Bala sharks do not protect their young, so it is important to remove the parents from the tank. They may be tiny when you first pick them up from the pet store, but will grow rapidly and exponentially with proper care. In the wild, these fish can be found in waters ranging from 72F to 82F. Bala sharks grow up to 14 inches long. Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! Some bacterial infections and reduced immunity may also display cloudy eyes as a symptom, but its usually rare when compared to other reasons. A bala sharks twitches are a series of rapid movements that are extremely quick. 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. Many people assume that the Bala Shark is best left to experienced fishkeepers. 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. Avoid small fish. I mostly have gold fish. They lock their fins to the side and stop moving them. 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. These twitches, being somewhat mysterious, could be an indicator of normal behavior or potential stressors that you need to watch out for. 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. 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. Although they might seem interesting, poor handling, like squeezing the fish's body or touching the eyes or the gills, can cause stress. The two often come hand-in-hand, as the increased water flow helps to circulate oxygen throughout the aquarium. To play it safe we always recommend a minimum tank size thats on the larger end of this spectrum as a starting point. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. House bala sharks in a freshwater tank and feed them an omnivorous diet. Choosing a small tank for your bala shark can stress them as they grow bigger and compete for food. Bala Shark Has White Spots? (Reasons, Treatment, Prevention) They can actually get along with a plethora of other types of fish. However, this is not absolutely necessary, and many fish owners simply leave the bottom floor area clear for better viewing. The most popular signs of stress are lack of activity and lost appetite. The fish ram themselves into the tanks walls. 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. As diurnal fish, they are more active in the day than the night.Bala sharks are timid and easily scared, and spend a lot of time hiding in caves and behind plants.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',155,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',155,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2-0_1');.large-leaderboard-2-multi-155{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 Shark Care & Tank RequirementsCaring for bala sharks is easy as long as you provide stable water conditions and enough space for these active swimmers to explore. When introducing them to a new tank they should be given approximately a month to settle into their new home. These infections can happen due to many reasons, such as: Some bacterial infections can cause obvious symptoms in your Bala Sharks. Otherwise, these fish share no other traits or behaviors with sharks found in saltwater oceans. Bala Sharks: Complete Care Guide To Freshwater Sharks - Tankarium I would feed everyone as normal but see if he eats? It also means that the care level is quite manageable. When kept in an aquarium, they tend to eat just about any type of fish food including both live options and dried flake food selections. When in their natural habitat, Bala Sharks are omnivores that eat insects, larvae, algae, plant portions, and small crustaceans. Symptoms: Fins become ragged and may have holes, Causes: External injuries, stress, poor water quality. Partly due to their potential for growing quite large, they might be prone to hogging the food when it comes to food. Bala sharks have gray or silver bodies with long, pointed yellow or gray fins edged with black. External parasites can be seen attached to the body or gills of the fish, and are introduced to the tank through new fish, live foods, or plants.Use veterinarian-approved medications or insecticides to kill parasites. He is about 4 to 5 inches. Bala Shark has a distinctive shape with a . Once the eggs hatch, feed the baby Bala sharks with a specialized fry food and pay close attention to their development. One more comment/question would a Bala shark be okay living with an Oscar fish? Fish that are getting sick from water might exhibit behavior similar to twitching. How to Keep a Bala Shark: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow Ich or stress on my Bala. Fortunately for aquarists, Bala Sharks are very low maintenance in this regard. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Dont add non-fish species like shrimps and crabs to a bala shark tank, because they are known to eat crustaceans. 5. Bala Shark 101 Care Guide for Beginners - Avid Aquarist Dropsy is a common disease that many fish species may suffer from, including Bala Sharks. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. White Spots on Bala Sharks | Aquarium Forum Do your research before making any purchases! 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. The bala sharks small, closely-packed scales are iridescent, meaning that they reflect light as the fish moves, creating a shimmering appearance. It might become necessary to move some to other tanks to ensure enough room for growth and movement. Symptoms: White spots on the body, fins, or eyes, Causes: Poor water quality, stress, or overcrowding. Were always on the lookout for feedback and ways we can improve. No additional supplements are required as long as the fish has a balanced, diverse diet.BreedingBreeding bala sharks is moderately difficult and best attempted by aquarists with fish-breeding experience. 354 354. After all, these fish will be kept in 150-gallon tanks. All of these levels can be easily monitored with a thermometer and a basic water testing kit. All these parasites come with new additions to the tank, whether its water, food, new fish, etc. Why Do Bala Sharks Twitch? Is This Normal? Aquatic Byte These omnivores enjoy a wide variety of flake foods and live protein, and will be happy with pretty much anything you can find in your local fish stores! How many sharks do you have and how big is the tank? Using a testing kit, you can monitor and adjust the water parameters to make them more suitable for your bala sharks. It is crucial to give the fish enough space and room to swim during this process. However, we recommend testing the feeder out first. Use a thermometer to measure temperature stability and test kits to check water parameters. 6. Use a stabilizer to maintain healthy conditions in your tank. Complete Guide to Feeding Your Pet Goldfish, Marine Aquarium Societies of North America, 10 Types of Freshwater Sharks & How to Care for Them, Bala shark, silver shark, tricolor shark, tricolor sharkminnow, Silver with gray or yellow and black fins, Minimum 150 gallons, plus 45 gallons for every extra fish, Yes, to provide a fast current that mimics the current in the fishs natural habitat, Pumps contribute to a fast-flowing current, but arent essential, No, additional aeration from a bubbler isnt necessary, Yes, a freshwater aquarium light should provide at least 8 hours of light per day, to encourage plant growth and provide a day-to-night cycle, Yes, to provide consistently warm waters for this tropical fish, Other bala sharks bala sharks are shoaling fish that should be housed in groups of at least five. 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. Personally, however, we prefer to go with the large tank right away. To breed bala sharks, follow these steps: Bala sharks are unique-looking fish that provide plenty of entertainment in a home aquarium. Constant twitching accompanied by frantic swimming or a change in appearance could be a bad sign. They do have a preference for water thats on the softer end of things, but will be happy with medium hardness as well. Afterward, fish owners can expect to see small fry in 3 to 4 more days if the process was successful. Can I get a Bala shark to go in with these. All fish are stressed by being netted and moved to a new environment, and many take time to regain their normal behaviours. Bala sharks are pretty hardy and can live up to 10 years in captivity. Inspired by my Dad, I got interested in fishkeeping when I was a kid. Look for nutritious foods that provide the vitamins, minerals, and proteins needed for these fish to grow to their full potential. Some food types can make the balas sick and stressed. This information should be more than enough to give you an idea of if this is the right fish for you. Take some time to think about it, and always default to doing whats best for the fish. 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. 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. It may be OK, or there may have been internal damage. If you want to get in touch we encourage you to do so via our contact page. Best Tank: SC Aquariums 150-gallons Starfire Glass Aquarium, Best Heater: AQQA 1200 Watt Submersible Heater. Adding the Bala Shark to your fish tank - BarkleyAndPaws This can happen due to medical conditions, such as neurological infections that attack their central nervous systems. For the 150-gallon tank, that means you should look for a filter that has a flow rate of 900 gallons per hour (GPH). For aesthetic purposes, you can go with a full-spectrum LED light that replicates the natural day and night cycle of their natural habitat. This means that the fish should be kept separated in another tank before they reach puberty. Remember to remove the carbon filter during treatment because itll absorb the medication, rendering it useless. Fish Fasting 101: Everything You Need to Know! Although bala sharks are big fish, theyre docile and peaceful. Bala Shark Fins Fraying, Gray Scales | Freshwater Fish Disease and Top 5 Reasons You Must Know! Think carefully before choosing tank mates for your bala sharks, as they might stress them and make them uncomfortable. Of course, you can always opt to use a smaller tank at first, then size up as your bala shark gets larger. They are peaceful fish with laid-back personalities.Colors, Patterns, Fins, and Sex DifferencesThe bala shark isnt a real freshwater shark. They also flash against the gravel and other solid objects in the aquarium. The most popular viral infection in Bala Sharks is Lymphocystis. All information, content, materials on this site, or obtained from a website to which the site is linked are provided to you as is without warranty of any kind either express or implied.

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