Silver Sharks Poss Sick

[Alimak]

Hello,

I have two Silver Sharks both of them have been in my tank about 4months and have been completely fine. I can home yesterday to my mum saying they were down one side of my tank for most the weekend. When I looked at them they had their mouths pointing down and tails in the air. They were half way down the tank. I do a 20% water change every week the other fish in my tank are completely fine (4 guppies, 4 jumbo neons, 3 tetras and 1 female siamesse fighting fish). I'm not sure what to do

Thanks Alimak

 

[Littlemonkey]

What size tank have you got. Bala Sharks get very big. When you saw them were they breathing and moving fins normally. My Bala's have been known to feed and move in the most unusual way, even feeding upside down. You will also need to post your stat's IE nitrates etc for the more experianced to help you.

 

[Alimak]

What size tank have you got. Bala Sharks get very big. When you saw them were they breathing and moving fins normally. My Bala's have been known to feed and move in the most unusual way, even feeding upside down. You will also need to post your stat's IE nitrates etc for the more experianced to help you.

I have a 60L tank but I will be rehoming them when they get to big for the tank as I was going tp move to a bigger tank but that can't happen now. They were breathing and fins were moving they don't look sick its strange how to describe it. I will look at them again obviously when I get home from work

 

[Littlemonkey]

Wow, in a 60ltr, what size are they. Has the current tank got a lid on, they are jumpers. Try and get a larger tank if you can or re-home or take them back to where you bought them from. Keep us posted, I dont think they are sick just Bala's acting normally.

 

[Alimak]

They are approx 3-4ins they are small at the mo. Yea the tank has a lid on it I wouldn't take the risk

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

What other type of fish do you have in the tank and how many.
What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Head standing can be swim bladder.
Do the sharks look bloated.
What do you feed the fish.

Swim bladder can be caused by bad water quality, poor diet, bacterial infection, internal parasties, unstable temp, injury.

 

[Alimak]

What other type of fish do you have in the tank and how many.
What are your water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Head standing can be swim bladder.
Do the sharks look bloated.
What do you feed the fish.

Swim bladder can be caused by bad water quality, poor diet, bacterial infection, internal parasties, unstable temp, injury.

I have 4 guppies, 4 jumbo neons, 3 tetras and 1 female siamesse fighting fish, I can't remember what my stats are at the moment. They don't look any different to me and I feed them the same as the others which is tropical fish flakes (aquirim?? i think thats what its called) and every now and then bloodworm which is what i was advised by my LFS.

 

[WILDER]

Your tanks severly overstocked.
Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

You need to improve the fish diet of more frozen foods like daphnia and brime shrimp.
Also introduce some green veg into there diet.

Cook some frozen peas for a few minutes, let cool down and pop out of shell. Mush into small pieces and add to the tank.

Bloodworms can bloat fish up and cause swim bladder if you over feed them.
I would only feed them twice a week and not feed to many of them.

Are the bloodworms frozen, live, or freeze dried.

http/www.flippersandfins.net/SwimbladderDisease.htm

 

[Alimak]

Hi Guys,

Well my Silver Shark didn't make it through the night

He was doing so much better I did a water change reduced the amount I was feeding and kept a close eye on him and he looked well again but then dead this morning.

Thanks for all you comments tho.

Just one question do Silver sharks like to be in numbers or are they ok by themselves as I only have one left now

Many Thanks

Alimak

 

[Littlemonkey]

Sorry for your loss, I wouldn't go out and get another as a previous post has pointed out you were overstocked. Unfortunatly you have learned a sad lesson. Don't let it put you off though.

 

[m00se]

Just one question do Silver sharks like to be in numbers or are they ok by themselves as I only have one left now

IIRC they're shoalers, so should be in a group of 6 or more. Some LFS will sell you them singly, but the ones that know what they're on about will tell you they should be in groups. Most LFS will still sell you little ones without telling you they get big though. REALLY big.

 

[Alimak]

I don't want to lose my other one as a result of it feeling lonely to if they like being with others. I want to do right by this one.

I got told by my LFS that my tank isn't overstocked with what I had as all my fish are still small. I just don't know what to do.

I will see how he is when I get home and make a choice then

Thanks