Sharksucker (Remora)
Echeneis naucrates
The Desperate Hitchhiker (40 inches / 100 cm). Should NEVER be sold in the hobby. It has a powerful suction cup on its head used to stick to wild sharks.
Wassertemperatur
22 - 28 °C
pH-Wert
8.1 - 8.4
Wassertyp
Meerwasser
Tankfüllstand
Mitte
Erwachsenengröße
100 cm
Mindesttankvolumen
>= 500 L
Mindestgruppe
>= 1
KH
4 - 6 dKH
Artbeschreibung
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Circumglobal MARINE species present in almost all temperate and tropical oceans. Inhabits both coastal coral reefs and open oceanic waters (pelagic), almost always in association with marine megafauna.
Taxonomy and Morphology: Live Sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates). The most common remora. Features an incredibly hydrodynamic and elongated body. Its iconic characteristic is the first dorsal fin modified into a large oval sucker disk on the head, equipped with transverse lamellae.
Social Behavior: Commensal symbiont. Spends its life attaching itself via the cranial disk to sharks, rays, turtles, or boats. In the absence of a host in the tank, it swims tirelessly looking for a hold (often the glass or filter pipes).
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Longitudinal striped livery: dark gray/black on the back, a marked lateral black band bordered with pure white crossing the eye, and a white belly. Dark fins with white margins. Sexually monomorphic.
Pflege, Zucht und Mitbewohner
Aquarium Setup: Requires immense aquariums or public tanks (minimum 3000-5000 liters / 800-1300 gallons) as it reaches one meter (39 inches) in length. The aquarium must have huge open spaces for free swimming and total absence of sharp obstacles.
Diet and Feeding: Opportunistic carnivore. In nature, it feeds on the leftovers of the host shark's meals and skin parasites. In the aquarium, it is a voracious and undemanding eater: devours squid, shrimp, pieces of fish, and krill without any difficulty.
Water Quality: Tolerant of slight variations, but requires excellent filtration to manage the organic load. Standard marine water (Salinity 1.020-1.025, pH 8.1-8.4). Strong oxygenation is vital.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: Not an aggressive fish, but will attach its sucker to any fish large enough (e.g. large Groupers or benthic sharks), causing them very strong chronic stress and skin abrasions. Totally unsuitable for standard home keeping.
Aquarium Breeding: No information on captive reproduction. They are pelagic spawners in the open sea.
Risks and Diseases: Stress caused by the lack of a large host to attach to leads them to swim compulsively against the glass, causing rostral trauma. Capture at sea with fishing lines often leaves severe damage to the mouth.
Geografische Herkunft und Verbreitung
Circumglobal MARINE species present in almost all temperate and tropical oceans. Inhabits both coastal coral reefs and open oceanic waters (pelagic), almost always in association with marine megafauna.
Ursprung
Kosmopolitisch oder eingeführtTropische Ozeane und Riffe
Fischprofil
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- While not inherently aggressive in a predatory sense toward large fish, their physical attachment behavior is highly disruptive. They can cause lesions, stress, and secondary infections on the hosts they clamp onto. Smaller fish will simply be viewed as a food source and eaten quickly. They require a very specific, carefully planned community of robust, similarly sized predators.
- Diät
- Omnivore
- As a highly opportunistic carnivore, the Echeneis naucrates requires a robust diet of meaty marine foods. They should be offered chopped fish, squid, clams, and large shrimp. In the wild, they scavenge scraps from their host's meals and hunt small fish. Providing a varied, nutrient-rich diet is essential to support their rapid growth and high metabolism.
- Lebenserwartung
- 10-15 years
- Erwachsenengröße
- 100 cm
- Geschlechterverhältnis
- Solitary
- There are no distinct, easily observable sexual dimorphisms between males and females of this species. Because they are typically kept singly in captivity due to their immense size, sex ratios are rarely a concern. In the wild, they may gather in larger numbers around a massive host. For aquarium purposes, an individual is usually kept without regard to its specific sex.
- Fütterungsfrequenz
- Twice daily
- These fast-growing predators have voracious appetites and should be fed daily. Young specimens may even benefit from multiple feedings per day to sustain their growth rate. As they mature, a single large daily meal is usually sufficient to maintain their health. Care must be taken not to overfeed, as uneaten food will quickly degrade water quality.
- Bioload
- Extreme
- The Echeneis naucrates grows to a very large size and inherently produces a massive bioload. They eat substantial amounts of food, which directly translates to significant waste output. A heavy-duty filtration system equipped with large protein skimmers is an absolute necessity. Frequent, large-scale water changes are mandatory to keep nutrient levels in check.
- Fluss
- Moderate
- Echeneis naucrates needs steady, moderate circulation distributed across the aquarium rather than a narrow, forceful jet. Requires immense aquariums or public tanks (minimum 3000-5000 liters / 800-1300 gallons) as it reaches one meter (39 inches) in length. The aquarium must have huge open spaces for free swimming and total absence of sharp obstacles. This preserves useful water exchange while retaining calmer shelter for rest and feeding.
- Sprungrisiko
- Yes
- The Echeneis naucrates poses a significant jump risk due to its strong swimming abilities and tendency to breach the surface. Heavy, secured lids are completely mandatory to prevent them from launching out of the aquarium. Even slight gaps around plumbing or filtration returns can be escape routes. Never underestimate their power and agility when startled.
- Reproduktion
- Oviparous
- Reproduction of this species in a home aquarium setting is virtually unheard of. They are pelagic spawners, releasing their eggs and sperm directly into the open ocean currents. The resulting larvae undergo a complex planktonic phase before settling. The sheer spatial requirements for their spawning rituals make captive breeding impossible for hobbyists.
- Kompatibilität & Tankkameraden
- Semi-aggressive
- This species is uniquely adapted to attach itself to larger hosts like sharks or rays. In a home aquarium, they will attempt to attach to any large, flat-sided fish, which can cause severe stress to the host. They will also readily consume any fish or invertebrate small enough to fit in their mouths. They are only suitable for massive public aquariums or extremely large specialized predator systems.
- Tankfüllstand
- Middle
- They are incredibly active fish that will utilize every level of the aquarium water column. When not attached to the glass or a large tank mate via their modified dorsal fin, they cruise constantly. You will see them swimming near the surface, navigating the middle, and sweeping across the bottom. Their dynamic swimming patterns require a vast amount of open space.
Wissenschaftliche Modelle & Parameter
FishBase
Zugang zu den offiziellen wissenschaftlichen Daten der Art
FishBase v25.04Daten synchronisiert am: 15.06.2026
- Trophäenniveau
- 3,7 ± 0,3 se
- Belastbarkeit
- Mittel (1,4 - 4,4 Jahre)
- Phylogenetische Einzigartigkeit (PD50)
- 0.7539
- Bayessche Längen-Gewichts-Beziehung
- a = 0.00257, b = 3.17
- AnfälligkeitHohe bis sehr hohe Anfälligkeit (66 / 100)
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