Rainbow shark

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AlexH

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
46
Location
UK
Posted this on another area. Just worried my shark spends time at the top of the tank gulping air every few hours and I know they are bottom dwellers. Had it for 3 weeks. It's grown in size and got its colouring. I am not sure if that's normal for a shark? Or something wrong with my tank?
 
You need to provide more details about the tank and those responding will have more info to go on. Size, filtration, other inhabitants, water parameters, etc.
 
Ammonia and nitrates 0 nitrites below 25. PH 6.4
 
3 Opaline Gourami and 1 chubby Pleco. 55 gallon external filter. Lots of plants, bog wood and rocks and caves
 
No flaring gills. Just swallowing at the top of the tank. Not all the time every few hours. He's still a baby, he had grown and I know he should be at the bottom more. I have had him 3 weeks, he has got bigger and is full coloured.
 
Could it be my PH? Do they need lots of oxygen? I have tried to make the filter disturb the water. My Gourami seem happy and so does my Pleco.
 
I also found out that sharks like water 11 KH and mine is 6 KH. Would that be a problem?
 
I did look that up on water chemistry as it sounded as either that or parasites could be possible but nothing obvious I can think of. I've never kept them though so maybe someone who knows more will chime in.
 
As soon as you said 6.4 pH I knew it was probably why he or she was acting wired. You always harden the water by adding coral substrate or limestone rocks to increase kH as well as pH by a little bit to help him. (Plants and fish probably won't care if it is risen.)
 
Okay thanks for your advice will look into what to do. All my other fish seem happy and so I don't what to change it too much may re home the shark
 
The starts a lot better now settled down as I am slowly raising the PH and hardness. Thanks for all your advice l. [emoji16][emoji16]
 
Yes he's a lot happier now and I have a new tank with more space. Very happy shark [emoji16] thanks again [emoji6]
 
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