Sep 25, 2011. This can happen for several reasons, but its usually nothing to worry about if its only a few scales. While another theory is that bala sharks twitch to communicate with other fish, either to defend themselves or intimidate others. Bala Sharks may show signs of stress in various situations, such as: Keeping a single Bala Shark in the tank for a long time (you should keep at least 4 to 6) After that, youll need to sprinkle aquarium salts and ich treatment into the water. Bala sharks become sexually mature at around six months old, or when the fish have grown to four inches long. The most common issue that causes cloudy eyes is poor water conditions. They lock their fins to the side and stop moving them. 150 gallons may seem like a huge space and financial commitment, and it is. If you are concerned about them being stressed, check their water conditions to make sure the temperature is right and the quality is clean. I had no idea that he would get this big. How many sharks do you have and how big is the tank? Bala Sharks: A Guide to Care, Breeding, Diet & Behavior Fish with Ich have white spots on their scales and are often seen flashing (or scratching) against rough surfaces in the tank. I just got a Bala shark wrongly labeled as a black fin shark in a tiny tank with a sucker fish. We may earn a small commission through products purchased using links on this page. This means that the fish should be kept separated in another tank before they reach puberty. Hi William, I wouldnt advise adding Bala Sharks to an existing tank. I dosed the water and am planning on dosing again tomorrow. In most cases, Bala Sharks will play dead when they go into shock, which is somewhat similar to humans fainting. Your email address will not be published. Sometimes, Bala Sharks may charge into the glass walls due to their active and fast swimming. The longer the tank, the more space this middle-dwelling fish has to explore.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-1','ezslot_8',156,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-1','ezslot_9',156,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-1-0_1');.leader-1-multi-156{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}Bala sharks dont swim along the bottom of the tank or dig in the substrate, so theres no need to use a specific type of substrate. Although not considered an aggressive fish species, Bala Sharks can eat smaller fish, especially those that are smooth and sleek, as they get bigger. I have 2 balas and 3 Corey cats what kind of fruit and vegetables can I feed them and what plants can I put in there tank, I have a massive bala sharj i keep her in a 3ft tank she is housed with baby cichlids bristlenose plecs & male & female kribs she gets on great with them & leaves the babies alone i change water every 2 weeks & clean internal filter every week i had 4 to start with but 3 died but had her years learnt well & i have never done ph tests theres rocks boat & plastic plants along the botton plus i have 2 air supplies running & shes very happy but does not like ne in her tank as she splashes ne loads when it comes to tank clean but i must say i love her lol, I love reading the ads my bala shark is in a 3 foot tank also in there are african cichlid fry 2 kribs male female & 2 female * 1 male bristle nose plecs that breed so have pleco fry aswell * it works well. If you notice any sick bala shark in the aquarium, remove it and keep it in a separate tank until it improves. The tank water temperature is yet another important factor to consider when setting up a Bala shark tank. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Here are a few things youll need: With a little bit of care and dedication, your bala sharks should thrive in your tank! Afterward, fish owners can expect to see small fry in 3 to 4 more days if the process was successful. Just be sure you give them the best home possible so that, if their twitching is a sign of stress, it stops and they get back to living a swimmingly fulfilling life. Bala sharks can be purchased online easily, but the fish are difficult to find in small, local fish stores. Make sure that every new arrival has been properly quarantined for at least two weeks. 6. They can jump quite high, and are known to escape aquariums by doing so. Make sure these plants are properly anchored to the substrate, as bala sharks are active swimmers that may uproot them. Reduced immunity due to other diseases or poor nutrition. But if you like watching bala sharks, you might notice a few things that show that your fish arent OK. A good, nutritious diet is important to every fish, and Bala sharks are no different. Breeding bala sharks is moderately difficult and best attempted by aquarists with fish-breeding experience. This is measured in dGH (degrees of general hardness) and the window youre aiming for is somewhere between 10 and 13. Furthermore, you need to keep your water clean by removing old water and replacing it occasionally. How should you size the filter? If you have other fish in the aquarium that may potentially pose a threat to them, they might exhibit behaviors such as twitching in an effort to keep those fish away. Anything outside of that can cause serious health complications Bala Shark. You can also add other decorations like driftwood, rocks, and caves. 1)One of my bala sharks has already died. When buying a bala shark, make sure the fish has been bred in captivity, to protect the species wild populations.The typical cost of a bala shark is $7 to $10. Males are typically a bit larger in size. All rights reserved. The male Bala shark tends to grow a little larger than females. Overcrowding can decrease the chances of successful breeding. These fish are large enough to deter your bala sharks from chowing down on them, while remaining relatively peaceful. Partly due to their potential for growing quite large, they might be prone to hogging the food when it comes to food. The two often come hand-in-hand, as the increased water flow helps to circulate oxygen throughout the aquarium. Fish that are getting sick from water might exhibit behavior similar to twitching. This fish is well known for its congenial manner, and they tend to do well living with many other different fish species. How to tell if a Bala shark is dying? This one is a protozoan infection caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, hence the name. These affable fish travel in schools when in the wild, and fish owners should purchase several of these Bala Sharks at a time as they like company. Fortunately for aquarists, Bala Sharks are very low maintenance in this regard. Youll be rewarded with a healthy, happy aquarium filled with beautiful bala sharks! Bala sharks have long, torpedo-shaped, silvery-gray bodies with silver or yellow fins edged with black. By mindyt5, 2 years ago on Tropical Fish. All Rights Reserved. Bala sharks have sensitive eyes that see better in tannin-rich waters. Sores and ulcers on the body and head, ragged, bloody fins. It may just be one of those behaviors that they adopted that has no purpose. Make sure to opt for a heater thats rated for the size of your bala fish tank 150 gallons, per our minimum tank size recommendation. I also have some platys. Here are some signs that your bala sharks might be stressed. You can easily find them in pet stores. Did you find this care guide helpful? When a Bala Shark suffers from a fungal infection, it develops a fluffy growth that is usually white. To combat this, special hormone injections are necessary to spur and stimulate this breeding nature. These signs vary depending on the individual shark but can include changes in behavior, such as swimming in a different direction or staying close to the water's surface. Think carefully before choosing tank mates for your bala sharks, as they might stress them and make them uncomfortable. So do I need to remove other two of them or completely take them out? Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Just both 4 of them two days back. With patience and dedication, you can successfully breed Bala sharks in your home aquarium. Bala sharks are fast, active swimmers that dart around the middle of the tank. So without further ado, lets dive in! I was thinking it was Ick so I've begun treating the tank, but none of the other fish in the tank have the spots except the bala sharks. Bala sharks should be fed two to three times a day, and with moderate portions. These tend to be just 3 to 4 inches when first bought, and fish owners are often surprised to learn that the adult size can be up to 1 foot or 13 inches. Bala sharks are popular with aquarists due to their shark-like body shapes and striking fin patterns. For aesthetic purposes, you can go with a full-spectrum LED light that replicates the natural day and night cycle of their natural habitat. After this happens, it is usually recommended that the tanks air/water filtration system be switched to a single sponge type filter that is placed internally to keep the small fry from being sucked in. Tankarium is reader-supported. Hi! Best Tank: SC Aquariums 150-gallons Starfire Glass Aquarium, Best Heater: AQQA 1200 Watt Submersible Heater. 8 Causes of White Spots on Your Bala Shark - Avid Aquarist A well-formulated dry fish food. You should notice the females becoming rounder than normal, indicating the development of eggs. Interested males and females will spawn early in the morning, lasting for a couple of hours. Smart Bala Shark care should include monitoring them for signs of common fish ailments like dropsy that causes them to swell, and ich which results in white spots on their scales. If you have to make any adjustments to the water pH, ensure it stays within the recommended range of 6.5 to 8. 5. So, lets dive in. Female bala sharks stop growing before the males, so male bala sharks are longer than females. Unless you live in a tropical climate, you will need an aquarium heater to maintain these temperatures. Its body is lighter gray at the top than at the bottom.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',145,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',145,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1-0_1');.banner-1-multi-145{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}The bala sharks small, closely-packed scales are iridescent, meaning that they reflect light as the fish moves, creating a shimmering appearance.Typical BehaviorThe bala shark is a peaceful fish that gets along well with other peaceful species in a community tank.

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