Finally, if you want to add a bit of color and texture to your aquarium, consider adding plastic plants, artificial rocks, and other decorations. Flukes is the term used to describe various types of external fish parasites. Bala sharks are interesting freshwater fish as they grow to a big size in a tank, making them the gentle giants of your aquarium. Fish with Ich have white spots on their scales and are often seen flashing (or scratching) against rough surfaces in the tank. A Bala shark that is kept alone in a tank may eventually start displaying signs of . You should avoid filling the tank with big or aggressive fish that might startle your bala sharks. Within 24 hours, small larvae can begin to be visible. Install the filter, heater, pump, and airstone. The Basics of Breeding Bala Sharks - RateMyFishTank.com Just be sure to do your research before feeding them any unfamiliar foods and this applies to veggies. (50 gallon tank). The typical cost of a bala shark is $7 to $10. Fortunately for aquarists, Bala Sharks are very low maintenance in this regard. At the store the employee was having trouble finding a bag that didn't have a hole in it, so he had to move the fish from one bag to another three times, I know this can be stressful for it. The answer to that last question is a definitive no, but well also answer every other question in this in-depth article! Signs of stress are often seen in bala sharks when theyre not kept in the right conditions. However, a few plants, like anubias, can make them feel more at home in captivity and provide a hiding place for tired or nervous fish. 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. Clown Loach Care: Tank Size, Food, Lifespan, Tank Mates, Dojo Loach Care 101 (aka Weather Or Pond Loach), Sohal Tang Care Guide: Diet, Mates, Tank Size & Breeding, Chevron Tang Care Guide: Lifespan, Diet, Mates & Tanks, Clown Tang Care: Diet, Tank Size, Mates and Breeding. Keep the bottom of the tank clear or add a breeding net to catch the eggs. However, this isnt actually the case. Aggressive and non-compatible tank mates can make bala sharks stressed. White Spots on Bala Sharks | Aquarium Forum Isolate the dancing pair and place them in a 60-gallon breeding tank. Remove all fish from the tank, including the parents, to prevent the adults from eating the fry. These tend to be very active, and they make great home aquarium fish as they are interesting to watch. How to Keep a Bala Shark: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow If this fish is on its own, that will cause additional stress. These white spots irritate the fish skin, so itll swim erratically and rub itself against objects and tank walls. These infections can happen due to many reasons, such as: Some bacterial infections can cause obvious symptoms in your Bala Sharks. Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! 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. Conclusion. Because bala sharks hail from the tropical climate of Southeast Asia, they require warm temperatures between 72-82F. Provide a similarly varied diet in captivity with a combination of live and dried foods.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2','ezslot_14',136,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',136,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2-0_1');.leader-2-multi-136{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}High-quality dried food, like flakes and pellets, should make up the bulk of the bala sharks diet. This can happen due to medical conditions, such as neurological infections that attack their central nervous systems. 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. The last factor when it comes to tank conditions is the lighting. Though bala sharks arent commonly found in the ocean anymore, they still have those natural instincts to want to protect themselves. Bala shark - Wikipedia All Rights Reserved. Obviously, the more fish you have, the more room they will need. As it gets large, 14-16+ inches, that means at the very least a 6-foot tank but better in 7-8 feet. Maybe he's just stressed from all the bagging, was he acting normal in the petstore tanks? In their native habitats, they are accustomed to mosquito larvae, which is a widely available protein source in the rivers of Southeast Asia. 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. Appetite is good, behavior is normal, the other younger bala is now sticking close by to help fend off the loach. You can easily find them in pet stores. Hi, I keep Guppies with my Bala Sharks. Fully-grown bala sharks should be housed in a tank of at least 150 gallons, at least 5 feet across. 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. Bala Shark is a kind of shark that lives in the Water should have a hardness of 10 to 13 dGH and a pH of 6.5 to 8. 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. Female bala sharks stop growing before the males, so male bala sharks are longer than females. It really depends on the size of your Bala shark, but a good rule of thumb is to provide an amount of food that can be consumed in a few minutes. Heres a fun little factoid: Bala sharks are not, in fact, true sharks. Keeping one bala shark in a tank is a significant stressor. What do they eat? Millie is a passionate aquarist who caught the fishkeeping bug in high school and has been addicted ever since. Keep Reading: Why Do Bala Sharks Have White Spots? The typical cost of a bala shark is $7 . But if you like watching bala sharks, you might notice a few things that show that your fish arent OK. Then, treat with over-the-counter medication. Most fish experts recommend that about 25 to 35 percent of the tank water be renewed each week to keep them healthy, comfortable and happy in their environment. Also, the Bala Shark itself can become prone to stress if there are . Due to their large body size, its easy to assume that Bala sharks need lots and lots of food the more, the merrier. These twitches, being somewhat mysterious, could be an indicator of normal behavior or potential stressors that you need to watch out for. Bala Shark: Care Guide, Pictures, Types, Lifespan & More I have a beautiful Bala shark in my 35 gallon tank. Hi William, I wouldnt advise adding Bala Sharks to an existing tank. Think carefully before choosing tank mates for your bala sharks, as they might stress them and make them uncomfortable. Hi I have a Bala shark thats around 12 inches I started of with 4 but I gave away 2 of them after about 3 months as they were getting picked on and eventually another so Im only left with the one but a friend has asked if I can re home his mollies in my tank Im not sure with the Bala and a fully grown pleco any advice please? He was being chased by a red tail shark & another larger bala, lost weight (because of being bullied), eventually showed red in his fins, fins started to deteriorate after being nipped and after being quarantined still died. Many fish owners also like to add a bit of finely diced spinach and/or fruits as well. Each bala shark is different in how often they might twitch. Make sure to remove any dead parasites and clean the tank to prevent re-infection. Fish that are getting sick from water might exhibit behavior similar to twitching. Bala Sharks turning white? | Freshwater Fish Disease and Health Forum Continue with Recommended Cookies, Resources Freshwater Fish Bala SharkBala Shark (Silver Shark) Size, Tank, Food, Lifespan & MoreFebruary 24, 2022 RobertThe bala shark is a freshwater species of the Cyprinidae family. The other one does not have this and I can't recall seeing it before on this one. Symptoms: Fins become ragged and may have holes, Causes: External injuries, stress, poor water quality. Fish infected with Ich develop a sprinkling of tiny white spots on their fins, gill covers, and bodies. Algae wafers are a great way to add plant matter to their diet, but some Bala sharks may also enjoy fresh vegetables like blanched peas or spinach. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Although bala sharks are big fish, theyre docile and peaceful. Ich is one of the most common skin diseases amongst captive freshwater fish. Disclosure: Our website is reader-supported. So do I need to remove other two of them or completely take them out? No additional supplements are required as long as the fish has a balanced, diverse diet. Generally speaking, this particular behavior has been observed to last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes at a time. Replace the filter with an internal sponge filter that wont suck up the fry. Replace the filter with an internal sponge filter that wont suck up the fry.Perform a 50% water change and add antibacterial solutions to the water. Once the eggs hatch, feed the baby Bala sharks with a specialized fry food and pay close attention to their development. Female bala sharks have rounder bellies than males.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',109,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4-0_1');.medrectangle-4-multi-109{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 average lifespan of a bala shark is between eight and ten years.AvailabilityBala sharks can be purchased online easily, but the fish are difficult to find in small, local fish stores.
