Bala Sharks mating dance?

[English Lion]

I have a pair of bala sharks and this week they've begun swimming around in what I can only describe as a mating dance. They swim side by side with their bodies pressed together at the same speed and do laps of the tank. I'm convinced it's not aggression as neither shark tries to pull away at any time.

Has anyone else seen this kind of behaviour?

 

[Talisman]

I have a couple of Silver sharks, one is slightly bigger than the other and so i assumed they were male and female.

A few weeks ago i was getting ready for work when i noticed these two swimming side by side slowly and as close as possible. they sort of wiggled over and under each other very delicately. I watch them doing this for a good 10 mins.

Dont know if anything will come of it, but nice to see.

 

[Supersalmon]

Im not 100% sure about this but I dont think Bala sharks have ever been breed in captivity, in fact i dont think a lot is known about breeding them at all. You could have a first!!

 

[English Lion]

I don't expect them to actually breed in my tank. I just wondered whether it was some sort of mating ritual.

They don't do it all the time and I don't know what set them off. But it's quite impressive to see.

 

[yvez9]

Bala sharks are bred in captivity by injecting hormones in the fish. Without these hormones though, it is known impossible...

 

[Supersalmon]

Are most of the Bala Sharks seen for sale wild ones then, or are they the injected tank bred ones? Dont like the sound of that injection

 

[phil]

Hi All

"My silver sharks have taken to swimming with each other in close proximity - circling each other top to bottom - rubbing themselves against each other - and gently nudging each other - is this a courtship ritual ?"


#I posted this a few days ago it`s quite similar behaviour - anyone else got bala sharks and noticed this sort of behaviour ?

(May be their breeding time?)

Phil

 

[sylvia]

Well I've never kept balas cause I've never had a big enough tank for them but I would suppose what you are seeing could be courtship or the two fish may be establishing hierarchy or just socialising.

 

[Toki]

My sharks did the same thing and nothing came of it.

 

[tekknocolor]

As I recall, Bala Sharks are endangered in the wild and are farm raised. It has not yet been documented that they have ever been bred in an aquarium.

 

[evilbunny]

my sharks swim against each other all the time, especially after being fed. i've heard some people say that it might be a way of establishing rank, and others say that's they're just playing with each other