Bala Shark

[oliver47904]

How stupid would it be to keep my new @3" bala shark in his/her(?) 2.5 gallon tank. It seems to have plenty of room. I don't really have the option of getting a much larger tank then that. Largest likely being a five gallon and even that would be difficult. It is the only fish in the tank besides one pleco who keeps hidden.
In otherwords- will it endanger my fish's life to keep it in this tank?

Also- is there a good way to tell what gender it is? I would like to name it but would rather not give it a gender neutral name.
Of course I'll only need to know this if I am able to keep it.

Thank YOU! in advance.

 

[Megalofyia]

Your 2.5 gallon tank will not work it's too small - a 5 gallon tank would be too small too... Bala's grow to be about 10 inches. After much consideration I just gave up my bala because eventually I feel my 20 gallon tank will be too small for it.

 

[justDIY]

you need a 55 gallon, or at least a 30 long, because that 'shark' will grow to be a long fish and needs room to swim around, it's also a schooling fish, meaning it likes to hang out in groups

keeping it in such a small tank will stunt its growth and shorten its lifespan

 

[i3k]

yea bala sharks live better in a school of 4 or more bala sharks. You do need a long tank at least 48" long when they are still small in size...when they are bigger they will need a long/wide tank to be comfortable when turning and swimming.

 

[Concerned_Citiz]

Uh, oh

Well, you guys aren't going to like this, then. See, I have two balas, two black fins, one small pleco, and two glassfish all in a 20 gal. I used to have them (minus the balas) in a 10 and then i upgraded to the 20. I knew at the time that it eventually wasn't going to be big enough. My black-fin sharks are probably about 3 1/2 and 4 inches now and the balas are about 1 1/2 inches each. I guess i have a little time left until i have to upgrade again. But when the time comes. Just what would might the tank look like. In other words, what would the tank look like?

Thanks
A somewhat Concerned Citizen

 

[ConanTheLibraia]

The bala sharks are hard to sex, and they supposivlely have not ever been breed in captivity. Yes, the 2.5 is waay to small for a bala. I'd say 25-30 is minimum for a bala to be happy and healthy if you are not going to upgrade. As the rest have said, yes they do best in schools of 6 or more because they tend not to pick on each other as much and single out the weak or smaller ones.

 

[Concerned_Citiz]

okay, wait a minute. Conan, Who was that last post for? I dont have a 2.5. was that for one of the older ones? If so, my question still stands.

Thanks

 

[Megalofyia]

Concerned_Citizen are you asking how will you know when your fish have out grown the tank and you need to get a larger tank?

 

[Concerned_Citiz]

mmmm...not really wondering when they will outgrow the tank. I can determine that by the "one inch per gallon" rule of thumb. I am actually just asking what kind of setup I would be looking at if/when I take it to the next level. Mostly just wondering the next practical size I should move into after my 20 gal (seeing as how moving to a 29, the next size up, wouldn't be very beneficial.)
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Concerned_Citizen

 

[wabyrd]

It is the only fish in the tank besides one pleco who keeps hidden.

Everyone is forgetting about the pleco. They get to be rather large fish also. The grow very quickly. I can't say how fast the Bala's grow because I've never had any, but I'd say both of the fish are inappropriate for that tank.

That's just my opinion though...

 

[Concerned_Citiz]

Is there anyone out there who can answer my question? I dont mean to take over this part of the forum but I, too, would like some answers. thanks,

Concerned_Citizen

 

[wabyrd]

You should go to at least a 50 or 75 if you're going to keep the Bala's and the Pleco. A 125 would be even better. A 29 wouldn't be of much help. Why keep buying tanks that are just a little bit bigger when you know that what you have will get to be REALLY big someday?

 

[ConanTheLibraia]

My suggestion is to get a good old 55 gallon. Theyre pretty big, and at same time normally not overwhealming. For what the tank should like, just get whatever you would like but keep in mind that balas are open water swimmers and like to school. So leave some open swimming room for them.

 

[justDIY]

yea ... if it's a common pleco, they get HUGE

could be one of those smaller species, but even they grow to be cramped in a 2.5

just about anything except neon tetra, guppies or those dannios would get too big for 2.5

 

[Concerned_Citiz]

Yeah, I'd probably have to get them in a 75 seeing as how they are in a tank with two blackfin sharks as well. Jeez, I would have thought twice if I would have known then what I know now about these fish. It goes to show that it's better to do your homework before just skipping out to the LFS and buying the coolest looking fish (Bala's & Blackfins are cool fish).

Does anyone know of any alternative descitions I can make to possibly give these fish a better life if worse comes to worst and I cannot buy them a new home? God forbid, hehe

I mean, the way I look at it, I have a good six months before this starts to present itself as a problem. But I'd rather have a gameplan beforehand.

As for the pleco...I have him taken care of. My LFS will buy back any plecos that have outgrown someone's tank. They will either trade in for store credit or towards a new pleco, etc. This brings me comfort seeing as how they put it in an indoor pond that they have at the store.


Thanks,
Concerned Citizen

P.S.
Whoever it is that thinks I have a 2.5 gallon, I dont. I have a 20 gallon. unless of course that person is talking to the person who started this part of the forum. I just want to clear this up.