Bala Shark

[furry catfish]

Hi everyone I just found a 36 gallon tank in my back garden (probably from the old owners) It has a little bit of dust on it but otherwise it is in good condition.I was just wondering if I could but a school of silver sharks and another of dojo loaches.Would that be over stocking?








chris

 

[Harlequins]

i think silver sharks need double that tank size,they can grow to 12'' plus....

 

[Wills]

Bala sharks grow to 12 inch same with Dojo loach an average school usually accepted as 6 means each school is 72 inches or for both schools 144 inches so using the inch rule which is flawed with fish of these size as the 36 gallon would not work for one as it wouldnt be able to turn around as an adult. Its a very definite no.

I think for your size tank there are some good alternatives. Instead of the Bala Sharks how about Odessa Barbs? And instead of Dojo Loaches how about Khuli Loaches? I think both work as good alternatives as Khuli really are just small Dojo and the Odessa Barb are similar to the balas but have a very attractive red stripe to their side. In your 36 gallon you would probably be able to have 5 or 6 of each and still have room for a specimen fish like a medium sized gourami like a pearl, rusty or thick lipped ( saw the most amazing orange thick lipped the other day and the LFS sold around 40 of them in under a week! very nice)

Wills - Very very jealous of your find btw

 

[furry catfish]

Are you sure? I mean the tank looks huge your probablly right if it is 35 gallons but I might of caculated it wrong the measurments are 150 cm across the front,37cm from top to bottom and 30cm from front to back. sorry to ask but Im really determined to get dojos ,of course I'll give up if the tank isn't big enough but I just want to double check.

 

[furry catfish]

Oh sorry I just rechecked its 42 gallons,does that make a diffrence?

 

[emma12321]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=123786

 

[Wills]

Ok so that is a 5 foot ish tank which makes a difference but the main problem with the dojo loaches is that they are very messy and that volume of water would probably actually hold maybe a trio of dojos which is a decent number for them but that also leaves you with a little room for something in the top water though I would stick to smaller fish rather than the balas. For now stick to the inch per gallon rule and allow 12 inches for each dojo loach. Also you will definitely need an external filter probably something that can turn over your 46 gallons 8-10 times an hour. And remember get sand for your tank as they like to dig and have delicate barbels.

They are awesome fish and when there is a storm coming watch your tank because they do go absolutely mental!!

 

[furry catfish]

This tank is starting to fit together! because I love molys and platies so i could maybe put some in their with the dojo loaches.Also I brought a hang on external filter for a newt tank but couldnt use it other wise the newt would escape.The filter still works (i hope that's what you ment by hang on filter) anyway would that work?

 

[Wills]

No you would need something like this http/www.seapets.co.uk/products/aquarium...filter-305.html it sits under your tank then you have a pipe sucking water out your tank then an other putting it back in. With fish that have a potential to reach 10-12 inches you really have no option though I know these are pricey I have been after an external for my current tank for a while now just trying to find one i can afford if you look in the classifieds here there might be a few that are good for you.

With this hang on filter how fast does it flow do you still have the box/ instructions?

 

[furry catfish]

Ay yi yi thats alot of money,I probablly can't afford it also my friend borrowed it but he got a better one and I keep on forgetting to get it back.I think he kept the box but I dont know.

 

[Wills]

Ok just to check do you know about the nitrate cycle? With ammonia and stuff filters are very important and its very important to have a filter suitable for your tank and for this fish you want to keep. For a 46 gallon tank a filter that filters 15 gallons of water an hour is useless even a filter that can do 46 an hour is useless for most community tanks you want around 3-5x an hour but with messy fish like dojos you should aim for something closer to 8 or 10 times an hour so something like 460 gallons an hour filter.

If you look on ebay or in the classifieds section in this section you can sometimes find a filter for as little as £40ish + postage.

 

[furry catfish]

ok 40£ isn't that bad,I'll raise the money and get it when I am ready to start the tank up

 

[Wills]

Awesome good guy good look finding one. Getting a good filter is going to save you so much trouble in the long run!

 

[furry catfish]

Ok thanks youve meen a big help

 

[furry catfish]

Ive got the box if it matters