Bala Sharks Not Eating  9/6/06 Hi guys, great website u got goin here :) I recently bought two freshwater butterfly fish, 2 Bala sharks & 1 Bristlenose to put in a tank with one rainbow tropical as he/she looked very lonely after all the others passing due to old age. Anyway, I initially had problems feeding both the butterfly fish & sharks until I did some research & learned that the butterflies were nocturnal and I was feeding them during the day. However, the sharks continued to hide away & not even swim towards the flakes or bloodworms on offer. They stayed down the bottom hiding in the plants. One has now died & am worried the same will happen to the remaining one. My the pH is around 6.8 and water temp is 25 degrees C (74F) which should b fine for the sharks correct? Please reply with your thoughts Thank you < Jack the water temp.s up to 82 F. Make sure the water is clean and well aerated. Do a 50%, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. If that does not work then look closely at the fish for signs of a disease.-Chuck>

What do I feed  tri color sharks? >>Um, I'm assuming you're talking about a freshwater fish, in which case I don't see why they can't be provided a good quality, freshwater fish staple, along with supplemental feedings of frozen bloodworms, or other meaty foods they'll demonstrate an interest in.  Marina

Tri-color/Bala Shark Hello  My name is Matija and I just got a tri color shark. It is about half an inch big and I was wondering how big is it going to grow, if it is going to grow. Also what kind of food should I give to it. I have gold fish food and people in the pet store told me that that food is fine. also if you can give me some tips on what should the temperature of the water be and how often should I feed it. Thank you very much and I hope I will hear soon from you. Matija <Thank you for writing. I wonder if this actually is what most folks call a "Tri color shark", aka Bala shark (Balantiocheilus melanapterus)... as the very small size at retail surprises me... This minnow-like fish (same family as your goldfish) does get quite big in the wild... a couple of feet, though rarely half this in captivity (most jump out onto the floor when no one is around to put them back in the tank, so keep your tank top completely covered!). This "shark" actually needs more meaty, high protein food than your goldfish, and I would at least supplement its diet with a tropical fish staple food... fed at least twice a day. Some frozen, defrosted foods like brine shrimp (best fed in the morning) would be good for it and your goldfish as well.  The temperature is a bit tough to accommodate both the goldfish (which are cooler water) and the tropical "sharks" but something in the low to mid seventies should be good for both. Set your aquarium heater thermostat to around this (have your parents help here, it's a bit tricky). Be chatting. Bob Fenner>