Bala Shark

[tishygirl]

Ok, this might sound insane, but I'm going to give it a go .. LOL.........

I think my Bala shark 'plays dead'... This has happened a good 4 or 5 times now.. I walk into the room and peek over at my fish, and my 4inch bala is floating like he's dead, he's upside down and other fish are nipping at him... Scares the heck out of me!!!! Once he sees me come over to the tank, he flips back over and smirks at me like "Haha!, GOTCHA!" I was just wondering, Is my fish insane? Am I completely seeing things? Or is he like, a fainting goat ? I'm very confuzzled ; over this one, any help would be, SUPER!

 

[tishygirl]

I know.. it sounds crazy... Its so strange to me.. but he appears quite healthy and happy, so I just wonder if this is something fish like to do ... for fun? LOL. Has anyone had fish do it before ?

 

[Lateral Line]

That would be unusual behaviour for a Bala Shark, never heard of a healthy specimen doing that.

 

[tishygirl]

Hmm.. I wonder what in the world he is doing..... Its got me stumped.. I can't seem to find much on the internet about fish doing things like that.... My water params are good.. my ph is a little high at 7.6... but its stable...

Blah, I dunno..

 

[Nidge]

No Bala's dont play dead, sometimes when at night with the lights off the tend to "drift" or go alseep so to speak but perk up as soon as the lights go on.

I would say there's something very wrong with your fish, maybe a swim bladder problem which would cause the fish to act like you say.

 

[tishygirl]

That is what I keep thinking is the problem.... I caught him doing it again today.

He swims around fine, eats well... I walk in, see him drifting upside down or sideways like he's dead, a fish will be picking at him even... but as soon as I walk up, he 'wakes' up and swims normally....I keep thinking he is having a swimbladder problem, but would a swim bladder problem just come and go?? I've had him about a month now, and this has happened probably 6 times or so.. not often...

Could he be sleeping and he's just strange about it ? I have a feeling this might end up one of those unanswered questions... I've been watching him like a hawk since i first noticed him doing this, and I just cant seem to see anything that gives me a real answer...

I really think he's got fainting goat in his bloodlines somewhere.... lol