Blood Parrot Black Spot Disease or Stress. Because Bala Sharks can grow to a large size, it is essential to give them plenty of protein in their diet to keep them growing strong. When alone, they are more likely to act a bit more aggressive. If you're concerned about your fish's health, it's important to take them to a qualified vet or fish store for diagnosis and treatment. Females often have a slightly rounded belly area and body type. Thankfully, there are a variety of fish species that make excellent companions for the bala shark. After the spawning and fertilization takes place, it is necessary to then remove the parent fish from the tank. What's more, Bala Sharks are sensitive to pH imbalance, and ignoring the expected range is one of the easiest ways to shorten their lifespan. Currently, I have 3 fish tanks at our home, where I enjoy this hobby with my Mom, Dad, and Younger Sister. So, lets dive in. The male Bala shark tends to grow a little larger than females. The male will then fertilize the eggs by releasing his milt over the eggs. These community fish like to. Perform a water change and treat with an antibiotic or antibacterial medication. Fish that are getting sick from water might exhibit behavior similar to twitching. The bala shark isnt a real freshwater shark. 6. Bala sharks do not protect their young, so it is important to remove the parents from the tank. To spur spawning, some fish breeders slowly increase the tank water temperature from 77 degrees up to 82 degrees. 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. With a little bit of care and dedication, your bala sharks should thrive in your tank! The actual aquarium used when the spawning process happens needs to be at least 65 gallons, and the temperature should be kept at 77 degrees for the ideal breeding environment. Bala fish are some very beautiful fish to have at home in an aquarium, and this is one of the best environments for them given that they are endangered. If you want to get in touch we encourage you to do so via our contact page. 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) Aquatic plants can also be added to the tank for additional oxygenation. This could lead to further digestive problems that can make the fish more vulnerable to the common fish diseases and ailments usually seen. Overfishing for the aquarium trade and forest fires in 1975 are two possible causes for the decrease in the wild population of bala sharks. Bala sharks should be fed two to three times a day, and with moderate portions. This can come in the form of frozen fish, brine shrimp, insect larvae, and worms. He is also a proud member of the, Fishkeeping Worlds 4-in-1 Bundle Set eBook. These silver sharks are vulnerable to stress if you keep them in poor tank conditions for a long time. High-quality dried food, like flakes and pellets, should make up the bulk of the bala sharks diet. However, this isnt actually the case. Some aquarists decide they would rather go with something that doesnt need such a large tank, and others get hooked on the idea of owning a Bala Shark right from the get-go. Bala sharks are peaceful fish that can be housed with other medium-to-large, peaceful fish. Bala sharks are interesting freshwater fish as they grow to a big size in a tank, making them the gentle giants of your aquarium. Theres also no need to fill bala sharks tanks with rocks or plants. Since these fish come from a tropical environment, and will be living in a large tank, they'll need a good heater to keep the large amount of water at the right temperature. Byron. I have a stressed bala shark, 6 or 7 years old.Seems to have been getting picked on by a little polka dot loach and now is displaying signs of stress: fins fraying, patches of scales turning a light gray and slightly raised. All-in-all, this is a pretty easy-going fish. Overfishing for the aquarium trade and forest fires in 1975 are two possible causes for the decrease in the wild population of bala sharks.The natural habitat of the bala shark is warm and densely vegetated, with a muddy, pebbly substrate. Bala sharks hail from the fast-flowing rivers of Southeast Asia. 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.After the female has laid eggs along the bottom of the tank, the male will fertilize the eggs with milt.Remove all fish from the tank, including the parents, to prevent the adults from eating the fry. These fish are sensitive to changing water parameters, so maintaining consistent water parameters and carrying out regular 2030% water changes are essential to prevent disease and stress. This authoritative reference eBook will not only help you learn how to create a healthy aquatic ecosystem without accidentally killing any of your fish, but itll also give you the momentum you need to build out your underwater empire. The bala shark ( Balantiocheilos melanopterus) also known as the tricolor shark, tricolor sharkminnow, silver shark, or shark minnow, is a fish of the family Cyprinidae, and is one of the two species in the genus Balantiocheilos. Adding some plankton, bloodworms or appropriate vegetable matter can increase their overall health. Despite what their namesake might make you think, bala sharks are not combative with other fish. It is crucial to give the fish enough space and room to swim during this process. In awhile, 30 to 50 percent of the water should be renewed carefully. By the time youre finished reading, youll know a ton about them and be able to decide if theyre a good fit for you. Can Twitching Be A Negative Bala Shark Behavior? This includes red patches, skin ulcers, bloody fins, deformed scales, blisters, or sores. Well, a good rule of thumb is to opt for something with a flow rate thats 6 times the size of your tank. The typical cost of a bala shark is $7 . However, these fish tend to get along well with many types of freshwater aquarium fish. All-in-all, the Bala Shark makes an excellent addition to almost any freshwater tank. Remove all fish from the tank, including the parents, to prevent the adults from eating the fry. To treat dropsy, add teaspoon of Epsom salt to every five gallons of water in the tank, and speak to your veterinarian about antibacterial medication for the disease. Theyre colored yellow, black and gray, and they can grow up to 12 inches, or 25-30 cm, in length making them relatively large for an aquarium fish. With regular maintenance and good care, these fish may live up to 10 years as they are considered basically hardy and prone to good health. Pay attention to any changes in the balas environment, like a changed diet. 2020 - 2023 eFishkeeping. 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. It can be difficult to tell apart the sexes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. At first we thought it was sand or gravel . They also flash against the gravel and other solid objects in the aquarium. This information should be more than enough to give you an idea of if this is the right fish for you. Replace the filter with an internal sponge filter that wont suck up the fry. Interested males and females will spawn early in the morning, lasting for a couple of hours. Here are some reasons why your fish might be stressed. This typically happens when you dont clean the tank and change the aquariums water frequently enough. Symptoms: White, wriggling parasites that can be seen attached to the outer skin of the fish. My bala sharks have white spots all over their fins and bodies. Add substrate, live plants, and other tank decors. Treat ich by removing the affected fish and placing them in a quarantine tank containing water that is a couple of degrees warmer than the home tanks temperature. So do I need to remove other two of them or completely take them out? Fungal infections are caused by spores that target the scales and skin of a fish. Most fish breeders recommend that at least 5 Bala Sharks be kept together during the breeding process to ensure that there is both male and female fish in the holding tank. They may be tiny when you first pick them up from the pet store, but will grow rapidly and exponentially with proper care. I just got a Bala shark wrongly labeled as a black fin shark in a tiny tank with a sucker fish. These fish need higher quality food, as they can get malnourished if fed poor quality foods. Raise the water temperature slightly and gradually before adding some salt. Keeping a single Bala Shark in the tank for a long time (you should keep at least 4 to 6), Introducing your fish to a new tank with different water conditions, Changing the water temperature or pH suddenly, Introduce aggressive fish species to the tank. If their twitching is indicative of stress, be sure that your aquarium is an adequate size for your fish. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. Fishkeeping World is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and any other affiliated sites. Tankarium is reader-supported. Hi, I keep Guppies with my Bala Sharks. Then, treat with over-the-counter medication. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Add one teaspoon of salt per one gallon of water in the tank.Tank MatesBala sharks are peaceful fish that can be housed with other medium-to-large, peaceful fish. I have a beautiful Bala shark in my 35 gallon tank. (8 Reasons +Top 4 Solutions!). Bala Sharks are an excellent freshwater aquarium fish. 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. Bala sharks are social fish and need to be in large numbers, so therefore a big tank in needed. Treat with a formalin or malachite green-based medication. Sexing the fish is difficult, and attempting breeding with a large group of fish increases the likelihood that there are males and females in the group. Overcrowding can stress balas greatly, and they might even leap out of the tank to die if their aquarium is too overcrowded. If you choose to have bala sharks in an aquarium with other fish of its kind or other fish that you know they can get along with, youre going to need a very big aquarium. Great tank mates for bala sharks include: In the wild, the bala sharks diet consists of insects, small crustaceans, plant matter, algae, and larvae. And they are happy together . Your Bala shark could be under stress and it may lead to color loss. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Make sure to remove any dead parasites and clean the tank to prevent re-infection. Keeping one bala shark in a tank is a significant stressor. WILDER Retired Moderator Retired Moderator Joined Quarantine infected fish, and treat with an antifungal medication. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. 6. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. You may need to contact the manufacturers directly to get an exact GPH rating, especially as many filters will not be able to handle this large of a tank. Bala Sharks, Bala Shark, Silver Shark, Tri-Color Minnow, Sharkminnow (Balantiocheilus melanopterus), Gets along with similarly sized community fish. However, if you see this happening, you must investigate the reason, as Bala Sharks dont do it on purpose. Twitching may help bala sharks move faster through the water. You can easily find them in pet stores. This can happen for several reasons, but its usually nothing to worry about if its only a few scales. It is crucial to have a good water filtration system, and fish owners should try to leave these fish undisturbed during this time frame. However, they may still suffer from some health conditions. It might become necessary to move some to other tanks to ensure enough room for growth and movement. Its body is lighter gray at the top than at the bottom. Making this a habit will help you provide better care for your Bala Sharks, and prevent you from having to deal with unwanted surprises. Being able to consistently keep the pH right in the middle of this range (somewhere just above 7) will give you a safe window of flux in the event that any out of the ordinary water changes happen in your tank. These infections can happen due to many reasons, such as: Some bacterial infections can cause obvious symptoms in your Bala Sharks. The ideal pH range for Bala Sharks is between 6.5 and 7.8. In terms of pH and water hardness, Bala sharks are pretty adaptable. Tankarium 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. When Bala Fish suffer from dropsy, you must quarantine the sick fish in separate tanks and bathe them in Epsom salt to reduce the swelling. An appropriate temperature range is 72 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (22.2 to 26.7 degrees Celsius). Bala sharks are pretty hardy and can live up to 10 years in captivity. This means that the fish should be kept separated in another tank before they reach puberty. After a few more hours, the unfertilized whitish spawn material can be safely removed. from getting diseases is to keep the water as clean as possible and provide an environment where they do not experience stress, anxiety, or distress. A well-formulated dry fish food. I decided that since it is a schooling fish that can get to a foot long, and my biggest tank is only 4 feet long that it would be best not to go that route. Dont get a bala shark if your tank is small or contains large predatory fish.Despite needing a larger tank than most aquarium fish, bala sharks are peaceful and beautiful to look at, making them a fantastic choice for people who have enough tank space to house the species.Related ArticlesFreshwater FishIridescent Shark Care Guide & Species ProfileDecember 14, 2018 RobertFreshwater FishRed Tail Shark Care Guide & Species ProfileJanuary 27, 2022 RobertFreshwater FishThe Clown Loach Care Guide: A Playful Bottom Dweller For Community TanksJuly 13, 2019 RobertFreshwater FishThe Complete Guide to Rosy Red Minnows CareJanuary 26, 2021 RobertFish Care & BreedingWhat Do Goldfish Eat? Dont house them with aggressive or carnivorous fish like neon tetras.Dont add non-fish species like shrimps and crabs to a bala shark tank, because they are known to eat crustaceans.Great tank mates for bala sharks include:Other bala sharks bala sharks are shoaling fish that should be housed in groups of at least fiveGouramisCorydorasRasborasRainbowfishDiet and FeedingIn the wild, the bala sharks diet consists of insects, small crustaceans, plant matter, algae, and larvae. Therefore, these active swimmers are most at home in freshwater tanks that replicate these water conditions. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. This is measured in dGH (degrees of general hardness) and the window youre aiming for is somewhere between 10 and 13. Should You Get a Bala Shark for Your Aquarium? This should subside as they navigate their surroundings. You should keep at least five or six balas in the same tank. Of course, you can always opt to use a smaller tank at first, then size up as your bala shark gets larger. 2023 Tankarium, a Found First Marketing company. Fully-grown bala sharks should be housed in a tank of at least 150 gallons, at least 5 feet across. Though I'm not positive, maybe someone will have a better diagnosis. Do your research before making any purchases! As you can see, most Bala Shark diseases are caused by poor water quality, whether due to contamination or keeping the fish in unfavorable conditions. [Top 5 Causes And Solutions]. Let the Bala Shark settle in and then add the Gouramis. To avoid overfeeding, feed the fish an amount it can eat within about two minutes. Fish Swimming In Circles? Immediate water change and increase aeration. Female bala sharks stop growing before the males, so male bala sharks are longer than females. 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. . They may not know what to do with themselves if they dont have enough room to swim back and forth in the aquarium. Millie is a passionate aquarist who caught the fishkeeping bug in high school and has been addicted ever since. Observe your Bala sharks for signs of dancing, as this is an indication that they are ready to breed. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. The fishs ventral fins are small and colored black or gray. 4. While another theory is that bala sharks twitch to communicate with other fish, either to defend themselves or intimidate others. Manage Settings No additional supplements are required as long as the fish has a balanced, diverse diet. Place your 150-gallon tank on a sturdy surface. A member of the Cyprinidae family of fish species, they (Balantiocheilus melanopterus) prefer fast-flowing rivers and streams in the Southeastern Asia countries of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Unless you live in a tropical climate, you will need an aquarium heater to maintain these temperatures. It may be OK, or there may have been internal damage. If you have to make any adjustments to the water pH, ensure it stays within the recommended range of 6.5 to 8. The most common issue that causes cloudy eyes is poor water conditions. When introducing them to a new tank they should be given approximately a month to settle into their new home. To avoid this scenario, always have several of them as they travel together in schools when in natural environments. Is it possible it is an injured area or is there some disease that may cause this? In their natural habitat, Bala Sharks usually live about 5 to 6 years due to harsh conditions. For the 150-gallon tank, that means you should look for a filter that has a flow rate of 900 gallons per hour (GPH). 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.

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