What can I put in a shallow tank setup?

[sally666]

I’m building a custom shallow indoor saltwater pond where the water level will be around 7 inches deep. The shoreline will slope down into the water and this whole setup will look like a touch tidepool you see at public aquariums.

My question is what type of fish and invertebrates can I put in this setup? Since the water is shallow, would starfish be alright? What about fishes? What else can I put?

 

[Subsea]

I can’t see fish being in your tide pool. Better explain the system with emphases on biofiltration.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How big around?

I've seen damsels in very shallow water and they are quite striking in that setting.

 

[sally666]

I found this on google:

Common Animals Found in Touch Pools

• Starfish (Sea Stars): Known for their suction-cup tube feet.
• • Sea Anemones: Resemble plants but are living animals.
  • Crabs: Including hermit crabs, blue crabs, and stone crabs.
  • Mollusks & Shellfish: Snails and other shellfish.
  • Sharks & Rays: Gentle species like bamboo sharks, epaulette sharks, or cownose rays.

How They Work

• • Shallow Water: Tanks are typically shallow, mimicking natural tide pools.
  • Staff Supervision: Aquarium experts are often present to guide visitors on proper touching techniques (e.g., gentle petting).
  • Educational Focus: They are designed to foster ecological understanding and appreciation for marine environments.

Benefits & Considerations

• • Benefits:
    Great for tactile learning, sparking interest in marine biology, and family fun.
  • Criticisms:
    Concerns about human germs affecting the animals' protective mucus, animal stress, and the artificiality of the environment.

 

[sally666]

I found this on google:

Common Animals Found in Touch Pools

• Starfish (Sea Stars): Known for their suction-cup tube feet.
• • Sea Anemones: Resemble plants but are living animals.
  • Crabs: Including hermit crabs, blue crabs, and stone crabs.
  • Mollusks & Shellfish: Snails and other shellfish.
  • Sharks & Rays: Gentle species like bamboo sharks, epaulette sharks, or cownose rays.

How They Work

• • Shallow Water: Tanks are typically shallow, mimicking natural tide pools.
  • Staff Supervision: Aquarium experts are often present to guide visitors on proper touching techniques (e.g., gentle petting).
  • Educational Focus: They are designed to foster ecological understanding and appreciation for marine environments.

Benefits & Considerations

• • Benefits:
    Great for tactile learning, sparking interest in marine biology, and family fun.
  • Criticisms:
    Concerns about human germs affecting the animals' protective mucus, animal stress, and the artificiality of the environment.

So it’s okay to keep starfish with hermit crabs? The starfish won’t eat them?

 

[exnisstech]

The touch pools I have seen did not look like they housed the animals long term so I'm not sure how helpful info on those will be.

 

[exnisstech]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/can-saltwater-fish-live-in-shallow-water.1144864/