Silver Sharks

[godzuki]

hi peeps

does anyone know how to sex silver sharks, mine are acting very strange. the smaller of the two chases the larger around but doesnt seem to be trying to attack it, they then go to side of tank and the small one kind of wriggles about and then it all starts again, I watched them for hours today and not once did the small one actually attack the larger one...

thanks

godzuki

 

[tetraqueen]

hi peeps

does anyone know how to sex silver sharks, mine are acting very strange. the smaller of the two chases the larger around but doesnt seem to be trying to attack it, they then go to side of tank and the small one kind of wriggles about and then it all starts again, I watched them for hours today and not once did the small one actually attack the larger one...

thanks

godzuki

Hi yes they are fascinating. Mine do the same

They state that the female is larger and has a round belly. They are unlikely to mate.

They are schooling fish and we should keep more than two. I guess as they get teenagers lol they get more strops as they get bigger.


Could be rubbish but it is what I have been told.

Enjoy but observe and ask the experts. I just hope you have a large tank, as a new large one is expensive.


The index is good . Look on Bala sharks they are the same

 

[andywg]

It is believed that the females may become larger in the breeding season or when fully adult, though this is unlikely to be exhibited in the home aquarium.

The chasing is a form of playing. They are a fast moving fish that enjoy sprinting from one end of an aquarium to another and part of this is playing with each other. Mine do it more so after feeding. Nothing to worry about.

 

[tetraqueen]

It is believed that the females may become larger in the breeding season or when fully adult, though this is unlikely to be exhibited in the home aquarium.

The chasing is a form of playing. They are a fast moving fish that enjoy sprinting from one end of an aquarium to another and part of this is playing with each other. Mine do it more so after feeding. Nothing to worry about.

One of mine is very much rounder bellied than the other ................... are you saying something maybe wrong. Its as active as the other one. Also what size is your tank? I have had various messages from different people as to how big I need to order a new tank.
Any info is good .

 

[tetraqueen]

It is believed that the females may become larger in the breeding season or when fully adult, though this is unlikely to be exhibited in the home aquarium.

The chasing is a form of playing. They are a fast moving fish that enjoy sprinting from one end of an aquarium to another and part of this is playing with each other. Mine do it more so after feeding. Nothing to worry about.

One of mine is very much rounder bellied than the other ................... are you saying something maybe wrong. Its as active as the other one. Also what size is your tank? I have had various messages from different people as to how big I need to order a new tank.
Any info is good .

This is where I got my information

gnouf Nov 29 2005, 02:35 PM Post #5


Newbie


Group: Members
Posts: 15
Joined: 27-November 05
Member No.: 17226



Well....can I just say that having 2 silver sharks is going to cause you some problems straight away. They can grow to as much as 14". But apart from that, although they are peaceful towards other species, if kept in pairs, the bigger one will usually bully/chase the smaller one, sometimes to death. These fish should really only be kept in groups, and if they are, they need a VERY big tank. They need plenty of room to swim, and are territorial. They are very skittish and need calm. They would probably justify the 100 gallons on their own! I currently have one silver shark, not an ideal situation, and he may just about be ok in my 45 gallon tank. Please don't be offended by this, I am talking from personal experience. It may be worth considering re-homing one of them.

I am by no means an expert, but I would just pass on the advice which was given to me, and that was to buy the biggest tank my pocket and my room size will allow. Not only will your fish be happier, but the water conditions will be more stable and easier to control, and you won't be facing the dilemma of upping to a bigger tank again in the near future.

I do not own any clown loaches, but again, I think these can grow to quite a size.

I think your idea of splitting up your fish and keeping them in separate tanks is a good and necessary one.

As I said, I am not an expert, so someone please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[andywg]

tetraqueen, my 6 are in a 6 x 2 x 2 180 US gallon tank with double sump filtration.

I would never think of putting them in less than a 6 x 1.5 x 1.5 for 3 fully grown and would not feel happy at less than they are in now. I will probably upgrade their tank before they reach full adult length to something like an 8x3 to give more swimming room.

I wouldn't listen to the info of gnouf, that is someone who has one fish in a tank that is far too small trying to say what will happen when you keep more of that fish together. They are not aggressive and as such will not chase to death if only 2. He says he speaks from personal experience and then gives no evidence of it.

They sometimes look aggressive when they play which some people, after keeping them alone for too long are worried about as they actually see the real character of the fish coming out.

My advice is get the largest tank you can to fit more of them in, you won't regret it.

The larger belly may just be because one has eaten a lot more. Also, it seems ours get a larger belly before a growth spurt where they thin out and then start fattening up again.

HTH

Andy

 

[tetraqueen]

tetraqueen, my 6 are in a 6 x 2 x 2 180 US gallon tank with double sump filtration.

I would never think of putting them in less than a 6 x 1.5 x 1.5 for 3 fully grown and would not feel happy at less than they are in now. I will probably upgrade their tank before they reach full adult length to something like an 8x3 to give more swimming room.

I wouldn't listen to the info of gnouf, that is someone who has one fish in a tank that is far too small trying to say what will happen when you keep more of that fish together. They are not aggressive and as such will not chase to death if only 2. He says he speaks from personal experience and then gives no evidence of it.

They sometimes look aggressive when they play which some people, after keeping them alone for too long are worried about as they actually see the real character of the fish coming out.

My advice is get the largest tank you can to fit more of them in, you won't regret it.

The larger belly may just be because one has eaten a lot more. Also, it seems ours get a larger belly before a growth spurt where they thin out and then start fattening up again.

HTH

Andy

Thanks.

I watch mine and they chase each other around a lot. We have been watching intensely and my daughter has marked who chases who, and so far its equal. They stop then the other one goes back when it's ready. They seem to also school with the clown loaches ( totally different breed I know) but the four of them chase all day. I will be sorry if I cannot get the right size and shape of tank to fit as I get delight from them.

Can I just ask are they also winding me up (more stressed than the fish) when they say they grow to the size of the tank but their insides keep growing................
The thought of it is awful I have just had them 6 months so they are very young but growing. FAST
.

 

[gnouf]

Hm...actually I do have personal experience of having two Bala sharks in a tank. I now have one because the larger one chased the smaller one which eventually died. A similar thing happened with the two Bala sharks which my parents had. Also, since this incident, I have done a lot of reading about this species, and all of the stuff I have read states that you must NOT keep 2 of this species together, that you should have a group. I do not give advice unless I have had personal experience of what I am commeting on. I have admitted that just keeping the one is not an ideal solution, I would much rather have a group of these fish. But the one I have sould be ok in the size of tank I have.

By the way, I am not a 'he'.

 

[CFC]

Your one will not be ok in a 45 gallon tank which offers no where near the area the area these fish need to be able to swim freely, also keeping one of any schooling species is wrong as it restricts their natural instinct to find members of their own species.
If you had one shark die when kept in a pair i doubt it was from the other one killing it but rather stress induced from being kept in too small of an area and in insufficient numbers for the fish to feel secure.

 

[tetraqueen]

Your one will not be ok in a 45 gallon tank which offers no where near the area the area these fish need to be able to swim freely, also keeping one of any schooling species is wrong as it restricts their natural instinct to find members of their own species.
If you had one shark die when kept in a pair i doubt it was from the other one killing it but rather stress induced from being kept in too small of an area and in insufficient numbers for the fish to feel secure.

gnouf

Please if I said he I did not mean to offend. I am not as experienced as you as I have no parents with experience of fish to help.

I am sorry one of yours died and I just await a bigger tank before I add more.

Please I am also a female and on here we will get advice we chew on and others we decide is good sense.
The problem I have is space and also the emotion of keeping fish is like all creatures great and small you really do not know them till you live with them .

I am of the belief each individual has experience and some needs are not the needs of others likewise it could be the same with fish.
Dogs should be in packs but how many of them live alone.
I also think though from this I will never buy on impulse.
Many thanks to those that care and write as you and others have done.
We all have to be responsible and do what we see is right .

 

[godzuki]

its not the big one chasing the small one its the other way around the small one chasing the big one,

 

[andywg]

The chasing is perfectly normal. My 6 take it in turns for one to chase the other, or even one to chase the rest of them. Just make sure you give them enough room to swim.