on supplementing iodine to prevent onset of goiter in captive sharks. Jay i know you have hands on experience with these... do you supplement it and if so how do you introduce it to their food and how much? Or is it really not necessary
Long term, it does seem to be necessary (after a year or more in captivity). However, doing supplements for a small shark is very difficult. We use Mazuri shark vits which are dosed roughly by weight, but the pills are too large for a small shark like this. The dose comes out to be around 2.5 mg per pound of shark weight fed weekly....for your shark, you wouldn't even be able to weigh the amount out.

What I would suggest is to read the various vitamin additives available to home aquarists, and find one that adds iodine, and then use that. Adding iodine to the water doesn't help.

Jay
 
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2 things. 1, wheres the great white? 2, you shouldnt keep agressive corals near the substrate bcause they will agressively sting the rays
Which corals are you talking about? I don't have any near the substrate, and outside of anemones (which isn't a coral) I've never heard of any corals having a strong enough sting to hurt fish

And I wish I had a tank big enough for a more traditional shark ha!
 

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You know what i think you are right, though the lfs definitely had him labeled as a squirrel. Either way he's doing pretty good, eating :) he's probably the shyest/least active out of all the fish and pretty skittish though Squirrel and Soldierfish

You know what i think you are right, though the lfs definitely had him labeled as a squirrel. Either way he's doing pretty good, eating :) he's probably the shyest/least active out of all the fish and pretty skittish though
Pinecone soldierfish. But both squirrelfish and soldierfish are in the same family
 

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