FW Minnow Sharks, Ariid Catfish Shark... comp. mostly  6/5/06
Crew:
<<Paula. Tom with you.>>
I was reading your information on the different types of sharks/minnows. Under the Apollo shark it said "best kept singly." Does this mean only this fish in a small tank or only one of this type of fish along with others in a tank?
<<These fish don't get along with others of their species or with similar types of fish. Not an uncommon situation with certain varieties.>>
Also, will tri-color, iridescent, and Apollo sharks get along without fighting in one tank that holds about 40-50 gallons?
<<The Tri-color (Bala) Shark will quickly outgrow this tank. It's active and fast requiring lots of swimming room. Scratch the Iridescent Shark from your list completely. It can reach over three feet in length and shouldn't be sold to hobbyists. The Apollo Shark will probably see the Tri-color Shark as an adversary due to the similarities in their appearances. A 50-gallon tank would probably suffice for the Apollo Shark, however.>>
Thanks for the help.
Paula
<<Please continue your research, Paula. I commend you for doing your homework but there's still much to learn. My best. Tom>>

Freshwater Sharks?  Really Cyprinids - 08/18/2005
Hello Wet Web Media Crew,
<Hello, Mark; Sabrina with you, today!>
First of all I would like to thank you for the time you have taken to respond to this e-mail.
<You bet.>
I just purchased a 90 gallon tank from my friend. The tank is in great condition. I am looking to find a freshwater shark, and I was hoping to find some options. I have been doing a lot of research today on freshwater sharks.
<I have to assume, if you've been researching, that you know that there are no such true sharks that exist solely in fresh water....  And that the cuties that we refer to as "sharks" (balas, rainbows, red-tails) are actually Cyprinids. Minnows, essentially.>
I have read about the small species such as Bala sharks and redtail sharks.
<Balas are by no means small, easily capable of reaching over a foot in length.>
However, I am interested in getting something larger, but small enough to fit in a 90 gallon tank.
<Balas are perfect.>
I was wondering if there are any types of freshwater sharks that can fit and live in a 90 gallon freshwater tank. Thank you very much.
<See here:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/minnowshks.htm  and also here:  http://www.fishbase.com/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=6089&genusname=Balantiocheilos&speciesname=melanopterus .  A small group of balas would be ideal.>
Mark
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Tri-color/Bala Shark
hello 
My name is Matija and I just got a tri color shark. It is about half an inch big and I was wondering how big is it going to grow, if it is going to grow. Also what kind of food should I give to it. I have gold fish food and people in the pet store told me that that food is fine. also if you can give me some tips on what should the temperature of the water be and how often should I feed it. Thank you very much and I hope I will hear soon from you.
Matija
<Thank you for writing. I wonder if this actually is what most folks call a "Tri color shark", aka Bala shark (Balantiocheilus melanapterus)... as the very small size at retail surprises me... This minnow-like fish (same family as your goldfish) does get quite big in the wild... a couple of feet, though rarely half this in captivity (most jump out onto the floor when no one is around to put them back in the tank, so keep your tank top completely covered!). This "shark" actually needs more meaty, high protein food than your goldfish, and I would at least supplement its diet with a tropical fish staple food... fed at least twice a day. Some frozen, defrosted foods like brine shrimp (best fed in the morning) would be good for it and your goldfish as well. 
The temperature is a bit tough to accommodate both the goldfish (which are cooler water) and the tropical "sharks" but something in the low to mid seventies should be good for both. Set your aquarium heater thermostat to around this (have your parents help here, it's a bit tricky). Be chatting. Bob Fenner>

Chlorine Problems 8/5/05
Hello, First time participating in a web based FYI session.  I thought I would send along my experience with the Bala swimming inverted
(simulating an infected swim bladder) and listless with heavy breathing and sometimes they dart in all directions. I have lost about
2 dozen fish in my experience and would like to share what I found.  I came across your page searching for albino Labeo chrysophekadion since
I have a 16-18 year old fish and thought I would start searching for companions.  Anyhow,  I had 8 Bala's all around the 7-9 inch size in a
tank which was fueled by well water.  I moved to city water and within the first two water changes lost all of them to toxic poisoning.  I
change my water once every 2 - 4 weeks and about 1/3 to 1/2 the water at a time.  They were in a 70 gallon tank. This occurred 7 seven years
ago and with experimentation and scientific methods I noticed it was mostly related to the chlorine levels in the supply water.  My pattern
was that I restocked the Bala's in spring and every winter they would expire to poisoning.  Throughout the past seven years a water softener
was added to minimize some of the incoming toxins, and to a point it did make a difference.  I found out that the cities water department
was increasing their chlorine levels in the water supply for a failing pump and well.  Last summer the pump was replaced and I have had no
casualties since when executing a water change.  I found out that silver scaled fish are more susceptible to toxic poisoning so I
suppose that Arowana's and Silver Dollars are in this category also. I do take precautions when preparing to change my water especially in
the winter. The city engineer reminded me that the chlorine levels will stay higher in colder temperatures since it doesn't have a chance
to "burn off".  So when changing water in late November to the end of March I never change more than a 1/3 of water unless my chlorine test
strip (made by Jungle) assures me that the level is safe.  I noticed that a lot of Bala Shark discussion occurs on the page
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwshkfaqs.htm and I think that Chlorine Levels (especially from government water supplies
instead of private wells) could be the culprit.  Hope my experiences help and maybe provides longer lives for the sharks in the hobbyist
tanks. Robert
< We will pass this along so others may learn from your experiences.-Chuck>

A Shark By Any Other Name....  Might Be A Cyprinid? - 08/04/2005
How fast does a tri-color shark grow.
<Pretty quickly.  They do reach over a foot in length, as well.>
Also how much synthetic sea salt is needed in the tank.
<None.  These are not sharks, they are freshwater minnows so named because of the shape of their dorsal fin.>
What type of lighting should be used for a Tri-color Shark.
<I would recommend using a quality fluorescent light, but this is not essential.  As long as they've got enough to see by, that's probably enough light.  Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Jumping Bala shark? 7/11/05
Our shark is leaping out of our 55 gallon tank and swimming erratically.
<Something's amiss with water quality... or stray electricity>
We had to separate him from the other fish in the tank. he is listless and moves
very little in his new space but is 'calmer'. Any ideas why he would be
shifting color (from dark to light) and hanging vertically in the tank?
<As stated, something is wrong here... I would check your water for chemistry and electrical leak. Bob Fenner>