bala shark signs of stress
Bala Sharks are very active fish species that enjoy darting around the fish tank at high speed. (7 Things You Should Know! This includes red patches, skin ulcers, bloody fins, deformed scales, blisters, or sores. [7] 5. To play it safe we always recommend a minimum tank size thats on the larger end of this spectrum as a starting point. This one is a protozoan infection caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, hence the name. If you're concerned about your fish's health, it's important to take them to a qualified vet or fish store for diagnosis and treatment. Excess lights may cause your Bala shark unnecessary stress and cause them to hide frequently. Fully-grown bala sharks should be housed in a tank of at least 150 gallons, at least 5 feet across. Ich or stress on my Bala . To avoid overfeeding, feed the fish an amount it can eat within about two minutes. Female bala sharks have rounder bellies than males.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',109,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4-0_1');.medrectangle-4-multi-109{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}The average lifespan of a bala shark is between eight and ten years.AvailabilityBala sharks can be purchased online easily, but the fish are difficult to find in small, local fish stores. All fish are stressed by being netted and moved to a new environment, and many take time to regain their normal behaviours. Some stress-inducing conditions include: Suddenly changing the water temperature or pH Transfering your Bala shark to a new tank with different water conditions Adding aggressive fish species to the tank 1. Plant vegetation around the edges of the tank to prevent disruption to the swimming areas. Fun Fish Tank Themes 15 Creative Ideas For Your Aquarium! Bala sharks are an endangered species that are rarely found in the wild. A lot of Bala Shark owners reported that their fish play dead by floating upside down near the waters surface. These fish are large enough to deter your bala sharks from chowing down on them, while remaining relatively peaceful. There is also a possibility that twitching can be a signifier that your bala shark is stressed. Common signs of stress include lack of activity and loss of appetite. A good filter is vital in maintaining ideal tank conditions for your bala sharks. Bala Sharks: Care Guide, Tank Size, Food, And Tank Mates - Aquarium Source Besides water quality, the lack of vitamin A could also cause visual problems characterized by cloudy eyes and impaired vision. You can buy them from the following reputable online stores: Bala sharks have long, silver bodies with bold, pointed fins. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The bala sharks small, closely-packed scales are iridescent, meaning that they reflect light as the fish moves, creating a shimmering appearance. Look for nutritious foods that provide the vitamins, minerals, and proteins needed for these fish to grow to their full potential.Diversify feeding by adding live, high-protein foods like bloodworms and shrimp to the tank, and regularly feed the fish plankton, diced fruits, greens, and vegetables to fortify the fishs health.Bala sharks should be fed up to three times per day. Caring for bala sharks is easy as long as you provide stable water conditions and enough space for these active swimmers to explore. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. You can also add other decorations like driftwood, rocks, and caves. The new Bala Sharks can grow at different speeds. Do your research before making any purchases! The bala shark is a freshwater species of the Cyprinidae family. The other one does not have this and I can't recall seeing it before on this one. Treat with a formalin or malachite green-based medication. The following reasons may be the answer to why your stressed Bala shark is losing color: . In their natural habitat, Bala Sharks usually live about 5 to 6 years due to harsh conditions. Isolate the dancing pair and place them in a 60-gallon breeding tank. After that, youll need to sprinkle aquarium salts and ich treatment into the water. Bala sharks hail from the fast-flowing rivers of Southeast Asia. Dropsy is a common disease that many fish species may suffer from, including Bala Sharks. However, if you see this happening, you must investigate the reason, as Bala Sharks dont do it on purpose. Good examples include clown loaches, boesemani rainbowfish, and angelfish. 40 gallon with 13 hermit crabs- 11 PPs, 1 E, 1 Straw. Choosing a small tank for your bala shark can stress them as they grow bigger and compete for food. Keeping a single Bala Shark in the tank for a long time (you should keep at least 4 to 6), Introducing your fish to a new tank with different water conditions, Changing the water temperature or pH suddenly, Introduce aggressive fish species to the tank. It is recommended that Bala Sharks be given a good quality dry fish food like pellets or flakes as their main food source. (Reasons, Treatment, Prevention). There is no definitive reason why bala sharks twitch, but given what is known about their typical temperament and behavior, its fairly easy to assume a few reasons why they do this. Overcrowding can decrease the chances of successful breeding. Great tank mates for bala sharks include: In the wild, the bala sharks diet consists of insects, small crustaceans, plant matter, algae, and larvae. Well, youll need to invest in a larger tank to accommodate your fish when they reach their full size. All-in-all, the Bala Shark makes an excellent addition to almost any freshwater tank. What's more, Bala Sharks are sensitive to pH imbalance, and ignoring the expected range is one of the easiest ways to shorten their lifespan. Overcrowding can stress balas greatly, and they might even leap out of the tank to die if their aquarium is too overcrowded. Bala Sharks are a rewarding and unique fish to keep in your aquarium. Pay close attention to signs of illness, and take steps to correct any water issues. The most popular signs of stress are lack of activity and lost appetite. This information should be more than enough to give you an idea of if this is the right fish for you. JavaScript is disabled. These include neon tetra, guppies, harlequin rasbora and other smaller fish types. And there you have it! Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. These are rather effective snail-eating fish! Pay close attention to signs of illness, and take steps to correct any water issues. 150 gallons may seem like a huge space and financial commitment, and it is. If you choose to have bala sharks in an aquarium with other fish of its kind or other fish that you know they can get along with, youre going to need a very big aquarium. Place a group of five bala sharks in a separate 65-gallon breeding tank with a temperature of 77F and a strong filter. Use a stabilizer to maintain healthy conditions in your tank. Bala sharks can be purchased online easily, but the fish are difficult to find in small, local fish stores. He is about 4 to 5 inches. However, Bala Sharks are a peaceful species that is extremely popular in the aquarium trade due partly to their unique appearance and calm demeanor. Thanks for reading, and good luck with your bala sharks! All these parasites come with new additions to the tank, whether its water, food, new fish, etc. They also flash against the gravel and other solid objects in the aquarium. Many people assume that the Bala Shark is best left to experienced fishkeepers. As weve previously mentioned, getting a filter that generates a pretty strong water flow is important, as these fish need a lot of water movement to be healthy. Bala Shark 101 Care Guide for Beginners - Avid Aquarist What are good tank mates for Bala Sharks? In this guide, we explore the ins and outs of Bala Shark care and everything you should know if youre thinking about adding them to your aquarium setup. Dont house them with aggressive or carnivorous fish like neon tetras.Dont add non-fish species like shrimps and crabs to a bala shark tank, because they are known to eat crustaceans.Great tank mates for bala sharks include:Other bala sharks bala sharks are shoaling fish that should be housed in groups of at least fiveGouramisCorydorasRasborasRainbowfishDiet and FeedingIn the wild, the bala sharks diet consists of insects, small crustaceans, plant matter, algae, and larvae. Raise the water temperature to 82o F for three days. However, they may still suffer from some health conditions. Symptoms: Fins become ragged and may have holes, Causes: External injuries, stress, poor water quality. Sexing the fish is difficult, and attempting breeding with a large group of fish increases the likelihood that there are males and females in the group. This can stress out smaller fish that tend to move less. Like most gentle fish, bala sharks tend to feel more at ease when they are kept in groups or schools. Filtration Bala sharks need a quality filter that can filter five times the water volume in the tank. Decades of movie-watching have created a misconception that all sharks are aggressive fish that will nip your fingers off if you put them in your tank. These twitches, being somewhat mysterious, could be an indicator of normal behavior or potential stressors that you need to watch out for. Algae Eaters: How Many To Have In A Fish Tank? Bala Shark: Care Guide, Pictures, Types, Lifespan & More Additionally, these fish should be closely watched as they grow to ensure continued compatibility with smaller fish. The natural habitat of the bala shark is warm and densely vegetated, with a muddy, pebbly substrate. Dont house them with aggressive or carnivorous fish like neon tetras. Overfishing for the aquarium trade and forest fires in 1975 are two possible causes for the decrease in the wild population of bala sharks. Bala Shark Tank Size and Specifications . All Possible Causes, Dropsy In Fish: Your Guide To Symptoms & Treatment. If you have other fish in the aquarium that may potentially pose a threat to them, they might exhibit behaviors such as twitching in an effort to keep those fish away. Dont get a bala shark if your tank is small or contains large predatory fish. If your bala shark is twitching, it could be due to a variety of reasons, including stress, disease, parasites, or nutritional deficiencies. With ich, fish owners might begin to notice that the fish rub up against objects due to the itching. That said, their easy-going feeding habits doesnt mean you should feed them anything and everything. Blood Parrot Black Spot Disease or Stress. Hi! Monitor your bala sharks and water parameters regularly. This means that the fish should be kept separated in another tank before they reach puberty. Ich is a very common disease thats caused by an aquatic protozoan parasite. Bala sharks do not protect their young, so it is important to remove the parents from the tank. Make sure to opt for a heater thats rated for the size of your bala fish tank 150 gallons, per our minimum tank size recommendation. As you can see, most Bala Shark diseases are caused by poor water quality, whether due to contamination or keeping the fish in unfavorable conditions. Providing your fish with extra care and keeping . Some fish experts like to provide a more diversified diet for their Bala Sharks to mimic their natural environment food sources as closely as possible. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Overfishing for the aquarium trade and forest fires in 1975 are two possible causes for the decrease in the wild population of bala sharks.The natural habitat of the bala shark is warm and densely vegetated, with a muddy, pebbly substrate. A bala sharks twitches are a series of rapid movements that are extremely quick. These foods form the basis of a healthy diet, so you should look for one thats formulated specifically for omnivores. The typical cost of a bala shark is $7 . In general, you should opt for tropical fish species that grow to at least 4 inches in length.