fishpie

my bala shark keeps staying in a corner and it stays there all the time hes top of the tank is he just shy because hes new or is there some other reason P.S. my tank is 16 gallons

Lucy

Hi fishpie welcome to Fish Lore

Unfortunately, your shark needs a bigger tank.

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-BalaShark.htm

He could be feeling the effects of an uncycled tank., do you know what your ammonia reading is?

fishpie

actually its small breed and will fit better then u think and my tank ammonia is o.25

Steen16

They are small now but grow big. yours are probly just young not a special breed.
Any amount of ammonia could be affecting him.

Lucy

Ammonia and nitrites are toxic to fish.

It would be a good idea to start daily water changes until your tank finishes cycling.
Using Prime as your water condition will detoxify your ammonia for 24hrs between changes.

I agree with Steen. I didn't know there are other breeds of bala sharks that stay small.

Shawnie

bala' s are horizontal swimmers and deffinately need more space even as juvies...lucy's advice is perfect and I wish you well with your gentle man...they are amzing fish!

Alessa

There is no such thing as a "special breed" of bala shark. It might be a juvie, and it needs a 55 gallon tank... even better, a school, and a cycled tank.

Hypnox

Balas will do better in a much larger tank. I have 2 in my 75 and that is still small for a full grown specimin as they can reach just over 12 inches in length as adults. I hate to say it, but at full size a bala is almost as long as a 15 gallon is, which is bad for a fish that loves horizontal swimming room.

When I setup my first tank, it was a 10 gallon, I was having the same problems because I really wanted a bala shark. Don't be surprised if he dies in the next few days from stressing out in a small tank.