“We train the zebra sharks to follow a target so we can move them on and off exhibit easily.” —Wild Reef collection manager Lise Watson You are probably bigger than most sharks. 80% of shark species are 6 feet or shorter. 50% are less than 3 feet long. You are more likely to be struck by lightning or killed by a tornado than you are to be attacked or killed by a shark. The world has more than 300 shark species. “I immediately loved how easy zebra sharks were to train and that they tend to be gentle and even playful at times.” — Wild Reef collection manager Lise Watson Most sharks at Shedd are between 3 and 7 feet long. Shedd has trained sharks for more than 10 years. To breathe, some sharks, like the sandbars and black-tip reef sharks, must swim 24-7 to force water through their gills. Other sharks have cheek muscles that pump water over their gills. What do sharks eat at Shedd? Find out during our daily shark chats. The torpedo shape of some sharks, like the sandbars, helps them speed through the water.

Information about Feshwater Sharks for Home Aquariums There are a lot of so called freshwater sharks available for the home aquarium. Most (read all) of them are however not really sharks but rather a type of minnows. fish tank filter for bettaMost so called freshwater sharks originates from Asia and it is hard to see why they have been branded as sharks since they aren’t predators and doesn’t even have teeth. new fish tank instructionsThis doesn’t make them any less interesting as pets, but you should know that the so called freshwater sharks swimming in your home aquarium isn’t really sharks.fish tank stand sydney There are a number of true sharks that live in freshwater, e.g. in Australia and on Borneo, but these aren’t really suitable for home aquariums. fish tank cleaning products

These sharks grow large and many of them are critically endangered. There are also species that wanders between fresh and marine water, such as the bull shark. Bull sharks are not suitable for home aquariums due to their size.fish tank belfast gumtree The truth is that if you are looking for suitable home aquarium freshwater sharks you will have to consider keeping so called freshwater sharks rather than actual sharks. fish tank cleaner sprayYour alternatives are more numerous if you have kept tropical fish for a while and would consider a marine aquarium since there are marine sharks that can be successfully kept in home aquariums. Marine sharks are however generally not recommended to beginner marine aquarist; you need to gain some experience with easier marine species first. I you want to keep so called freshwater sharks in your aquarium you must consider your aquarium size when choosing species because many of the so called freshwater sharks grow too large for most home aquariums and are primarily suitable for public aquariums.

Examples of this are the Black shark and the Bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus)­. Both are popular freshwater sharks kept by many aquarists with ordinary home aquariums, but what most people doen’t know or understand when buying these fishes is how large they really grow. For many aquarists, keeping these species turn out to be impossibil in the long run since ordinary home aquariums tend to bee too small. The black sharks are often sold as 5 cm / 2 in long fry, but can eventually grow to a size of 82 cm / 32 in. A fish of this size is larger than what most aquarists can provide room for in their home aquariums. The Bala shark is small in comparison and only grows to be 36cm / 14 inches, but this size is still larger than what many aquarists can house in their home aquariums. To makes things worse, the Bala shark is a schooling fish that should always be kept in groups of at least 6 specimens or more. Don’t get me wrong; both species are fascinating and highly suitable for aquariums if you can meat their needs, the problem is that so many people buy these so called freshwater sharks for their home aquariums without any possibility of giving them a good home once they become adults.

This is the reason why it is so important to choose a species of so called freshwater shark that is suitable for your particular home aquarium and to never by a freshwater shark on impulse (something which is true for all fishes). Bala Sharks are suitable for home aquariums. If you go to our species guides and take a look at the Balantiocheilos and Epalzeorhyncho species, you will find info on the 6 most commonly available so called freshwater sharks and find out if any of them would be suitable for your aquarium. The members of the genus Labeo is also generally known as “freshwater sharks”, but only a few of the 103 species are readily available in fish stores. Red tailed sharks are another freshwater shark suitable for home aquariums. Didn't find the info you were looking for? Register for free and ask your question in our Aquarium forum ! Our knowledgeable staff usually responds to any question within 24 hours Blue shark - Information about Blue shark

Bronze Whaler Shark - Information about Bronze Whaler Sharks Bull shark - Information about Bull shark Freshwater sharks - Information about Freshwater sharks Goblin Shark - Information about Goblin Shark Great white shark - Information about Great white shark - Carcharodon carcharias Hammerhead shark - Information about Hammerhead shark Mako shark - Information about Mako shark Nurse Shark - Information about Nurse Shark Pet Sharks - Information about Pet Sharks Reef sharks - Information about Reef sharks Sand Sharks - An introduction to the species of sharks know as sand sharks. Tiger Shark - Information about Tiger Shark Types of freshwater sharks - Information about Types of freshwater sharks Bala Shark, Silver Shark The Bala Shark is also known as the Silver Shark and is a growing favorite among tropical fish hobbyists. The Bala Shark isn't a shark at all though. It belongs in the Cyprinidae family. They are commonly named silver sharks because of their appearance and the shape of their dorsal fin.

These "sharks" require large tanks because of their potential adult size of 13 inches and because this fish does better when kept in groups. The Bala Shark is mostly peaceful but may eat smaller fish such as neon tetras when they reach a large enough size. Also, be warned that these Bala sharks are excellent jumpers. Have a hood on your aquarium to prevent your Silver Shark from leaping to its death. They are very fast swimmers and will dart around your aquarium very quickly. Be sure you don't have any sharp objects in your aquarium that could injure your fish. They are not recommended for the beginner because of their large aquarium requirements. These freshwater Bala sharks (not really sharks) will eat most types of fish food including vitamin enriched flake foods, pellets, frozen, freeze dried and definitely live foods with the key being a varied diet. They sometimes make a clicking noise while eating. Bala Shark Care Facts Scientific Name : Balantiocheilos melanopterus

Common Names : Bala Shark, Silver Shark, Tri Color Shark Minnow, Hangus, Silver Bala Care Level : Easy to Medium, needs lots of swimming space and a larger tank. Size : Up to 13 inches (33 cm) pH : 6 - 8 Temperature : 72°F - 82°F (22°C - 28°C) Water Hardness : 5° to 12° dH, Lifespan : 8 - 10 years Origin / Habitat : South East Asia Bala Shark Temperament / Behavior : Peaceful and can be kept with smaller fish. However, don't keep with tropical fish small enough to fit in the Bala's mouth such as neon tetras. Bala Shark Breeding : Breeding is not recommended in the home aquarium due to their large adult size. Aquarium Size : They will do much better in larger aquariums. Considering these are shoaling fish and considering their adult size, a 125 or even 180 gallon tank would be more appropriate for an adult school. Bala Shark Tank Mates : Many, given the peaceful nature of this fish but avoid keeping them with fish small enough for them to eat.

Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease - Diagnose, Symptoms and Treatment Bala Shark Diet / Foods : Good eaters, they will go after flakes, pellets, freeze dried and live foods. Give them a varied diet. Tank Region : All Gender : Hard to determine, but the female may be smaller than a male Silver Shark of the same age. Author : Mike FishLore Fish Lore Forum : Bala Shark Forum A couple of our silver sharks are rubbing against each other and we wondered whether they were trying to breed. I read above that breeding is not recommended? I look forward to hearing from you. We've seen this behavior as well in one of our tanks. They will pair up and kind of dance around the tank together. This usually lasts for a few minutes and it seems to occur right after performing a water change or sometimes after eating. I've read a lot of conflicting information on this behavior. Some feel that it could be mating behavior but many don't believe it to be mating behavior.

We'll continue to dig for an explanation on this behavior and if we find anything out we'll post it here.We don't recommend breeding them in the home aquarium because of their large adult size of 12 inches (31 cm). Can you imagine how many gallons of tank you would need to adequately care for all of those growing balas? It can also be fairly difficult to get this fish to breed. Thanks for the question. Can they live with Bettas in a 10 gallon tank? Unfortunately a 10 gallon aquarium would be way too small. You should keep your bala shark in at least a 40 gallon tank (or larger) given their potential adult size of 13 inches (33 cm) or more. If you can give them a large tank they should do fine with a Betta although the betta may look like a nice snack once your balas get big enough. Two of my three balas always initiate rubbing up against one another immediately after eating. It's usually side to side but sometimes it is across. It last for a few minutes and then stops. The rubbing is quite vigorous.

We see this quite frequently as well. See the first post above. Check out the video shown above to see this behavior. I have 2 balas with 2 dwarf gouramis. They seem very happy together. I have only had my two Balas for a short period of time, but I have a theory on this rubbing behavior that may or may not be cooincidental. About two days after seeing my Balas display this behavior, I noticed the white spots or Ich appearing on both of their bodies. So my theory is that the Ich is the reason they are rubbing against each other. I can understand your thought process behind your theory, but I can verify that it's not related to ich. I have had the same Balas for a few years now and they frequently display this behavior and they have never had an outbreak of any kind. I would like to say that my silver shark has never touched any of my other fish. I find them very peaceful and timed, the only fish problems I had with my sharks was when the other fish would attack the shark.

Fun fish to keep. Their shiney scales reflect the light - beautiful and very lively! I have 2 bala sharks and I have never witnessed this rubbing type behaviour. Don't mix full grown balas with neon tetras. I had 13 neons, now i am down to my last 3. They need a very large tank. I have 2, 8 inch balas in a 70 gallon tank along with angelfish, 3 neons, clown loaches and serpae tetras. Hoping to get some neon blue rainbowfish. Hi, I noticed the lifespan as 8-10 years on balas but I was wondering if anyone else has had them longer than that. I bought 3 balas in Jan of 1997 and I lost one last year and another just yesterday. I have only one left that is fairly large and I can't buy anything close to its size. Would it be fine for it be alone or should I buy medium size buddies for it. More Bala Shark Tips | Bala Shark Tips Page 2 © - providing tropical fish tank and aquarium information for freshwater fish and saltwater fish keepers. Aquarium Fish SiteMap | Aquarium Fish Dictionary |