2 Sharks

778 Views 7 Replies 3 Participants Last post by tadpole2, Dec 6, 2010

charlieranger

Discussion Starter · Dec 4, 2010

Hey everyone,

I am a new member to this site, but I have had a planted 55g for about a year now and a 10g planted for about 6 months. I just ordered a 300g that should be delivered in about 2 weeks. I have a rainbow shark in my 55 and a baby rainbow in my 10 and I was planning on moving my baby to the 300 as soon as I get it set up. I wanted him to kind of grow up with the tank. I am overseas and working with my buddy in the states to outfit and set up the new tank. He suggested that the 2 sharks could live in the same tank and be fine since its so large, but I have done quite a bit of reading on it and I dont think ive come across anyone with a tank that size, that has two rainbow, or red-tailed, sharks...yet. I would love to have them both in the big tank, cause they are my favorite fish so far. Does anyone have any experience with this or know anywhere I could get some insight before the big one beats the little one to a pulp?

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tadpole2

· #2 · Dec 4, 2010

hiya charlieranger.

as a general rule keeping sharks together can have mixed results.
ive heard of multiple problems when keeping red tail sharks or rainbows together but never actually heard anything bad about keeping silver sharks together.
they are however kept in groups in lfs, which can cause a person to wonder.
i think as young they can be kept together but i think when they become their full size they get aggresive towards each other and other fish.
i have a single rainbow shark in my community tank and its not a problem towards the other fish.

so i would say that keeping 2 too a tank could be risky as their aggressive in pairs.
plus the larger adult shark may bully the smaller shark, in competition for food and terrority.
but anything could happen...its what taking chances are all about

good luck.

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VaultBoy

· #3 · Dec 4, 2010

on a few occasions i have had more than one shark in a tank... i always ended up with only one shark though.

I was told that groups of more than 4 - 5 will live in a sort of unstable harmony, but i had 8 and it was like an all in melee and ended in the last fish surviving... i even tried to seperate a couple of them into floating spawning tanks with lids so i could take them back to the lfs, they then proceeded to fight their way into or out of the floating tanks and killing each other anyway. Within 36 hours their were 7 dead and 1 sore but very proud black shark in the tank.

personally i wouldnt chance it again.

good luck
Jack

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tadpole2

· #4 · Dec 4, 2010

vaultboy you are a brave fish keeper!

i can talk from experiance on what your saying ive kept 2 sharks at the most....but 8 :O
thats taking chances lol

sharks are aggresive fish when in groups, there fiesty when it comes to their food, and they want their own space...anything comes into their space....that shark will cause merry hell for the other fish.

if these fish wer kept in a large group of as you say 8 or more they could get by in a civil manner, if kept in a very very big tank.
best i think to keep your 2 sharks apart for their own survival reasons.
good luck

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VaultBoy

· #5 · Dec 4, 2010

tadpole2 said:
vaultboy you are a brave fish keeper!

There is a fine line between brave and stupid...

I learned my lesson

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tadpole2

· #6 · Dec 4, 2010

lol
and which line did you take?

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charlieranger

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 5, 2010

Thanks for the advice guys! it would be so sweet if both could live in peace. Does anyone know what size territory they have in the wild?

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tadpole2

· #8 · Dec 6, 2010

in the wild...personally i would have no idea.
however in captivity they require atleast say a 3rd of the tank each...which is why they come into battle so easily as many people just throw them in together thinking they will be fine.
my guess for space in the wild would be much greater than what they like in captivity.
but im not 100% sure on it.

again i would say to only keep in pairs or more if you have a very large tank with lots of hidding places incase they come into contact.

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