Sick Bala Sharks

[Twilightgoddess]

Everytime i try to get Bala Sharks they seem to bring ick into my tank!

The first time i got them, they managed to spread the disease to all my other fish.

Is there something about these particular fish that makes them more susceptable (sp?) to ick?

i feel so bad because i can never get them to live in my tanks, and my water levels are perfect, but yet they just can't seem to make it in my tanks

any info you could share?

 

[Aaron]

Stress will make fish more susceptible to ick and every other potential disease to feel comfortable balas like to be in groups and require a lot of open swimming room. Temperature could be another factor if your tank is colder/warmer than the tank the bala came from. Ick could be triggered by any number of things but I've never heard of balas being more prone to disease than any other fish in fact in my experience balas are one of the near indestructible fish.

Bala sharks are also not predatory fish the name is misleading.

 

[Managuense]

i tend to agree with aaron on this one...

most of the balas i have had experience with are shipped with very few DOA's and they tend to be pretty hardy compared to some other species.

large enough balas make excellent tankmates for severums, oscars, and many other cichlids that are not too obnoxious

sounds like bad stock from the shipment to me.

M

 

[Twilightgoddess]

yeah because i know they are actually more community type... and when i had them, BOTH times, all my balas had ick and killed most of my tank!

i always thought they were hardy. its weird because i'm actually doing much better with tetras in their stead...

sad because i've always been a lover of the sharks.

 

[leck85]

i had the same problem.. brought balas into my tank and ick right away... removed them quarantined them.. re introduced them.. and ick again 2 days later.. now mine wont eat and they are extremely thin and it looks like their spines are bent... i think it was from fluctuating water temperatures.. keep an eye on toxicity in your tank also..