Can I or can't I?!

[zanyzebra]

I want a silver shark in my tank. I've heard they are very good with smaller fish. The tank is the right size and all of that stuff, but would it be ok with all my other fish?

I have:
5 glowlight tetras
5 green barbs
4 zebra danios
2 cory catfish

I'd appreciate any advice anyone could give me, or any stories about when they had silver sharks...

Zanyzebra

[The Internet is like a giant jellyfish. You can't step on it. You can't go around it. You've got to get through it.]

 

[Alien Anna]

How big exactly is your tank?

 

[zanyzebra]

it's 20 gallons - I have bags of space yet!!

The silver shark would fit fine, but would it be nice to all my other little fishys?!

 

[Alien Anna]

it's 20 gallons - I have bags of space yet!!

The silver shark would fit fine, but would it be nice to all my other little fishys?!

Your tank is nowhere near big enough for a shark (they're schooling fish too, in case you weren't aware). I would actually say your tank is just about full as it is - I usually go by the "1 inch of fish, not including tails, per US gallon of fish". Once those fish of yours grow to full size, you're going to have 20" of fish in there!

I also ought to add that of your fish, several are schooling fish. That is, fish that like to live in groups. For some reason, a "group" in the fish world seems to be a minimum of 6-8 fish, and 4-5 can be OK as long as there nothing frightens your fish - any fewer and the fish could be stressed and unable to shoal properly. Most particularly, you need more corys. If I were you, I'd get another couple of corys and then consider your tank done.

Sounds like you need another tank!

 

[CFC]

Just gonna add siver/bala sharks grow to 13" when full grown and will be half that size within a year,if you really want them you will need to get a minimum of a 55 gallon tank first,a 75 would be better.

 

[AllusiveLife]

Yes I agree with Alien anna. But it does take a wile to get them that size... The largest Silver Shark I've had it be was 6 inches and like 1 inch wide if that makes any sense. One thing I would suggest for you to add to your tetra group is 5 neon tetras. " people are like " she has enough, but I disagree when you compare it with neon tetras. But they actors in some cases, these fish need an excellent eviorment and condition. But again I would suggest neon's. The reaosn why I would say 5 is because they like odd numbers for one and they're a school fish but are very small. They make the tank beautiful in most cases with their attraction. I'm going to get about 30 neons for my 160 gallon tank, so they're fun. I say odd numbers in a small group but if you have a large one you're doing good...

 

[zanyzebra]

surely if i go by the 1 inch of fish per litre, and just over 75 litres in the tank, i can have 75 inches of fish. in my tank i have...

5 x glowlight tetras = 7.5 inches
5 x green barbs = 15 inches
4 x zebra danio = 10 inches
2 x cory catfish = 5 inches

that makes 37.5 inches of fish. so i have 37.5 inches left. And if a silver shark is 13 inches, I have enough space. I worked all this out before.

But will the fish get on ok?

 

[teknikz]

u could get 1 now if u were plannin on gettin a bigger tank in 8-12 months

is it deffo a silver shark u want???

ive got a albino rainbow shark too n he's lovely

 

[CFC]

1 inch per litre Not a hope im afraid,its 1 inch per gallon which is about 4 litres.Your tank is already overstocked and you shouldnt add any more fish,small tanks are for small ammounts of small fish.

 

[rosierabbit]

what is the smallest kind of shark that is readily available? I'd really like one in my tank.

also, i know i have enough space for about 15 inches of fish, but i dont want a 15 inch shark!! it has to be friendly to glowlight tetras, and zebra danios, like zanyzebra's tank.

 

[smb]

what is the smallest kind of shark that is readily available?

A redtail shark is small. Get's to around 4" or so. They will be very aggressive to other rtbs's so only get 1 per tank, but I've never had a problem keeping them with barbs or tetras when I had them a long time ago.

 

[Alien Anna]

surely if i go by the 1 inch of fish per litre, and just over 75 litres in the tank, i can have 75 inches of fish. in my tank i have...

5 x glowlight tetras = 7.5 inches
5 x green barbs = 15 inches
4 x zebra danio = 10 inches
2 x cory catfish = 5 inches

that makes 37.5 inches of fish. so i have 37.5 inches left. And if a silver shark is 13 inches, I have enough space. I worked all this out before.

But will the fish get on ok?

You said your tank was 20 gals, not 75 gals.

You probably could get a silver shark in a 75 gal tank.

 

[revengeishere]

what is the smallest kind of shark that is readily available?

A redtail shark is small. Get's to around 4" or so. They will be very aggressive to other rtbs's so only get 1 per tank, but I've never had a problem keeping them with barbs or tetras when I had them a long time ago.

yes, or you could try rainbow sharks, they are close cousins, and i think they grow to about the same size, but the rainbo is milder(not much tho).

Ther are also other shakr varieties like albino rainbows, etc(i wanna get one, once my RTBs gets too aggresive, so far, he isnt.)

 

[smb]

I've had Rainbow sharks get 6-7".

 

[rosierabbit]

so a shark would be friendly with the tetras, barbs and danios?? sorry, i may be being slow, but i'm really intrigued now!!!