Comments on: I have a bala shark in a 5 gallon tank! need advice!?

By: FishMan

FishMan — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 01:21:41 +0000

I suggest you do not keep any type of sharks in a 5 gallon tank. The only fish that can possibly fit in a 5 gallon tank is a betta, which needs a heater and filter.

I suggest you give the fish to someone that can properly keep it OR get a 150+ gallon tank and at least another 2-3 sharks for it to interact with.

By: Deese S

Deese S — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:36:39 +0000

You do need to get a much larger tank, however you can do it gradually safely. I would recommend getting a 30-55 gallon tank now and getting at least 3 more Bala Sharks (they are schooling fish and need to be in groups of 4+, I typically recommend 6 at least). When they reach 4-5 inches they need 55+ and will eventually require a 125-200 gallon tank (a school of 6 12-14 inch Balas should be kept in no smaller than a 200 gallon).

The Bala Shark is in the Cyprinidae Family and is in fact a Minnow (not a catfish). They reach 14 inches and are very fast swimmers which is why the longer the tank the better. It is only called a “shark” because of its body shape and to appeal to aquarists.

By: Ryan N

Ryan N — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:24:59 +0000

Your shark is not even a shark at all. It is a member of the catfish family. You need at least 55 gallon tank and a couple more balas if you want to keep them right. You need a large tank within a few weeks. If you don’t have a couple hundred dollars to buy the tank and proper filtration, heat, etc, you need find a new home for it.

By: Little Pirate

Little Pirate — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:14:41 +0000

The bala needs to be in a 75 gallon tank minimum.

The bala needs to be in a 75 gallon tank as part of a school.

The longer you keep him in a 5 gallon tank the worse it will be.

No one would force a puppy to live its whole life locked in a shoe box. Don’t force a fish into the same conditions.

By: Chris G

Chris G — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:40:48 +0000

bala sharks should be in a 125G tank at lease for them to live a full and happy life, so if you plan on being an aquarist for a long time, then you could fully upgrade now and save yourself money in the long run from having to buy tanks over and over again …other sized tanks may stunt growth while the internal organs keep growing causing death, and can easily pollute water…you should take it back and reconsider your choice…for a 5 gallon, a betta would be very happy and you would get to appreciate how good of a fish they are…or you could get a few guppies (but get females, if you get a male; you will have babies and males are more aggressive towards eachother so you’d need a larger tank…

By: Ianab

Ianab — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 23:23:08 +0000

How long does it take to get a bigger tank set up and cycled?

Hopefully it will survive that long.

You do realise that to keep it for life (10years) you are going to need a tank at least 6ft long, and a couple more sharks to keep it company. They are great fish, but unless you have the space for it, return it and get something smaller.

A Red Tail Black Shark is a better choice for a medium size tank (20gal)

Keeping any of the ‘Shark’ species in a 5gal tank is just not going to work.

Ian

By: athazagoraphobia

athazagoraphobia — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 22:59:50 +0000

he should be fine for now but make sure you get a new tank soon (if his growth is stunted, it can lead to health problems and even death) a

By: Darren and tara

Darren and tara — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 22:57:41 +0000

these get huge its not that they wont grow in it its that they will grow and die in it they’l produce ammonia and poison itself and wat ever else is in the tank

By: ItaLiaN StalliaN

ItaLiaN StalliaN — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 22:40:14 +0000

IM NO SHARK EXPERT BY ALL MEANS BUT LOOK AT YOUR COMMON GOLD FISH IN A SMALL TANK THEY ARE SMALL. THEN LOOK AT THE WILD ONE IN LAKES THEY ARE HUGE. TO GET TO THE POINT ITS MY PERSONAL OPINION THAT IT WILL NOT PROMOTE GROWTH. IM SURE HE’LL BE OKAY BUT IF YOU WANT HIM TO GET LARGER THAN I WOULD UPSIZE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME… HOPE THIS HELPS