I was wondering how to take care of my two iridescent sharks.?
by Aquaboy on Saturday, July 24th, 2010 | 3 Comments
i have two iridescent sharks, i got one on july 24, 2006, and one on july 25, 2006. I am wondering how to take care of them good, and i was wondering how i can tell if they are male or female. the one i got first is bigger, and a little bit fatter, and the second is slimmer and shorter. they share a 10 gal. tank w/ 2 goldfish, a clown loach, some sort of dalmation fish and a black fish which i dont know. thanks
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Get a book. They have to be fact checked so you know the information is accurate.
Borrow one at no charge from the library or go to a book store. The employees at these locations will help you find the book you need.
Goldfish don’t share tanks with any thing else. They need cold water to be happy, while everyone else wants the water warm. They also need about 10 gallons each. So you tank is already too crowded.
Please get a book
Your tank is WAY too small… Clown Loaches need at least 30 gallons for just one, and they are a schooling fish meaning you should have no less than 6. Goldies are nasty pooping machines, you should be cleaning the tank at least once a week with 2. Your Dalmatian is most likely a Molly which also needs a larger tank. Now for your Sharks:
Common sense comes to play here. A fish that grows to an average size of 30 inches, like the I.D. shark, in the wild would grow no smaller than half that in the proper environment in an aquarium, so planning for an average size of 15 inches or more is essential. Going with those numbers a small shoal of 5-8 adult fish would need a 250 gallon to a 500 gallon to be moderately comfortable. Juveniles could be kept in smaller aquariums but would need upgrades as they age.
These fish are omnivorous, graciously accepting all types of food items commonly available at any fish store. A variety of meaty and vegetable based foods is best for their overall health. Catfish as a general rule are more of a vegetarian type species so introducing more of this type of food is recommended. The addition of foods such as, brine shrimp, shrimp pellets, krill, or bloodworms are a good supplement to their vegetable based diet. Since they have a voracious appetite, being able to tell what foods they like is a little difficult, so feeding them the proper food that most simulates their nature is best. I would also like to add that these fish particularly like the morning sun, having your aquarium in a spot that gets it or having step on lighting is best.
Iridescent sharks are harmless, schooling fish that prefers to be kept in groups of 5 or more. Adults reach up to 130 cm (4 ft) in length and can weigh up to a maximum of 44.0 kg (97 lb). They prefer large bodies of water similar to the deep waters of its native Mekong river basin. Iridescent Sharks are a freshwater fish that natively live in a tropical climate and prefer water with a 6.5 – 7.5 pH, a water hardness of 2.0 tp 29.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 72 to 79 °F (22 to 26 °C). Their omnivorous diet consists of crustaceans, other fish, and plant matter.
They are a popular type of pets for home aquariums. However it is not an easy fish to keep and is not recommended for beginners. It requires a minimum tank size of 150 cm (5 feet).
Iridescent sharks get frightened easily and play dead. They also have bad eyesight so they may swim into the glass of a tank and hurt themselves.
Holy crap! That poor tank of fish. Listen to Mopar Murph. Please.
Your goldfish is a cold water fish (65 degrees or less). The others are considered tropical fish and will do much better at temps higher than 75 degrees.
Also, a ten-gallon is too small for one goldfish, period. He’s going to need at least a 40-gallon, possibly a much larger tank as he gets older, depending on what species he is.
And your sharks will grow to be 12 inches or longer! You will need at least a 75-gallon tank for them to live comfortably!