M.i.a.

[nmdelrio]

We have this new 220L tank (with driftwood, aquaclay ground substrate, and UGF with 2 powerheads). There's no fish in it, I moved in my 4 juvenile bala sharks (each 3" long) last night. When we woke up this morning, there are only 3 balas left. We looked and looked, but couldn't find the fourth bala. The tank is with a wooden hood, but with 3 holes on the side for hoses and cables. We looked on the floor around the tank, we just couldn't find the fourth bala. We looked under the tables next to the tank, and nothing!

It really got us baffled.

Any ideas?

Do bala sharks eat each other? But there's not a trace of remains on the bottom or top of the tank.

 

[pieman]

Have you tryed feeding to see if he surfaces?

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

Do you have any dogs or cats that could have eaten it, the most likely thing will have been it jumping out. Your tank is way too small for balas anyway as they grow 14 inches long. Read the profile on them at the top of the page. I think 125gal is the minimum recommended size.

Emma

 

[nmdelrio]

Hi,

Do you have any dogs or cats that could have eaten it, the most likely thing will have been it jumping out. Your tank is way too small for balas anyway as they grow 14 inches long. Read the profile on them at the top of the page. I think 125gal is the minimum recommended size.

Emma

No cats or dogs in the house.

Case solved.

We found the bala inside a crevice in the driftwood.

We think the bala got caught head first in the crevice under the driftwood and was not able to get out. The We guess she was curious. scales on the top of her head were scraped off trying to swim in reverse. Poor girl, she was the healtiest and most active, and biggest among the 4. I enjoyed watching her swim around a lot. I have rearranged the driftwood so hopefully nobody gets caught again.

I hope others will learn from my experience in the future so they will be more careful when arranging decors in their tanks.

Yeah, we realise the tank is way too small when they grow to adulthood, and we are planning to give them to my lfs (which we already told them and they agreed) as they outgrow the tank.

 

[nmdelrio]

Have you tryed feeding to see if he surfaces?

Feeding is another thing. They don't seem to want to eat. They have been moved in now for about 24 hours, I do not see them eat. I did put in some frozen bloodworms this moening and a tad bit of flakes this evening.

I hope they are just adjusting to their new home.

 

[england]

http/www.petinfo4u.com/bala_sharks.htm

 

[pieman]

PLEASE don't buy fish in the knowlage that they will grow too big for your tank!

 

[nmdelrio]

PLEASE don't buy fish in the knowlage that they will grow too big for your tank!

No, not anymore. When I bought those fish, I didn't know at all how big they will be growing. I was completely unaware of fish keeping. I bought them from a small fish store in a mall. Didn't know any better. The store was selling fishes as a novelty items. The seller didn't tell me anything at all, just want to make a sale.

Anyway, they are gone now. Please see my post: 200L tank fish cycling in Fish Emergencies.

 

[pieman]

Thats ok then if you don't know, happens to all us all, but its when people go out knowing the fish will be too big

 

[nmdelrio]

Thats ok then if you don't know, happens to all us all, but its when people go out knowing the fish will be too big

Are Moe, Larry and Curly tiger barbs? I am considering tiger barbs, but they nippy with other fishes, aren't they? I am considering tiger barbs with red fin sharks and black widow tetras. Maybe even glass catfishes, but these are picky with water conditions.

Do you keep them with other fishes? If so, what fishes?

 

[Phillip.M]

actually they're black skirt tetra's. Here is a pic of a tiger barb.http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/tigerbarb.jpg If you still want them; They need to be in a group of 6 in a community tank to avoid nipping.

 

[cane76]

PLEASE don't buy fish in the knowlage that they will grow too big for your tank!

AGREED^^