New question about an old issue, shark hlth., sys.    4/26/08
Crew,
<Tom>
Perhaps you remember (and perhaps you don't) me writing a ton about a pet Banded Cat Shark that I owned, my display tank having ick with the shark, and my treating the tank with Quinine Sulfate in an attempt to eradicate the ick with the shark present. And you might remember how the Quinine was very effective in ridding the tank of the ick, but that the shark began a steady decline over the course of a month and a half and finally passing away after being unable to eat (this after feeding wonderfully on shark formula and vitamins for 6 months, and doing quite well.)
<I do recall>
Months have passed, and though I have added a few additions to the tank, we have been nearly 4 months with absolutely no issues. But, my mind still wanders back to that time and while I have no intentions or desire to have another shark, I still think about what caused his demise.
I don't really run carbon continuously in my tank. It's 200 gallons with probably 150lb of live rock, filtered by a Fluval FX5 (which I clean and rinse sponges every two weeks) used mainly for water flow and biological filtration, a wet/dry trickle filter, and a large hang on protein skimmer which is actually rated for 180 gallons. I do a 25% water change every two weeks. But I do have a small canister filter that I put carbon in and run on occasion. Obviously during the treatment with the Quinine, I did not run the skimmer or the carbon. but after the treatment duration I did appropriate water changes, turned on the skimmer and put carbon back on the tank. Now, I wonder, how long is fresh carbon actually viable?
<Mostly gets "used up" within minutes, hours... rapidly drops off past then>
Some information outlets say change it every couple of weeks. but some say the most effective use of new carbon is in the first couple of days. being that this canister filter isn't large to begin with, do you think that it was not effective at removing all of this quinine, and the lingering presence of this medicine caused the shark's demise?
<I do not>
Water parameters were the same then as now, salinity was 1.025, PH was 8.2, 0ppm of both ammonia and nitrites, nitrates less than 10 - 20 ppm at all times. Again, no problems to resolve now, but something that bugs me and as I think about it often, I might have new questions about it.
The tank now houses a 5" Passer angel, a 6" Lunare wrasse, a 5" yellow tang, a Maroon Clown, and a Snowflake Moray. All have been problem free nearly all of 2008.
Thanks so much.
Thomas Roach
<Sharks are not, by and large, little aquarium fish... and most tanks to them... are little. BobF>

Coral Catshark breathing a little fast and keeps swimming to top of tank... Reading...    2/27/08
Hi, I just purchased a 18 inches coral Catshark today. While I was acclimating him he kept swimming around the foam bucket.
<I hope you had "heavy" aeration going on during...>
After an hour I put him in the tank 150 gallon tank.
<... too small a volume>
After about 10 minutes he starts swimming around like crazy going up to the top of tank. He would do this and then go back down for
a while. I checked the water before I bought him and everything was at 0 and the salinity was .025.
<... no>
The store owner did tell me his water salinity is .016.
<!? Much too different...>
He also said the only thing he fed him was silversides.
<... a very poor diet>
Do you think that's the reason.
<Reason for?>
He fed him before I bought him so I can see he eats. He said he had him for about 5 months. Oh I have a vtail grouper 5 inches and a Miniatus
grouper 4 inches. I unplugged the heater out of the sump and took the glass cleaner out of the tank and the thermometer out. I have some live shrimp in the tank but he doesn't try to eat them. I have a uv, protein skimmer, wet dry/sump. Should I buy a pump for more air. I don't want him to die, what can I do to save him. Did I do something wrong ? Please help
<... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm
The second tray... the Articles and FAQs files on Sharks... You should have done this ahead of this purchase. I would return this fish, pronto... it won't live for long in the circumstances you describe. Bob Fenner>

Bamboo shark swimming in circles HELP   12/5/07
My baby bamboo shark has been in my 180 gallon tank for about two weeks now.
<Mmm, how large is this specimen? How was it acclimated? Was it treated in some way enroute?>
She has successfully eaten many times and seems to have a big appetite.
<How often of what foods?>
I recently noticed that she was breathing rather hard about 68gmm. That is almost three times there normal rate. I also noticed her face was a little blotchy.
<Good observations, bad signs>
I researched it and came to the conclusion that there must not be enough dissolved oxygen.
<Mmm, one possibility... what else re standard/common water quality measures?>
This all made since considering I have no aeration, other then power heads, So I directed my major sump output towards the surface and have some massive surface current and bubbles.
<Okay>
I checked on her again today (24hours since increased aeration) things seem to be more serious. She is swimming in circles all around the tank.
<...? Bad>
The blotchy patterns are now more intense and seem to have increased a lot. Do I need more air or is this something else.
<Likely the latter...>
I have not treated her with any medication. Do I need to. What do you recommend. She is my baby girl. I do not want to lose her. Please help.
-Britany
<What other life is present? This may give good clues... Is the other life fine? What re nitrate, any detectable ammonia or nitrite? Bob Fenner>

Re: bamboo shark swimming in circles HELP   12/5/07
Unfortunately she didn't make it through the night. However I still want to try to discover what killed her.
<Ahhh, very sorry to realize this loss>
She was about 10 inches. I drip acclimated her along with three green Chromis for about 1.5 hours.
<Good>
There is one thing that I did about three days after I got her that may have been a problem but I don't think so. I transferred her in a critter keeper from my 12 gallon Nano with just Sand and 1 piece of Live Rock covered in Coralline Algae, to the 180. I floated the keeper then added about 1/2 cup of water to it every 15 minutes. Could this have done it?
<Mmm, perhaps the stress... of being in the small tank, whatever water quality changes there... to some degree the move>
She showed no signs after this.
She ate every day about (I now know this was too much)
<Yes>
about 5 pieces of tube squid cut in about 1cmX1cm. Is this too much?
<Yes, and inappropriate as a strict diet... Plus, all sharks should have their foods supplemented... Are you familiar with Mazuri.com vitamins? Have you read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm
the second tray... on Sharks, Nutrition?>
The water tested great. I test with very accurate tests and use a colorimeter so I don't think this was it.
Now as for the life. I do have quite a unique tank. I have a sail fin tang, a school of 5 green Chromis, a flasher wrasse, , 2 filefish, 2 maroon clowns (passive), 3 pajama cardinals, and some corals; a hammer, a toadstool leather, Montipora, acropora, zooanthids, button polyps, colt coral, three feather dusters, Christmas tree worms, an open brain, a Lobophyllia brain, Pulsing Xenia, a Kenya tree, a finger leather and a small mushroom coral. Okay, quite a few corals. The reef is on two plastic milk crates and all of the rock is Zip tied to the crates. We cut the sides off of the crates to give the shark ample swimming room.
<Good>
Could the corals kill her?
<Mmm, could mal-affect health, yes>
Are there specific ones I should stay away from?
<... please read on WWM re the species, genera, families of Cnidarians you list/keep... their "Compatibility" SubFAQs files...>
I have been feeding any of the filter feeders with Plankton, and adding Two-little-fishies A&B calcium and Seachem Reef Plus.
<With testing I hope/trust>
I have checked the ingredients of both and the reef plus does contain copper, yet it is undetectable when I test. Please let me know what I can do to
insure a healthy happy shark for next time. Or should there be a next time? Thanks Bob-
<I would not place a shark of any species in this setting... too likely to consume the other fishes listed, knock over the stinging-celled colonies... I would look to other fish groups, or arrange a more-dedicated system of size for cartilaginous fish/es. Cheers, Bob Fenner>
 

Bamboo cat shark... hlth., fdg. ... following directions in writing us...    10/24/07 Hi all my female bamboo cat shark has developed a lump behind her mouth all water tests have proved water quality good and she feeds well however this lump has started to restrict her feeding slightly any ideas greatly received thanks Ian <... Do you administer vitamins? I2? Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm The Google search tool: With the terms: Shark Goiter... and read. Bob Fenner> Re: bamboo cat shark  10/25/07 Thanks for the help iodine supplement seems to be the answer as I was not aware about the problems with using silversides as main food. Will let you know how I , sorry we, get on. <Please do. BobF>

Brown Banded Bamboo Shark, injured, ???, no useful info.   8/16/07 Hi, ?My name is Brendan and I have had a Brown Banded Bamboo Shark for a little over 2 years and it is about 15 or 16 inches now. It? <?> is in a 125 gallon tank.? I have found your sight more useful than any other web sight or pet shop? about some of the shark problems I've had. About 1 month ago my shark stopped eating for about 3 weeks when it stopped eating I tried everything I could think of to get it to eat again doing water change after water change then emailed you, you said to give it a shot of vitamin B 12 the only problem was I was leaving for the Bahamas for 2 weeks and couldn't get in to the vet. I left my mom to watch it for me and to try to feed it and she was also worried about the shark so she changed the lights and instead of 2 normal 40 watt lights she put one 40 watt actinic coral night light and the shark started to eat again but less than a week after it started to eat again (and I turned the 40 watt coral life 10,000K light on? and still? kept the Actinic light on) a bump showed up on its head and I cant find anything touching on that subject anywhere. There are pictures above. It also got bit by an angle fish I had? in there and I took it? out but there is a mark where it got bit, Is? there anything I can do to make sure it doesn't get infected? the nitrates are 20ppm, <Too high> nitrites are 0ppm, ammonia is 0ppm, and the Ph is 8.1 ppm.? I am also buying a new stand so? when its time? for me? to put the tank on the new stand I will do almost a? complete, if not complete, water change to lower the nitrates.?? Thanks for All the help you've given me, Brendan P.S. Would a Pink Tail Trigger Fish be safe to add to my tank? <... likely not. Please re/read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm the second tray. Bob Fenner>