Bala sharks getting battered

J

JohnnyReb

AC Members
Nov 22, 2005
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Sweden
I have four relatively new balas (got them 2 months ago) and am just now seeing some problems. Two of them are looking pretty beat up. Their scales are showing evidence of taking a beating on the sides, with red marks which look like blood close to the surface, and one looks like his fin has been nipped. I have not been able to identify the culprit(s), but all the fish should be peaceful.

The tank is 240 liters, with 4 balas (4 inches), 2 siamese algae eaters (real ones - 5 inches), 2 blue gouramis (5-6 inches), 1 sailfin pleco (maybe 7 inches) and 10 cardinal tetras.

I doubt the tetras are doing it... ;) The gouramis are extremely peaceful, and the pleco is not too likely either. Something is ramming them, though. My guess is one of the siamese algae eaters , but they are supposed to be good community fish. Any ideas?
 
I would use a red light after lights out,you can shine it in the tank,and if your patient,you should be able to see who the culprit is.
 
Do you have decorations? I know that my SAEs (when in my other tank) would swim so fast that they would skim parts of the rocks and rip their scales off. It's possbile they are just darting around and hitting things accidently.
 
Thanks for the replies. My "non-biological" decorations are all at the bottom (one big mangrove root and a smallish rock cave. When I got the Balas I cleared out so there would be space for them to swim without obstacles. The SAEs are completely healthy - not a single scale out of place, so I do not think the problem is clumsy Balas...

Do you have any experience with the SAEs gettiing aggressive with the other fish? Or do the Balas have a tendency to fight among themselves? From what I have read and understand, these species may chase each other, but do not physically harm other fish. SOMETHING is definitely harming two of my Balas. Which is a little strange - why these two? And one seems to be taking the brunt of the damage...

I will try to watch them after lights out to get a clue...
 
I have the same problem and I'm suspecting from velvet. Sadly, I has a recent gourai loss to velvet, and it started as loose scales.

If you think it's velvet, be careful since balas are sensitive to cooper medications usually used to figth that parasite.
 
so this is around a 60 gallon tank? My guess if its not the other fish would be that they might be hitting the decorations, regardless if they are mostly on the bottom of the tank. My balas are quite the scavengers and spend quite a bit of time poking around the bottom of the tank. Add to that how skittish they can be and being in too small of a tank and you might have your problem. How big are they?
 
This aquarium should not be too small yet - the balas are only about 4 inches long.

I don't think it is velvet. The one that is in worst shape does have his fins raked back along his body, but that is the only symptom that seems to correspond to velvet. I am including a picture (hope it works). It is not such great quality, so imagine that the reds are all a shade darker...

bala.jpg
 
That may be an internal infection if its not physcial damage done by tankmates or decorations. I don't know enough about velvet to agree with that, but do some research about that disease.

If they are TRUE SAEs then you shouldn't have too much problems with them and other tankmates (even when they get older). They do have quite a playful nature to them so they do chase each other around but will seldom extend these games (or nuisance) to other fish. They will follow other cyprinds (sorry for the spelling) around like my balas. I would assume that is because they are a like species.

What do you feed your bala sharks? It could be causing an blockage or infection.
 
They are true SAEs, and I have never noticed them bothering the others, but they are the most likely bullies (unless it is one of the other Balas). Yes, it could be something internal. All the other fish seem healthy, just these two. In a way I hope it is bullying. Identify the culprit and the problem is quickly solvable...

They are on Sera San flakes now. They may be picking at the tabs dropped for the bottom feeders, but I haven't seen that...
 
Just keep a close eye on them... i seriously doubt your SAEs are really "hurting" the balas, but they might. It would make more sense that they are MAYBE annoying them and the balas run into the decor below to get away.

Keep a healthy food regime. After my two bala deaths i'm very hesitant to feed them TOO much meaty foods (brine shrimp and blood worms) because apparently it doesn't go well with their digestive system :(
 
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