What Are My Zebra Danios Upto:s?

Jebbwardo

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I had 5 zebra danios they where fine in the tank could always see at least 3 of them at all times I got them to put ammonia in my tank so It would cycle I have now cycled my tank so was going to give them away but have grown fond to them and am keeping them but I put a small silver shark in today and an orange spotted pleco and the danios disappeared and I was searching my tank and found 3 behind the filter just staying there and they where really active before I put new fish in and I'm not even sure if there is 5 I can only see 3 of them now am just confused why they just won't move at all they just sit next to he filter just bobbing around.
 
How big is your tank?
 
120 litre, it's 2 and half foot. My danios are half the size of the shark it's only small and the pleco is about the same size as the shark as well they're getting put bigger tank in 6 weeks.
image.jpg

Here they are before I put them in
 
I have just put some food in and 4 of them have came out and our staying out but there's 1 still behind the filter

image.jpg
 
You do know Silver/Bala Sharks reach 35-40cm, need ~10 conspecifics to settle and a tank in the region of 12x3x3?
 
The danios sound intimidated by the new arrivals, my guess the Bala, being bigger and probably quite "flighty" without any companions.
 
The current tank is not really big enough in length for active danios, I hope the bigger one is 120cm long or more.
 
You've got a series of problems here, unfortunately.
 
 
#1 - Silver sharks are generally 'peaceful', but they are predatory fish.  The zebra danios are potential meals for the silver shark, even at that size.
 
#2 - Your silver shark should grow to be over a foot long at full maturity...
 
#3 - To add to all that, they are actually a shoaling specie, which means they need large numbers of tankmates to be truly comfortable in a tank.
 
 
 
(I see Nobody of the Goat mentioned all those things.)
 
It's 5ft the new tank and I switched my filter of too feed the fish they came out and stayed out after they eat it but as soon as the filter got switched back on they went back behind it they have never done this before:S only since I got the new fish
Should I just give the danios away do you think? Because they seem comfortable when the filters off but the filter has never bothers them before until the new fish where added
 
Jebbwardo said:
It's 5ft the new tank and I switched my filter of too feed the fish they came out and stayed out after they eat it but as soon as the filter got switched back on they went back behind it they have never done this before:S only since I got the new fish
Should I just give the danios away do you think? Because they seem comfortable when the filters off but the filter has never bothers them before until the new fish where added
I believe the suggestions were that the shark is a bad fit for the tank, not that the danios are a bad fit for the tank.  I'd say lose the shark, and try another fish in its place, a rainbow shark or albino shark would be a similar replacement, and more fitting for the size of tank.
 
Have I just not told you it's going in a 5ft tank in a couple of weeks it's a baby silver shark the tank looks huge compared to the fish but what does that matter if its going in a 5ft tank soon. All I want to know is why when I switch my filter on the danios go behind it but when it's of they swim with the shark but they have been in the tank for months with the same filter and not went behind it
 
Yea they don't suggest bala sharks for anything less than 6ft, and even then most fish keepers agree that these guys aren't suitable in anything less than 8ft long. 
 
My suggestion for the danios would be stop turning the filter on and off, the most differences and changes the danios are feeling, the more worried they get and feel like they need to find a safe place.
 
Also, as I suggested before, there are a few other really neat sharks that don't get as large.
 
The suggestion from me for silver sharks (bala sharks) is that they can't be kept in home aquaria at all.  They are very active swimmers, and at over a foot long, even a 12 foot tank would be far too small for their behavior and shoaling.  Its a shame, they are lovely looking fish and I always admire them when I'm in my LFS and see them... but they just aren't really suitable fish for the hobby.
 
I assume that your danios are now back out and more active again, is this correct?
 
Yes what shark do you recommend I get? That would be more suitable for a tank? And I don't get why in the LFS they have bigger ones than I bought in a 2 foot tank myn was only small about 2 inches
 
For the 2 foot tank, I wouldn't recommend any 'shark'.  For the 5 foot for the future... you could consider a shark like the red tail black shark or rainbow shark.   But, be careful what tank mates you choose with them.
 
Yes he 2 and a Half foot is for a breeding pair getting a load of glass and gonna make a few tanks
 

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