How do they stop animals from eating each other at aquariums? Or do they just go “Oh well”?
In: Biology
The answer is pretty boring for the most part: The animals they choose to put in the same tank together are ones that are known not to eat each other in nature. For example, bottom feeders and fish that feed off of plankton. Then for predatory fish, they tend to put them in a tank with only fish of the same species. Though I’m sure cannibalism does happen once in a while.
I once asked if the sharks eat the fish and apparently they do lose some fish every month, they try to keep the fish eating animals well fed like the sharks and bigger fish but sometimes its just “oh well”. Also the really expensive/exotic fish aren’t usually mixed in with the stuff that will eat them.
I worked and volunteered at two public aquariums, it happens. As others have said, usually the exhibits are strategically picking animals that can be displayed together. However predators are going to do their thing even though they are fed and settle into patterns in their exhibits.
Its not something broadcast by the aquarium, but the husbandry staff knows full well when something like this happens. Ive seen a shark pick off a fish while there were guests in the gallery.
The vast majority of animals kept together are strategically chosen to coexist in their tanks because they are not predatory towards each other. This can be relatively simple, like pairing various [tetra species](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b3/f4/8c/b3f48c411428eed86a31d5bddc217ea9.jpg) together, maybe add some algae eaters, and there’s no risk of anyone eating anyone.
How do they mix fish that *are* predatory? Most fish are pretty picky about how big their prey is. Most fish swallow their prey whole: if they can’t swallow it in one bite, more or less, they are unlikely to even try. Moreover, when fish are well fed they’re less likely to predate on tankmates. It’s still *possible*, but if they know they’re getting a solid meal on a regular schedule, there’s no need to waste energy trying to catch prey.
Fish can still be very aggressive towards each other and kill each other because of it. Species have to be mixed carefully to make sure they all have the right temperament. This is particularly true with saltwater fish that can have pretty complicated interactions.
In the end, though, sometimes they *do* just eat each other occasionally. The aquariums keep an eye on it and if it happens too often that’s probably indicative of a problem of some kind: a lot of predators mainly target sick or injured fish. Loss is just something any aquarium has to deal with, from predators or fighting or injuries or illnesses.
This is a summary of something I heard directly from an aquarium employee regarding the question of, “why don’t the sharks eat their tank mates?”
The short answer is: sometimes they do. This doesn’t happen very often though, for a couple of reasons. First, all the fish are kept very well fed, and well fed fish are much less likely to expend the effort to hunt down a tank mate. And second, we only pair the sharks with fish that are not their natural prey, making them less of a target.
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The Monterey Bay Aquarium had some difficulty related to this issue with a Giant Pacific Octopus. Octopi are extremely curious and intelligent, and this one kept escaping from its enclosure, sneaking into other exhibits to eat things, and then sneaking back into its own tank. Several unsuccessful attempts were made to make the octopus exhibit more secure. Ultimately they were able to discourage the octopus from trying to leave by laying Astroturf fabric down on the platform around the top of the tank. The octopus apparently strongly disliked the rough and pokey texture of the Astroturf and would just stay put.
lol a very good question. Well, sometimes they just eat each other because fish be fish ya know? so there is a lot of planning that goes into keeping animals that coexist well together in the same environment and making sure that there is plenty of space and food for all the creatures not only for their well-being, but to reduce environmental stress which in turn helps reduce predation. but yeah it depends on the tank and the species. well-fed and kept sharks for example are pretty chill with only a few extra fish lost a month whereas something like piranhas or cuttlefish need a species-specific tank. In general, though sick or injured fish will often get eaten if not removed from a tank. it’s also important to note that even well-behaved social types of fish will nibble on each other. Even mollies and guppies will take a few nips out of each other’s tails from time to time. Fish like the taste of fish and they aren’t that smart so there is kinda no stopping it at some point.
I once learned in a documentary that sharks and other predators in a tank are fed in regular intervals. The sharks will learn these and as long as they are being fed, they won‘t attack other animals because they don‘t feel the need
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