Aggressive Glo fish

[Byron]

The only issue I’m having is the glo fish my friend! My balas have never had a problem They are super friendly towards each other and the glo fish. Like I stated in my original thread I am aware of the bala situation - This is a super temporary tank for them, they are babies currently.

As a new aquarist, you probably do not fully appreciate the issue behind the Bala...you need more. I explained why. And they may be juvenile, that is how most are sold in stores, but they will begin to grow and it is not going to be long so plans should be made. Sometimes things don't turn out as we intend, and the poor fish are the losers.

One extremely good principle to undertake in this hobby...never acquire a fish for which you do not (at the time of acquisition) have the required tank (size and also environmental factors) that will house the fish at maturity. I learned it the hard way, but it is a good maxim.

And it is next to impossible for most of us to recognize much of this. We simply learn it from research so we can apply it, confident that we are then providing the best care for our fish. You will soon discover that members here are knowledgeable and will point out issues they see even if not directly related to the question. Anything less would be remiss of us, and not at all helpful. We care deeply about fish.

And, welcome to TFF, forgot earlier.

 

[FluffehWolf]

I appreciate everyone’s advice and welcomes.

My original plan was to have 6 balas in a larger tank but I will have to drive to a pet store farther away or order one. (largest one near me was the 60 gal, I had a 180 gal in mind) Since I had already gotten a smaller tank than I had planned I didn’t want to add more balas to the tank in fear it wouldn't be enough space for them at this temporary time. Im most likely getting a 20 - 30 gallon for the glo fish and getting them a larger school in hopes that solves the problem - I will be returning them to the 60 gallon when I get the balas a new set up. As for the balas I still have my heart set out for a 180 gallon tank asap..

 

[Retired Viking]

180 gallon tank, that would be nice, sounds like fun just make sure you have a floor that can handle the weight. 180 gallon = 1440 lbs for water alone not including tank and stand weight and all the extras. I would put it in my basement just to be safe if I got one. Your really diving into this hobby.

 

[Byron]

The 180 gallon is not likely sufficient space for a group of the Bala barbs. The length and width of the tank is the crucial aspect. And then having a number of them so they will be healthy without risks. It might be best to return the four for the present (without a couple more now things could get very bad, this is the inherent nature of the species) and see where future plans get too. An 8-foot tank is huge, and very heavy.

 

[FluffehWolf]

Again I am getting 2 more sharks shortly. I would appreciate if you’d give me an actual answer as to what tank size you’d recommend because everywhere I searched 180 gallons was the most common and positive choice.

 

[Essjay]

If we take Seriously Fish's guidelines, they need a tank which has a footprint of at least 240 x 60 cm, or 8 x 2 feet. This is the minimum size, not the preferred size. The volume of a tank with this footprint will vary according to the height.

 

[Byron]

I concur with essjay. Seriously Fish is a site owned and run by a biologist and used by biologists and ichthyologists as well as aquarists. The data there is reliable. Here is the link to the profile of this species:
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/balantiocheilos-melanopterus/

 

[FluffehWolf]

Thank you Essjay! I appreciate the friendly advice and knowledge always!

 

[FluffehWolf]

Definitely something I will have to keep in mind! Again thank you for the friendly advice and knowledge! I truly want the best for these gentle giants.

 

[TriNi SHARK]

Hi everybody, I’m fairly new to properly managing freshwater fish/aquariums. I recently purchased a 60 gallon with 4 very young bala sharks (I’m aware they are going to need around 180 gal when they fully grow, this is temporary for them!) I decided to get a 4 glo fish to add to the tank because they seemed peaceful and were also schooling fish. (2 normal tetras and 2 longfin tetras) They did fine the 1st week I had them and even schooled with each other. I decided it was time for a 25% water change and to vacuum the gravel. A few hours later the glo fish started getting extremely aggressive towards each other (chasing, nipping, body thrashing on each other etc. - They do not bother the bala sharks at all ) I’ve read on a few sites that they do best in a group of 6+ but I’m fearful if I get more the problem will still persist and then be bigger as a similar post I read had the same issue. I’m really not sure what I did wrong here? As I said in the beginning I’m fairly new to all of this and I just want my darling fish to have the best habitat/care as possible! They don’t have many decorations/fake plants because I wanted to keep the tank spacious for the balas as well.

Don’t worry about them mate, get 2 more pairs, always ensure you have 1 male to 3 females and they should get along fine