Silver Sharks With Other Ciprinids?

[VickiandKev]

Am I right in thinking Rainbow Sharks, Silver Sharks and Flying Fox are all cyprinids (sp)?

If so, in my 6ft tank, would I get away with a shoal of (large-ish) silver sharks - you can see from my stocking below that I currently have a rainbow shark and a flying fox (nor false or siamese).

I'm sitting here looking at my tank and it looks distinctly empty - which is odd, because it's not, but it's lacking a 'shoal' to use up most of the water space.

If not those, then what about silver dollars (although the OH doesn't like them!!) ... I just really want a nice shoal of big fish. The gouramis don't really shoal very well and tend to wander around the bottom and sides anyway Spoil sports.

 

[Davo86]

Hi, yes those are all cyprinids, along with Barbs Loach, Danios, and Rasboras (and Carps)
What is the width of the tank? If its a 6x2x2 then yes a small group of Silver Sharks could be a possibility,

 

[VickiandKev]

It was sold to me as a 6 x 2 x 2 but it's actually 6' x 18" x 2' - do you think it's perhaps not big enough - and if not what would be a good fish to fill the gap I have?
I've looked briefly at Silver Dollars but that's about it.

 

[Sanj]

I have recently added 3x Silver Sharks to an 8x2x2 which has many rainbowfish and Densioni barbs (similar shape to silver sharks but only grow to 6" and much more colourful). If you dont want to grow plants in your tank have you thought about Tinfoil barbs? Mine is a planted tank so I would not consider them. it is good at least you are looking to keep silver sharks in a largish tank, most people keep them in appallingly small systems, having said that i am still questioning my decision to buy them for the 8ft tank.

 

[england]

I have recently added 3x Silver Sharks to an 8x2x2 which has many rainbowfish and Densioni barbs (similar shape to silver sharks but only grow to 6" and much more colourful). If you dont want to grow plants in your tank have you thought about Tinfoil barbs? Mine is a planted tank so I would not consider them. it is good at least you are looking to keep silver sharks in a largish tank, most people keep them in appallingly small systems, having said that i am still questioning my decision to buy them for the 8ft tank.

Agreed about the silver sharks,i have four<which iam selling now>however tinfoil's i had three and boy do they get big,seriously big

 

[Sanj]

Hi, yes you are right Tinfoils can actually get to similar sizes as Balas. For some reason I was thinking they were 8".

 

[england]

Hi, yes you are right Tinfoils can actually get to similar sizes as Balas. For some reason I was thinking they were 8".

Yes these grew even bigger than this so i had to get rid,as much as i loved them,there are brilliant fish but you need a big tank or a tropical pond to really house these guys,get more skittish as they mature aswell,real stunners

 

[VickiandKev]

Tinfoil barbs are pretty cool but don't think I could deal with skittish BIG fish and think a 6ft tank is pushing it looking at those pics!

I think I will have a nosey round and see whether there are any silver sharks for sale reasonably priced around here. I did used to have them (was sold them by a bad store as a fish newbie) in a 3ft tank and then promptly took them back once I realised they were unsuitable for my setup, they were lovely looking fish though!

 

[VickiandKev]

After watching the bigger bala sharks freak out and try to jump out of their tank in my LFS I remembered why I hadn't got some sooner and had a nose round everything else.

I settled on some congo tetra (although I know they don't grow massive) - but they're such pretty fish and so far they've settled well and fit in really well with my community.

Thanks for all your advice

 

[Lestat999]

After watching the bigger bala sharks freak out and try to jump out of their tank in my LFS I remembered why I hadn't got some sooner and had a nose round everything else.

I settled on some congo tetra (although I know they don't grow massive) - but they're such pretty fish and so far they've settled well and fit in really well with my community.

Thanks for all your advice

Congo tetra are beautiful fish and not too skitish at all. How many did you get? They'll make great dithers for your clowns.