Bala Shark Has Droopy Tail Fin

Request Help

Tank size: 31 USG (118 L)
pH: 6.8
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: unknown
kH:
gH:
tank temp: 26 - 27c

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): 1 of the Bala sharks seems a little "droopy" for lack of a better word to describe it, he swims around a little slower and his body seem to angle down just before his tail giving him a slightly curved look, i have seen wilder ask about curved spines often enough to know that it probably means something is wrong. As well 2 of the tiger barbs seem to sit at a strange angle when floating rather than swimming. All fish seem to have a reduced appetite but are still eating.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: Weekly 25% changes, no change last 2 weeks due to cirumstances with work that kept me away

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Just finnished treating for Ich with raised temperature and Salt,

Tank inhabitants: 2 Bala Sharks (yes i know the tank is too small but the sharks are still small and I will be getting a much larger tank in the new year) 3 Tiger Barbs (lost 2 with the ich infection) and 1 Polka Dot Loach ( 1 just randomly dissapeared and i never found him and lost 2 to ich caught that way to late sigh)

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Added a Bubble Stone to the tank when i begain Ich treatment to increase airation of warmer water

Exposure to chemicals: Just the Salt that was added to kill the ich (14 days exposure.. i expect this is the culprit)

Additional Information

Yesterday when i got home i immediately did a 50% water change to start removing the salt and slowly begain to lower the temperature of the tank back to 26 it had been at 30 for 14 days with the salt, all of the fish do seem healthier this morning and are eating a little more, i will be doing another large water change today, again to reduce salt concentrations and prbobably a 3rd change on sunday. I have not yet seen any of the fish poo but will keep an eye on them today.

On the up side the ich seems to have cleared and the 1 bala shark and the loach seem quite healthy and happy.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Sounds like swim bladder.
Do the fish look bloated.
What do you feed you fish.
Is the spine bending or just look like it is with the tail weighing the fish down in the water.

Is it possible to load a pic up of the fish onto the site.

Here is a picture of the Bala, I would definitley describe the spine as looking bent. The Fish have been primarily fed Nutrifin Max Flake food, with freeze dried blood worms now and then, i picked up some frozen food today to see if the fish are more interested in that.

Hmm I know at least with bettas, freeze-dried food can contribute to swim bladder.

The biggest thing I am picking up on is that the Bala is in a 30g. Whether you plan on upgrading him when he gets too big for the tank or not, even a baby fish will become stunted in an undersized tank if it's capable of reaching over 1 foot. Basically, their spine stops growing, but their organs do not. Perhaps the pressure from the normal-sized swim bladder on the stunted spine is what's causing the grief?

kelly528 said:

Hmm I know at least with bettas, freeze-dried food can contribute to swim bladder.

The biggest thing I am picking up on is that the Bala is in a 30g. Whether you plan on upgrading him when he gets too big for the tank or not, even a baby fish will become stunted in an undersized tank if it's capable of reaching over 1 foot. Basically, their spine stops growing, but their organs do not. Perhaps the pressure from the normal-sized swim bladder on the stunted spine is what's causing the grief?

Click to expand...

I was wondering about that a little myself but have known many people who keep bala's in tanks to small because they dont know any better, my brother keeps 2 in his 80 USG tank, and the other bala seems fine, have been doing lots of reading and think it may have lots to do with the food, the sharks seem to like to pick at the pelets for the loach and i know that the pelets expand when soaked so that could be a problem too.... ha ha nothing like jumping into fish keeping before you do the reading

A bent spine can be a vitamin deficiency, fish tb, internal parasites, injury, birth defect, old age.

Also it could be stunted growth.


I would issolate him to see if there any improvement over the next few days.
Feed some peas also.

Ok, so quick update here, i fed them the frozen food last night and they went absolutely crazy and ate it all up, which is good because they have not been eating a whole lot the last little bit, every one seems a little healthier today and i saw one of the barbs poo, and everything looked normal there. The bala's tail does not seem to be as droopy today but it is hard to judge with how much they move around. I fed 1 pea this morning to see if it would be eaten and it was so i will probably feed a few more over time, I dont want to overfeed the fish. As for the stunted growth, despite the picture, the bala's are only about 3 inches right now, in about 3 months they will be moving into an 80 USGal tank and then within a year of that i should be able to get my 130+ Gallon. I guess for now all i can do is keep and eye on him and keep researching.. thanks for all the Help

If no improvement in the next few days get back to the board.
Good Luck.

I just have to add that frequent water changes can help fight the stunting.


What makes fish 'grow to the size of their tank' is a hormone they secrete into the water. Imagine how this works in the wild: When they sense high levels of this hormone in the water, their growth is stalled a little bit to prevent them from getting too big. The smaller they stay, the easier it will be to keep a full belly in an overpopulated river. In an extreme situation like an aquarium, their growth is dramatically stunted because they are swimming in this hormone! Therefore changing the water twice a week instead of once will remove some of the hormone, fooling his senses into thinking he has room to grow.


Good luck!

Kelly