Razor shrimpfish with garden eels?

[johnf3]

Hi everyone

I haven’t been able to find any information online about the comparability of shrimpfish with garden eels but am curious if anyone has any advice? I already have an established 40 gallon with several garden eels and a couple peaceful companion fish and they are fed liquid and dry food 8 times throughout the day, mysis being the largest of all the food, mostly tigger pods, ROE, rotifers, cyclops. The eels are doing well but I’m curious if I could add 3 shrimpfish in with them eventually?
I already add live copepod blends every month or so but would this be enough life food to sustain the shrimp fish to start at least until they eat dry/liquid foods?

Also could the garden eels and shrimp fish exist peacefully?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

 

[KrisReef]

interesting mixture of fishes, one looking up and the other down. I don't think the eels would eat the shrimpfish but last time I guessed about something like this another OG reefer shot down my guess about a fishes dietary habits. Bump

 

[Solo McReefer]

Pic of your garden eel garden?

Curious, always wanted one

 

[JoJosReef]

I would also enjoy a pic of your garden eels, one of my very favorites.

 

[KrisReef]

This is all I got.

 

[johnf3]

Here are a few photos! Been planning on taking full tank photos but haven’t gotten around to it because I’m battling a bit of GHA currently. I have a few spotted eels and one golden banded (very partial to him)

 

[johnf3]

This is all I got.

The ultimate goal is to have a species only 150-200 gallon to attempt 20+ eels. All in time hahah

 

[Solo McReefer]

Here are a few photos! Been planning on taking full tank photos but haven’t gotten around to it because I’m battling a bit of GHA currently. I have a few spotted eels and one golden banded (very partial to him)

Sweet

Thank you

May I ask, How deep is your sand bed?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi everyone

I haven’t been able to find any information online about the comparability of shrimpfish with garden eels but am curious if anyone has any advice? I already have an established 40 gallon with several garden eels and a couple peaceful companion fish and they are fed liquid and dry food 8 times throughout the day, mysis being the largest of all the food, mostly tigger pods, ROE, rotifers, cyclops. The eels are doing well but I’m curious if I could add 3 shrimpfish in with them eventually?
I already add live copepod blends every month or so but would this be enough life food to sustain the shrimp fish to start at least until they eat dry/liquid foods?

Also could the garden eels and shrimp fish exist peacefully?

Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

Yes - that mix works fine, we've had an exhibit of these two species for many years. Two hints - shrimpfish do better in groups greater than 3, and don't buy any shrimpfish if its tail spine is missing or damaged (those always die for me).

Getting the shrimpfish accustomed to eating chopped mysids is not always easy. We have adult brine shrimp that we raise and gut-load with HUFAs to help in case they don't make the switch right away.


Jay

 

[KrisReef]

Here are a few photos! Been planning on taking full tank photos but haven’t gotten around to it because I’m battling a bit of GHA currently. I have a few spotted eels and one golden banded (very partial to him)

I once considered a GE tank but that was when a deep sand bed was just being experimented with for nitrate reduction in the plenum. I was too scared of trying to maintain a dsb with eels in it.

I have never seen these things in the wild but I think that would be interesting to see and observe how they interact with the substrate and each other and predators and prey in the wild.

If you get the shrimpfish I hope you will post some pictures. Will you have an urchin for the shrimpfish to hang with?

 

[johnf3]

Sweet

Thank you

May I ask, How deep is your sand bed?

My sand bed is 4-5”

 

[johnf3]

Yes - that mix works fine, we've had an exhibit of these two species for many years. Two hints - shrimpfish do better in groups greater than 3, and don't buy any shrimpfish if its tail spine is missing or damaged (those always die for me).

Getting the shrimpfish accustomed to eating chopped mysids is not always easy. We have adult brine shrimp that we raise and gut-load with HUFAs to help in case they don't make the switch right away.


Jay

Ok great thanks Jay!

Would a 40 gallon breeder with deep sand bed and shallow rock work be alright for a school of 5-6?

 

[johnf3]

I once considered a GE tank but that was when a deep sand bed was just being experimented with for nitrate reduction in the plenum. I was too scared of trying to maintain a dsb with eels in it.

I have never seen these things in the wild but I think that would be interesting to see and observe how they interact with the substrate and each other and predators and prey in the wild.

If you get the shrimpfish I hope you will post some pictures. Will you have an urchin for the shrimpfish to hang with?

It’s been a bit of a challenge but tons of fun getting the tank figured out. I will say garden eels are known for having a high mortality rate so it sadly is sort of survival of the fittest usually.

I already have a short spined pink urchin but plan on getting a black spine as well!

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok great thanks Jay!

Would a 40 gallon breeder with deep sand bed and shallow rock work be alright for a school of 5-6?

Yes - that’s fine, the eels need more space than the shrimp fish do.