SILVER SHARKS - Fresh Water Minnows

Bala sharks in a tank  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Although the name suggests otherwise, the Silver Shark is actually a minnow. This fish has many monikers including, Bala shark, tricolor shark, tri-color shark minnow, hangus, Malaysian shark, and silver Bala. Last, but certainly not least there is also the scientific binomial name, Balantiocheilus melanopterus.

Silver sharks are found in the fresh waters of South East Asia. Although they are bred in captivity by professional breeders, the vast majority of them are still caught in the wild. In fact, so many are caught that silver sharks are making their way onto the endangered species list.

They are very easy to identify in an aquarium. When they are healthy, they have a shiny silver body and jet black bands on the back edge of their fins. Their dorsal and tail fins are reminiscent of a shark; that is why they are called silver "sharks". When fed certain foods they may have an additional yellowish color between the silver body and black fin bands. Hence the name tri color shark.

When bought in the store they are usually between 1 and 2 inches long. With proper nutrition and comfortable surrounds, they should be nearly 10 inches long after a few years. If yours are not that long, don't forget that all fish are individuals and their genetics have a large part in determining how large they will grow. After all, not all humans are 6 feet tall. The silver shark's maximum length is said to be 14 inches. A fish that big will require quite a large aquarium.

Silver sharks do best when kept in a shoal of 5 or more silver sharks. If you keep them in smaller numbers they may be aggressive towards other members of the aquarium community. If you are lucky enough to have 5 or more silvers and they all grow to be 12 inches or more long your tank will have to be at least 125 gallons. And make sure that you have a lid securely fastened over the tank because they are jumpers.

Silver Sharks are relatively weak when it comes to disease resistance. They will become sick before most other members of the aquarium. So if your silver sharks are coming down with something make sure you pay a little more attention to the health of your fishes.

By Bjorn Allpas - Article Source: EzineArticles

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Can You Have SHARKS in a Freshwater Aquarium?

Sharks are certainly one of the most captivating creatures in the water. They excite, frighten, and intrigue us like no other sea creature. Everybody knows that sharks are from the ocean, but are there such things as freshwater sharks? Is it possible for the adventurous aquarist to keep sharks in a freshwater aquarium?

Shark Catfish Pangasius hypophthalmus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are a couple of shark species that venture into the fresh water, such as river sharks and occasionally bull sharks, but they generally need at least brackish (somewhat salty) water to survive. So since there are no true sharks that live in freshwater it is impossible to keep them in a home freshwater aquarium.

If you have done any browsing in a fish or pet store it is possible that you came across some fish that were labeled "sharks". If they were not in a saltwater tank, then they weren't sharks. There are a few tropical fish that, due to their appearance, have been given a common name containing "shark", but they are not true sharks. A few of these so-called sharks are very popular in freshwater fish tanks, though, and are worth a look if you are stocking a tank.

The most common of these is the red-tailed shark, scientific name Labeo Bicolor, which earned its name of "shark" because of its dorsal fin, but that is a stretch. Regardless, the red-tailed shark and the rainbow (or red-finned) shark are great additions to almost any community tank. They have distinct coloration and get to be decent size without growing too big. They are generally shy but they do get a bit territorial, although they rarely inflict any damage to other fish in the tank.

The Bala shark is another falsely named but very popular freshwater aquarium fish. The Bala shark is very peaceful and makes a good addition to a larger community aquarium. They definitely prefer a bigger tank because they are very active swimmers and by home aquarium standards, get fairly large (5" or so). They are excellent jumpers so a covered tank is a must.

One other common "shark" is the black fin shark catfish, sometimes called a black tipped shark. Of all of the freshwater fish mistakenly called sharks, this one has the closest actual resemblance. It has a gray, streamlined body with a dorsal fin very similar in shape to a shark, but alas, it is simply a catfish. This fish is not the best choice for general community tanks; it will grow fairly large, chase other fish, and eat small fish if they will fit in his mouth. It is best kept with other larger fish.

For those looking to stock "real" sharks in a freshwater aquarium, you are out of luck. On the plus side, some of the commonly available "sharks" at the fish store are wonderful fish to add to a community aquarium and are well worth considering.

By Drew Bartlett Drew Bartlett has over 30 years experience with setting up and maintaining freshwater aquariums. He is the author of The Essential Beginners Guide to Freshwater Aquariums. Article Source: EzineArticles

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Add RED TAILED BALA SHARK to Your Tropical Fish Tank

Put a Shark in your Aquarium!

Bala Sharks can be a great addition to any fish tank.  It’s fun to boast among your friends that you have a shark swimming around in your aquarium at home.  Instantly they assume you have a ginormous shark.  Let’s put it this way – you can have a lot of fun talking about your Bala Shark

"Balantiocheilos melanopterus" by I, Lerdsuwa. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Bala’s are in the tropical semi-aggressive community and grow from 4″ to 17″ or more.  Bala Shark is versatile in the fish tank, they don’t hesitate to explore all levels in the water.  You can find the Bala’s shooting from top to bottom.  Bala’s are great for a community aquarium as they are non-aggressive.  The funny thing about Bala’s as they belong to the minnow family!  Their dorsal is what gives them the shark identity.  Bala sharks like to hop out of the water so if you don’t have the hood closed on your fish tank your Bala Shark may jump out and flop around on the floor.  A secure tight cover is number 1 with Bala’s.

Bala Sharks are omnivores so they can chow down on some meat or plants.  Prepared foods such as vegetables and live foods like worms suit the fish well for its diet. You can feed Bala Sharks fish flakes, frozen foods, live foods from tubifex worms to daphnia.  They even gorge down mosquito larvae, worms, and brine shrimp.  Remember to balance your Bala’s diet by tossing in some veggies.

For some reason fish like zucchini.  It’s the universal veggie, but peas and romaine lettuce will work too.  Feed what the shark will eat up to 3 minutes and alternate between meat and vegetation to keep your Bala’s diet in sync.

Tip Place your fish tank in a low traffic area away from exposing sunlight and AC/Heat vents to keep your tanks water temperature controlled. Other Bala Sharks include the Red-Tailed Bala (Aggressive fish), Red Spotted, Roselin, Silver-tip, Rainbow, and Variegated.

By Nathan E Peterson Article Source: EzineArticles

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