Emergency : Sick Bala Sharks & ID Shark | Freshwater Fish Disease and While some bala shark owners have noticed twitching in tandem with stressors or illness, its not indicative of correlation; it may just be a coincidence. After the spawning and fertilization takes place, it is necessary to then remove the parent fish from the tank. In their native habitats, Bala Sharks are also known by other names that include Tricolor Shark, Silver Bala, Silver Shark and Tri Color Minnows due to their unique colors and markings. Robert, Would a Bala Shark be okay with platies and tetras in the same tank? What constitutes a moderate portion? Choosing a small tank for your bala shark can stress them as they grow bigger and compete for food. Availability. Aggressive and non-compatible tank mates can make bala sharks stressed. Youll be rewarded with a healthy, happy aquarium filled with beautiful bala sharks! And they are happy together . This means that the fish should be kept separated in another tank before they reach puberty. A lot of Bala Shark owners reported that their fish play dead by floating upside down near the waters surface. Adding the Bala Shark to your fish tank - BarkleyAndPaws They tend not to eat many of the fry, but if you are concerned, make sure you have a lot of plants, both at the surface and the bottom for fry to hide in until they are larger. Avoid small fish. Watching fish swim about in an aquarium is truly fascinating, but its also a good idea to be mindful of changes in your fishs behavior. Just keep it on for a third of the day (or eight hours) and you will have very happy fish! The two often come hand-in-hand, as the increased water flow helps to circulate oxygen throughout the aquarium. Keep the bottom of the tank clear or add a breeding net to catch the eggs. However, a dark-colored pebbly substrate, around an inch thick, is closest to the substrate found in the fishs wild habitat.Theres also no need to fill bala sharks tanks with rocks or plants. Provide a similarly varied diet in captivity with a combination of live and dried foods. Keeping one bala shark in a tank is a significant stressor. Treat these fish with respect and provide them with clean, well-maintained tanks this will bring out the best in their personalities! Overfishing for the aquarium trade and forest fires in 1975 are two possible causes for the decrease in the wild population of bala sharks. This could lead to further digestive problems that can make the fish more vulnerable to the common fish diseases and ailments usually seen. Theyll be perfectly content with a pH between 6.0 and 8.0 that essentially means you can do anything from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline. Maybe he got hurt or something, check all your water parameters and turn off the lights for a day. These fish do not need special foods or supplements, and fish owners should simply strive to feed them a balanced diet for continued good health. Ive also kept tetras without issue, however most tetras need to shoal, so make sure your tank has enough room for a large group of tetras plus growing Bala Sharks. Well, a good rule of thumb is to opt for something with a flow rate thats 6 times the size of your tank. Overcrowding can decrease the chances of successful breeding. This means that you must ensure that the tank you pick for them is big enough to accommodate their current and future size. 1)One of my bala sharks has already died. Remember to remove the carbon filter during treatment because itll absorb the medication, rendering it useless. Other than diseases, Bala Sharks can develop white spots across their bodies due to stress. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. (3 Ways to Tell). On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. Algae Eaters: How Many To Have In A Fish Tank? Bala sharks also arent the only types of fish that twitch. Otherwise, these fish share no other traits or behaviors with sharks found in saltwater oceans. Open to fish, plants and reptiles living in freshwater or saltwater environments. I had no idea that he would get this big. This should be a small amount that takes the fish roughly 2 to 3 minutes to eat. Bala Shark Habitat and Tank Conditions Tank size. Overfishing for the aquarium trade and forest fires in 1975, Otocinclus: Oto Catfish Care Guide & Species Profile, Iridescent Shark Care Guide & Species Profile, Red Tail Shark Care Guide & Species Profile, The Clown Loach Care Guide: A Playful Bottom Dweller For Community Tanks, The Complete Guide to Rosy Red Minnows Care, What Do Goldfish Eat? Luckily, Lymphocystis isnt a fatal disease. They may not know what to do with themselves if they dont have enough room to swim back and forth in the aquarium. If this is seen, the fish often has a parasitic or bacterial infection and should be treated. Good examples include clown loaches, boesemani rainbowfish, and angelfish. You can leave the room light on. Aquarium Source is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This should subside as they navigate their surroundings. However, a dark-colored pebbly substrate, around an inch thick, is closest to the substrate found in the fishs wild habitat. Then, treat with over-the-counter medication. Follow the steps below: Test the water to ensure the conditions are ideal and that there's enough open space for the shark to swim around freely. It may just be one of those behaviors that they adopted that has no purpose. An unclean environment is a frequent stressor of all fish, so proper testing of nutrients within the water as well as any potential build up is needed often. The process of being bagged up, taken home, and added to an aquarium they arent used to is a lot of rapid change for a bala shark. Choosing the right tank that provides them with enough space and maintaining a healthy and suitable environment will protect your bala sharks from stress and keep them in good health. Bala Sharks are a large and interesting freshwater fish that many aquarium owners consider at one point or another. In the wild, these fish can be found in waters ranging from 72F to 82F. So far they are doing great with our 2 gouramis, 2 glo sharks, 4 guppies. Its body is lighter gray at the top than at the bottom. Caring for bala sharks is easy as long as you provide stable water conditions and enough space for these active swimmers to explore. You can buy them from the following reputable online stores:LiveAquariaImperial TropicalsAppearance & BehaviorBala sharks have long, silver bodies with bold, pointed fins. Clear Signs of Stress in Bala Sharks - Avid Aquarist You should also invest in a filter and a powerful pump to clean the aquarium more often. Tankarium is reader-supported. Make sure to remove any dead parasites and clean the tank to prevent re-infection. Like we mentioned above, there are certain water conditions that youll need to provide if you want your Bala Shark to thrive and live a long and healthy life. They also tend to stress shy or slow moving fish due to their constant vigorous activity in the tank. The first is the baseline water temperature. You can easily find them in pet stores. The ideal tank conditions for bala sharks are: The essentials for a bala sharks tank are a powerful external filter, natural tank lighting, and a high-quality water heater. Make sure that the water parameters are stable and pristine. JavaScript is disabled. Dropsy is a buildup of fluid inside the fish and is usually a symptom of a bacterial or parasitic infection. This one is a protozoan infection caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, hence the name. Aquatic plants can also be added to the tank for additional oxygenation. My name is Jeff, and my goal with this site is to share everything I've learned over the years about caring for aquatic life. We hope that after reading this post youll have a better understanding of the fish in general, and the kind of care that youll need to provide. Fish owners should also be aware that fish kept in captivity will not typically reproduce or breed. Bala sharks are timid and easily scared, and spend a lot of time hiding in caves and behind plants. Female bala sharks have rounder bellies than males. Wanda is a second-generation aquarist from the sunny tropics of Malaysia. Since these fish are rare in their natural abodes, most of these fish are bought from fish farms. Heres a quick overview on how to do so. Ich or stress on my Bala . Remove activated carbon media from the tanks filter while adding treatment to the water, because activated carbon will adsorb the medication.IchIch is one of the most common skin diseases amongst captive freshwater fish. The Basics of Breeding Bala Sharks - RateMyFishTank.com These include neon tetra, guppies, harlequin rasbora and other smaller fish types. Theyre not totally wrong since living in a confined space gives you more control over the fishs habitat to keep them healthy and happy. When it comes to plants and decor, bala sharks arent too fussy. Female bala sharks stop growing before the males, so male bala sharks are longer than females. You should also be sure your aquarium is big enough for your bala shark to swim around without feeling too cramped. Once the eggs hatch, feed the baby Bala sharks with a specialized fry food and pay close attention to their development.