doldrum
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
....plants are dying, the area around front fin on the fish looks redand fish seem to be missing scales.....whats going on
bala sharks are less active....
- Thread starter doldrum
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TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
What is the size of the tank, tankmates and water parameters like temperature, ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes? Also, is this a new tank?
purplestarfish
Aquarium Advice Activist
Aww! Sorry to hear of the problems. 
For the shark: If it's missing scales and it's reddish, it almost seems like that's just flesh showing and that some other fish has been terrorizing it and ripping off scales! 8O (I have a 7 inch bala shark in a 55 gallon tank and my 6 tiger barbs are still harassing it and running him ragged; their own separate tank is cycling as we speak . . . err, type! They will be removed by or on Tuesday to give the poor guy a break.) How large is it? (the shark, I mean . . . ) How big is the tank? What are the other fish and how large are they? Obviously, even smaller fish like to pick on these relatively [shy, scardey-cat, nervous] "Gentle Giants." Bala sharks grow to a foot long and need at least a 55 gallon tank, especially if they're larger (and of course, larger tanks are always better; more stable, more room, more forgiving). If yours is still within 2 or 3 inches, it's a little more understandable, but if the tank is small, I would recommend reselling it or trading it in before it causes problems for you BESIDES the ones that have already amounted. (I plan on selling mine, as a matter of fact; however, I'm not particualarly attatched to he/she/it.) As for the plants, do they have a CO2 supplement, appropriate substrate, trace elements, and correct lighting? Any and all of these will easily kill plants. If you have a bubble wand or other "oxygen adder," those will kill plants in a heartbeat; the plants need carbon dioxide to survive and this would basically be like starving them. Come to think of it, all of the aforementioned plant products (or lack thereof, rather) would have this affect; these are what keeps the plants going. (It's a miracle my cabomba is still alive, let alone growing; as of right now, I have NONE of the above but have been doing super-extensive reading to remedy that [already read 2 books on it, going on 3!]. It helps that the cabomba is just a few short inches from my window, and therefore gets natural sunlight, allowing it to survive. If it weren't for that, it'd be dead for sure!) Also, some plants are harder to keep than others; some are hardy, others fragile. Perhaps you have everything needed and the plants are just too frail, esp. if it's a new aquarium etc. Whew! Well, hope this helps; good luck! 
For the shark: If it's missing scales and it's reddish, it almost seems like that's just flesh showing and that some other fish has been terrorizing it and ripping off scales! 8O (I have a 7 inch bala shark in a 55 gallon tank and my 6 tiger barbs are still harassing it and running him ragged; their own separate tank is cycling as we speak . . . err, type! They will be removed by or on Tuesday to give the poor guy a break.) How large is it? (the shark, I mean . . . ) How big is the tank? What are the other fish and how large are they? Obviously, even smaller fish like to pick on these relatively [shy, scardey-cat, nervous] "Gentle Giants." Bala sharks grow to a foot long and need at least a 55 gallon tank, especially if they're larger (and of course, larger tanks are always better; more stable, more room, more forgiving). If yours is still within 2 or 3 inches, it's a little more understandable, but if the tank is small, I would recommend reselling it or trading it in before it causes problems for you BESIDES the ones that have already amounted. (I plan on selling mine, as a matter of fact; however, I'm not particualarly attatched to he/she/it.) As for the plants, do they have a CO2 supplement, appropriate substrate, trace elements, and correct lighting? Any and all of these will easily kill plants. If you have a bubble wand or other "oxygen adder," those will kill plants in a heartbeat; the plants need carbon dioxide to survive and this would basically be like starving them. Come to think of it, all of the aforementioned plant products (or lack thereof, rather) would have this affect; these are what keeps the plants going. (It's a miracle my cabomba is still alive, let alone growing; as of right now, I have NONE of the above but have been doing super-extensive reading to remedy that [already read 2 books on it, going on 3!]. It helps that the cabomba is just a few short inches from my window, and therefore gets natural sunlight, allowing it to survive. If it weren't for that, it'd be dead for sure!) Also, some plants are harder to keep than others; some are hardy, others fragile. Perhaps you have everything needed and the plants are just too frail, esp. if it's a new aquarium etc. Whew! Well, hope this helps; good luck! doldrum
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
i dont keep track of the nitrates, ph, and all that *i know thats not good, but never had any problems before. umm...it a ten gallon. the sharks*two of them* are around two inches each no other fish. ooh...the bubble wand is probably killing the plants... this tank is around a month old
ConanTheLibraia
Aquarium Advice FINatic
OK the tank may not have even been done cycling yet. You should keep track of your parameters because that can help when do have a problem like this. You know a 10 gallon is going to be way to small for your bala sharks right? Sounds like you could have a parasite if there is nothing physically harming the fish.
Terry
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Hi there
your tank is far to small for bala sharks, they are a very placid and skitty fish, the scale lost is probably due to the fact they they dart round your tank and are knocking the scales of them selves. They need moving to a bigger aquarium so that they can have some room to swim about more easily.
your tank is far to small for bala sharks, they are a very placid and skitty fish, the scale lost is probably due to the fact they they dart round your tank and are knocking the scales of them selves. They need moving to a bigger aquarium so that they can have some room to swim about more easily.
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