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April 11th, 2007
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Fish Bum
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I need tank mates!
I currently own a 55 gallon tank. I had many fish, but unfortunately, a disease wiped them all out except for my precious irridescent sharks. I have two healthy and healthy sharks. I am trying to add fish, but they ate a couple that I added (which was partially the store owners fault because he told me that the sharks would NOT eat them...well he was wrong and my sharks were happy, but not me.
I then added those glassfish tetras (the ones that they dye pink and blue). They soon died. The sharks ate their tails and I do not know if it happened before or after they died. Also, when I fed the fish, the sharks took over and would literally push the fish away and gulped all the food. So I do not really know why these fish died.
I really want to add extra fish. Two four inch fish in a 55 gallon tank is BORING. I want to get fish that are around the same size as my sharks, that are peaceful, but will defend themselves, but will not hurt my sharks.
Any advice?
PS-my water checked out and it is PERFECT and my tank has been running since August of 2006 and my water temp is about 78 degrees F.
Thanks in advance!
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April 11th, 2007
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Fish Keeper
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Re: I need tank mates!
Are you sure your fish died froma disease.....like were they all living fine togetehr* for weeks..or did they all die soon after getting them.. if so you may have stressed them out...by overcrowding. how big will your* two shark fish you have now get.. i would at least do the gallon per inch rule.. um here are some which you should be able to find at petstores..i looked it up..
 Bala shark http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/shar...rk.php...shows a picture of them too.
or some barbs..which are fairly aggressive so if you put three in should match up to the two you have now
 also cichilds are very pretty fish but i would say about as aggressive as most freshwater shark fish
red columbian tetra* http://www.fishlore.com/profile-redcolombiantetra.htm
 im guessing on this one but maybe a couple of kissing gouramis ...
i know you want pretty fish so i tried to think of some..
Now you couldnt get all of them..im just saying different options..most important thing i think is too not get gentle fish..best of luck
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April 12th, 2007
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Fish Bum
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Re: I need tank mates!
My sharks are only about 4 and 5 inches each right now but they are growing fast. I am pretty sure they didn't die from a disease as their bodies were in perfect condition. I know that when my tank was wiped out the first time it was because I added too many fish at one time and then they died from ammonia levels being super high.
Thank you for the advice on the fish that may be suited for my tank. I just fear that my irredescents will be picked on, I do not necessarily want aggressive fish, I just want fish that just won't sit there and get eaten and nipped.
I like the idea of a pair of kissing gourami, do you think they will be bothered by my irridescent sharks though?
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April 12th, 2007
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Fish Bum
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Re: I need tank mates!
I was thinking along the lines of some Cichlids. They can be aggressive and they are territorial. They will hold their own in most cases. I was just reading up on your sharks, and from what I've read, these sharks can grow to be 4 feet long and need to be in at least a 300 gallon tank. It does say that they will eat smaller fish. If you want to go with Cichlids, be sure to have an environment with alot of caves for the Cichlids to hide. they like alot of rocks and cavelike structures.
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April 12th, 2007
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Fish Keeper
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Re: I need tank mates!
im just curious how did you wind up with those sharks?lol  .. oh and i didnt mean the cichlids are like little pirranahas, they probably hold the same temperment as your two shark fish. I just mean they will rip mollies and guppies apart (small, gentle fish)
kissing gouiamis are really pretty if i had a big tank id get them. |
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April 15th, 2007
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Fish Bum
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Re: I need tank mates!
I ended up with the sharks out of pure TRICKERY and me not doing my research. When I went to the pet store I fell inlove with the little fellas. They were small and looked like little sharks. The guy at the store told me that they only get to be eight inches in length and that they are very peaceful. After I got them I learned that they can grow very big (though usually not 4 feet in home aqauriums). However, a friend of ours has a HUGE tank and said he would take them when they got bigger.
Anyway, as of today April 15th I only have one shark-get this I went away for the weekend and now I have one fish. The other is basically a carcass with no head. Did my other shark attack him or did he die another way-I have no idea however, both were swimming and eating and appeared very healthy when I left yesteday morning.
My husband and I are starting to think we need to get rid of my precious shark. I love him, but we are having a lot of trouble.
I don't want to give him back to the store though because the guy will probably just sell him to someone else who doesn't know how to care for them.
What should I do?
Gina
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April 17th, 2007
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Fish Keeper
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Re: I need tank mates!
give him to the guy who will put them in his tank,
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June 14th, 2007
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Fish Keeper
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Re: I need tank mates!
well i no a lady she has africian chiclids with her red tail shark the shark is about 1.5 inches but it may take a while to introduce him into the water of africians but the shark is showing more aggresion than the chiclids he is good with africians my opinion though  Callum!
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June 16th, 2007
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Fish Keeper
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Re: I need tank mates!
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Gina423
I ended up with the sharks out of pure TRICKERY and me not doing my research.* When I went to the pet store I fell inlove with the little fellas.* They were small and looked like little sharks.* The guy at the store told me that they only get to be eight inches in length and that they are very peaceful.* After I got them I learned that they can grow very big (though usually not 4 feet in home aqauriums).* However, a friend of ours has a HUGE tank and said he would take them when they got bigger.
Anyway, as of today April 15th I only have one shark-get this I went away for the weekend and now I have one fish.* *The other is basically a carcass with no head.* Did my other shark attack him or did he die another way-I have no idea however, both were swimming and eating and appeared very healthy when I left yesteday morning.
My husband and I are starting to think we need to get rid of my precious shark.* I love him, but we are having a lot of trouble.
I don't want to give him back to the store though because the guy will probably just sell him to someone else who doesn't know how to* care for them.
What should I do?
Gina
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What should you do? Don't trust those guys. First of all, Iridescent sharks get to 47 inches long, not 8 inches, and they might be peaceful when young but as they get older they will eat smaller fish. |
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