silver shark catfish

macey_19

macey_19

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Oct 20, 2006
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today when i went out to my LFS, i noticed that they have started to stock silver shark catfish, my question is, are these hybrids, as the staff at my LFS didn't have the foggiest about them, which i thought was pretty dumb as, i feel that they shouldn't be selling them if they don't even know how big they get, or what. they are compatible with etc etc. but, if they are NOT hybrids then i would like to know more about them, as i would b intrested in purchasing one for our 300l when we get it, as it is such a nice looking fish, but if it is a hybrid, then i wouldn't wanna touch it with a barge poll.
 
Hello,

I'm not sure if their hybrids, but I'm pretty sure their not. I had one of these way back when, and well it ate my guppies and got ick!!!! I gave it away after that. I heard that they are very prone to getting ick. They grow quite large; I think maybe up to 12 inches and over!!!! They will eat sinking pellets, flakes, and guppies as I figured out!!! But should be given a little frozen or live food every couple of weeks or so.

Cory Lover
 
hmmmm.... sliver shark catfish? never heard of them. I don't think they are hybrids, i think they just gave them that name to make them sound more attractive then they are. anyway, those suckers will get big (1'+) and require brackish water for good health into adulthood. you could do one in a 300L (75G) but it would probably be the only fish you could have due to size and the fact that it's BW.(in case you don't know brackish water is slightly salty, but not marine water, like you'd find at river mouths, ect.)
 
could it be a Columbian shark (Arius jordani), bala shark (Balantiocheilus melanopterus), or a pictus catfish (Pimelodus pictus)? That's the problem with common names, they don't really stick and can vary depending on region, who you're talking to, whatever.

If it is one of the first two, fishcatch is right that they get large and require very large tanks. The bala shark in particular, because not only is it large at adult size, but swims very fast too.
 
columbian shark , siver tip shark i had one infested my tank with ich and died . not all do that probably but they need brackish water at about 5 to 6 inches and grow to about 18 to 24 inches long
 
there are two fish that come to mind, which are often given the name silver shark. Hexanematichthys seemanni (Arius jordani) - silver tipped shark catfish, columbian shark. a decidedly brackish water, shoaling species that grows to 2 feet and should not be kept in anything smaller than 300 gallons.

Balantiochellus melanopterus - bala shark. not a catfish, the bala is actually a 'minnow'. this fish grows to a foot and does best in shoals of 4-6. if maintained as a single, it's a nervous and skittish fish that will startle easily and swim headlong into the side of the tank, often doing significant damage to itself. tank size for a shoal of these should be at least 6 feet long to allow for the swimming room they need.
 
hey. thanks for all the input, i just googled it for a piscture, and the common name tnat it came up with was the columbian shark.
 
its not a hybrid. i have 3 of them.
im assuming a 300L tanks is roughly a 75 gallon tank? thats doable for only 1, as these fish like big spaces to swim in.... mine is active all day and night, nonstop!

also, though sold as freshwater, they will require a brackish environment in time. i learned the hard way, but i wouldnt get one unless you plan to make a brackish tank. why FS sell them as freshwater is beyond me, but if you LFS didnt even know anything about them to even name them correctly, any questions you have for them regarding the brackish water... well, lets just say there gonna be clueless!
 
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