Black Fin Sharks

[norman]

So I bought three black fin sharks at Wal-mart on Tuesday, and they haven't eaten since Wednesday morning. They're in a 2.5 gallon aquarium with a bubble pump, and no filter. I've been feeding them tropical fish flakes (what Wal-mart said to feed them) and they ate them twice and then stopped. I also tried to feed them steak and they wouldn't take it. I thought all sharks ate meat. So if you have any suggestions of what I can do so they eat and don't die, please let me know. And also, why is the water all cloudy and white?

[fishlvr]

Read this, please... http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0034&view_records=1

take note of the MINIMUM tank size ;)

[MonoSebaelover]

Welcome to Aquaria Central! fishlvr is right about the minimum size but that is also as adults but a 2.5 is WAY too small for them. They are very active fish and really require lots of water. They are actually a Catfish, not a shark at all. They are also a brackish fish so are you keeping it in brackish? I would HIGHLY suggest returning these if they will take them back and put a Betta in the tank instead. BTW, there are no "true" Sharks in freshwater, there are some saltwater ones that will migrate into freshwater but all the commonly available freshwater "sharks" are not sharks at all. Hope this helps and again Welcome to Aquaria Central!

[Pufferpunk]

I thought all sharks ate meat.

ROFLMAO!!! Sorry guy, I know you're just a newbie, I couldn't help myself. Just listen those guys.

[cdawson]

Originally posted by norman
So I bought three black fin sharks at Wal-mart on Tuesday, and they haven't eaten since Wednesday morning. They're in a 2.5 gallon aquarium with a bubble pump, and no filter. I've been feeding them tropical fish flakes (what Wal-mart said to feed them) and they ate them twice and then stopped. I also tried to feed them steak and they wouldn't take it. I thought all sharks ate meat. So if you have any suggestions of what I can do so they eat and don't die, please let me know. And also, why is the water all cloudy and white?

Wow, don't take this as an offense, but are you joking? I hope so, because if you aren't take those fish back immediately. You need at least a 200 gallon tank for those fish, not to mention brackish water. The white cloudy water is a bacterial bloom, your tank is in the process of cycling

http://www.fishinthe.net/html/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4436&start=0

You're obviously not yet capable of caring for these fish, so if walmart will not accept them back find a local aquarium shop that will if you want them to survive.

[Pufferpunk]

That goes to show you... NEVER SHOP AT WALMART!!!

[rick458]

will small Balas be happy in a 29? at least until I talk my bride into a 200 (which may take some time)
I want to get 2-3 of them and 3 pictus and a pair of Anglefish (cychlid) to hang with the tetras, adding a group at a time to allow for balancing the tank.
Im new be gentle

[vaheelsfan]

Didn't know that Black Fin Sharks need more than a 2.5 gallon tank, are not really sharks, or what the white stuff in the water is...However, knew that they should post questions about this fish in the brackish water section? Interesting...

[rick458]

it is kind of hard to find good consistent info on this stuff when starting out, all the scientific data seems to come from guys with tanks in their living rooms.
I have been trying to mine the web for 2 weeks for good info and this is the first decent freshwater bbs I found
and there are some fairly major differences of opinion even here.
not a gripe or flame just an observation...Dont Shoot:eek:

[vaheelsfan]

I'm loading up my AK-47 right now...j/k :) I saw on a different board where you had asked for some sites with info on fish. Well, two I use are liveaquaria.com (http://www.liveaquaria.com/) and ***************** (http://www.*****************). These are both sites that sell and ship live fish. The former has a little bit more detailed info on each species, while the latter tends to lump them together, like large tetras, small tetras, etc. They also have pictures of most of the species they sell, so that's good too. Anyway, hope that helps.

Edit- Oh yeah, I forgot about one other site. Link (http://www.aquahobby.com/e_gallery.php) This site has a lot of fish profiles and lets users comment on the species if they have kept them. So you kind of get an idea of the problems people have had with the fish so you can avoid them.

[rick458]

Thanks I am trying to get all the knowledge I can, so I dont wipe out a tank.
there are quite a few inconsistencies out there
but the bigger the sample the better the result

[cdawson]

Originally posted by vaheelsfan
I'm loading up my AK-47 right now...j/k :) I saw on a different board where you had asked for some sites with info on fish. Well, two I use are liveaquaria.com (http://www.liveaquaria.com/) and ***************** (http://www.*****************). These are both sites that sell and ship live fish. The former has a little bit more detailed info on each species, while the latter tends to lump them together, like large tetras, small tetras, etc. They also have pictures of most of the species they sell, so that's good too. Anyway, hope that helps.

Edit- Oh yeah, I forgot about one other site. Link (http://www.aquahobby.com/e_gallery.php) This site has a lot of fish profiles and lets users comment on the species if they have kept them. So you kind of get an idea of the problems people have had with the fish so you can avoid them.


I sure hope you don't use ***************** and liveaquaria as a source for info, that's about the equivelant of going to a pet shop for advice. Their info is terrible and often inaccurate, I suggest finding another source for info. Forums are always the best source for accurate info anyways.

[vaheelsfan]

To be honest with you, I find that they're info on each species of fish is consistant with what I find elsewhere on the internet, sometimes better. For example, liveaquaria.com's profile for the betta says that the minimum tank size is 10 gallons. 10 GALLONS! How many pet stores will tell you that? They also have German rams listed as difficult and neons/cardinals as moderately hard to keep, respectively. That's more than most pet stores will tell you, as well. Now, as far as the Blackfin Shark that is being discussed here...


Since it grows quite large, starting with a minimum tank size of 70 gallons is recommended. As the Columbian Shark grows larger, there is a chance that the shark will eat smaller tank mates. This species prefers some aquarium salt in the water, and may also be acclimated slowly into a saltwater aquarium, as they live in both freshwater and saltwater during different times of their life - liveaquaria.com



An aquarium with at least 29 gallons of water, an exterior power filter with a BIO-Wheel, a maximum of 1/4 inch of gravel, an aquarium heater adjusted to keep the water between 78 and 82 degrees F., and at least 1 Tablespoon of Aquarium Salt per each 5 gallons of aquarium water...White Tips enjoy each others company, so it's best to keep a group of them with at least four White Tips. In a couple of years four of them should grow to a size that will require at least a 75-gallon aquarium. If you are thinking about buying a White Tip Shark Cat, you should first realize that they should be kept in a group with at least four white Tips, and the four of them will eventually need a big aquarium. - *****************


Now all of that may not be 100% accurate or worded to your satisfaction, but I think it is a good start, and would have steered the original poster in a much better direction than whoever sold the fish to them at WalMart did.

[OrionGirl]

Originally posted by rick458
will small Balas be happy in a 29? at least until I talk my bride into a 200 (which may take some time)
I want to get 2-3 of them and 3 pictus and a pair of Anglefish (cychlid) to hang with the tetras, adding a group at a time to allow for balancing the tank.
Im new be gentle


Balas get to be huge--a 29 won't work for very long. They are very active fish, and a need to be ain a group of at least 3, and have lots of hiding places. As they grow, they tend to become more skittish, and often injure themselves running into the side of the tank and other objects, and they can jump out of the tank.

Pictus are very active fish--3 of them in a 29 will be frenetic. They'll also annoy the heck out of the angels and balas, which prefer calmer tankmates.

What kind of tetras? Angels will eat small fish, especially as adults. Neons are their natural food source in the wild.

[rick458]

Upon further review, niether the Balas or Pictus as cool as they look will be a workable option in that tank.
just have to go with some cool angle fish and more tetras, and a bushynose:cool:

[Dangerdoll]

Originally posted by rick458
Upon further review, niether the Balas or Pictus as cool as they look will be a workable option in that tank.
just have to go with some cool angle fish and more tetras, and a bushynose:cool:


Originally posted by OrionGirl
What kind of tetras? Angels will eat small fish, especially as adults. Neons are their natural food source in the wild.

get either the Angel or the tetra's.... as OG explained, the tetra's will eventually become a nice snack for the Angels (in their adult stage more likely) as they are natural predators to the tetras.

[rick458]

I have Black Skirt or Black Widow Tetras, the wife wants neons but it seems like they are the plankton of the fish world:eek:
the Black Skirts are supposed to get to 1 1/2-2" at maturity

[OrionGirl]

Black skirts will be safe from predation. You might see a bit of harrassing and some torn fins, depending on the aggression of the angels--more likely to have this happen if the angels pair up and spawn.

[vanessa herber]

:help:
do they have white spot all over them yet

[vanessa herber]

:help:
Wow, don't take this as an offense, but are you joking? I hope so, because if you aren't take those fish back immediately. You need at least a 200 gallon tank for those fish, not to mention brackish water. The white cloudy water is a bacterial bloom, your tank is in the process of cycling

http://www.fishinthe.net/html/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4436&start=0

You're obviously not yet capable of caring for these fish, so if walmart will not accept them back find a local aquarium shop that will if you want them to survive.

[Dangerdoll]

vanessa, your tank is having a problem with ICH I take it?

[kelgrhm]

i bought a new fish tank and several fish everything has gone well until today. Ive had the tank for about 2-3 weeks. I acidently dumped to much bottom feeder food in the tank. So Sat. we completely changed the water and washed off the rocks and all the plants. Today both my black fin sharks were dead and one of my speckeld catfish please give me a idea of what to do. I need my black fin sharks but i don't want to go get anymore until i find out what happened

[Master Zero]

Did you add chlorine remover?
You also destroyed your tank’s cycle when you performed the complete water change.