Need Advice about Irid. Shark

[newfoundlandaquarist]

In my 30GAL my iridescent shark has grown quite large.

So during the summer months I'm planning on getting a larger 55-65GAL to accommodate the shark's growing size primarily.

But as of now until that time in the summer i am becoming more and more worried; the shark is very sensitive. It gets easily frightened, and when it does it swims crazily, hitting the glass walls across the aquarium and afterward lays down on it side, gasping vigorously for a few minutes and then swims back to it's normal area. I'm terribly frightened that it'll end up killing itself and i don't want that happening.

Is there anything i can do?
Will getting a bigger tank help?

The tank has all community, small fish such as neons, platties.. and i know none of the fish bug the shark so it isn't a matter of fish compatibility.

Any and all advice is appreciated SO much.

[Tolley]

dim the aquarium lights, slowly lighten the tank when you turn it on. maybe turn the room lights on for 15 minutes before the aquarium light.

Also he will soon get big enoough to eat your other fish. These guys get incredibly big more than 3ft and need to be in schools.

I suggest you return him to your lfs. For your other fishes sake.

[angelcakes]

dim the aquarium lights, slowly lighten the tank when you turn it on. maybe turn the room lights on for 15 minutes before the aquarium light.

Also he will soon get big enoough to eat your other fish. These guys get incredibly big more than 3ft and need to be in schools.

I suggest you return him to your lfs. For your other fishes sake.
I AGREE WITH TOLLEY ON THIS ONE,BUT THEY CAN ACTUALLY GROW BIGGER THAN 3FT,IN THE WILD THEY CAN GROW TO 3 METERS PLUS!!!I THINK OVER HERE ITS CALLED A PANGASIUS,BEAUTIFUL FISH BUT NOT MADE FOR A COMMUNITY TANK,DUE TO ITS FLIGHTYNESS(SPELLING ?)WHICH CAN HARM OTHER FISH,IF YOU ARE SET ON KEEPING YOU ARE GOING TO NEED A VERY BIG TANK,PLUS THEY DO NEED TO KEPT IN 2 PLUS,AND THEY STILL MIGHT OUTGROW THAT TANK AND THEN THE ONLY PLACE THAT CAN TAKE THEM THAT BIG WOULD BE A SEALIFE/TROPICAL CENTRE THAT CATERS FOR A FISH THAT SIZE,:1:

[newfoundlandaquarist]

Well if it does start eating the neons then i will consider it; but i'm really attached to this fish- it was one of the first (of three) i choose when i first got my tank. Which is why i don't want to give up without trying my possibilities first. In my opinion it could have eaten the neons already if it wanted to, but hasn't.

[Tolley]

jus be warned you may end up with no fish and a fat shark. and jus bear this picture in mind [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[angelcakes]

TOLLEYS BEAT ME TO IT!!!:c11: BUT HERES ANOTHER ONE
[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Tolley]

lol angel.


Also he may not eat your other fish yet but the thrashing around when he gets shocked can easily kill a small neon sized fish.

[angelcakes]

FORGOT TO MENTION,THE TRASHING ABOUT WILL NOT KILL YOUR FISH BUT HE WILL DAMADGE HIS MOUTH,SO EXTRA CARE IS NEEDED,:jaws:

[sharkbite]

I also have two I.sharks but they are very very small still, now I am starting to worry. but anyways about your problem... I've noticed that my sharks come out at nights only unless they are very hungry other than that they like to be hidden and left alone otherwise they will act just the way you described it. so I would suggest to give him a big enough hidding place he can call his own maybe he already outgrew his previouse hidding spot and now he's getting spooky. oh and also 15-20 min after I turn off the lights i feed him so nobody would take their food since they only come out at nights.

[cocoa_pleco]

this is a old thread