janoue

HI. I purchased a silver black stripped irridecent shark for my daughter and i'm starting to think maybe it was a huge huge huge mistake. A-I find it isn't doing well in a community tank and B. I need to go purchase a MUCH MUCH bigger tank.
For the last few months I've noticed this shark loves looking at itself in the reflection of the fish tank. Then a couple days later its stomach is gets bloated. And I mean to the point where it looks like its going to explode. And then you just get up one morning and go to the fishtank and it looks healthy again. Whats going on with this shark Is it making eggs and then reabsorbing them or something
PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!

sirdarksol

I'd guess you're right about it growing heavy with eggs and then either releasing or reabsorbing them.

I'd take the fish back to the store you got it at. They need a reminder that they need to tell their customers when getting fish like this, or the arrowana, or the pacu, that the customer needs a gigantic tank. If they won't take it, see if any LFS can take it (and then write the original store a letter regarding this issue). You might be losing money out of the deal, but as that fish grows, it will start eating the other fish in the tank, and then it will die as it outgrows the tank.

I wish stores would stop keeping fish like this in stock. It ticks me off.

Gozer_1

Mine get fat too. I believe they just stuff themselves with food. Mine are always bloated after I feed dried pellets. I think they expand after awhile and make the fish look swollen. I currently have 2 and both get fat but I believe one to be male. They would get that way when they were as little as 2 inches long. Pretty sure thats too young to be producing eggs but I may be wrong. It freaked me out at first.

I agree that you should do anything you can to return this fish. Though I absolutely love mine, they were a MASSIVE mistake. At one point I had 5 of them. I only have 2 left. They really just are not suited to the home aquarium. After 3 years one of mine is pushing 11 or 12 inches and the other (I believe male) is about 8 inches. Even though it took 3 years to get there they're still growing. In another 3 years they could be upwards of 20 or 24 inches. Large Ir Sharks have been known to actually break tank walls. They have poor vision and get spooked easily, pinging off the walls.

Well good luck in what ever you choose to do. They are beautiful fish with great personality.

janoue

I think your right. I should do my best to get rid of it. I think I may phone a local pet store and see if they can't take him for me. I feel horrible keeping him. Exspecially since they grow so big, and he is sooooooo skittish around the other fish. I love looking at him but would really really like to give him to someone who can take better care of him.
J

ITHURTZ

The belly expanding is just the fish eating. There little bellies plump up fast.