Mike’s Fish Tank – Sharks

Sharks are very popular in todays aquarium market. They are not true sharks but some do look like a real shark.

The redtail black shark is the most aggressive. From 1996 until 2011 they were believed to be extinct in the wild.

There is no evidence that collection for the aquarium trade is responsible for the species’ decline, and it is more likely that construction of dams and draining of swamps that took place during the 1970s was to blame.

The red-tailed black sharks seen in the aquarium trade today are all captive bred.Another popular shark is the Tricolor or Bala sharks. It is endangered because the population decreased by 50% in the last 10 years.I do not see them readily available as I used to due to that reason. They are mostly a peaceful shark and can get very big. They do best in groups of 2 and are mostly farm raised now.

The iridescent shark is a member of the shark/catfish family and also get very big. They prefer temperature range of 72–79°F. In the wild,They prefer large bodies of water similar to the deep waters of their native Mekong river basin.

They are a peaceful community fish but are prone to catching Ick, white spot disease.For that reason, keep an eye on them so if they come down with ick, you can treat right away.

It’s mostly juvenile iridescent sharks that are sold as pets for home aquariums, they are not easy fish to keep. While they can survive in a home aquarium, iridescent sharks are schooling fish that prefer groups, are accustomed to living in rivers and are active fish that require space. They have very poor eyesight, so detected movement from outside of their habitat can be seen as a threat. If stressed, their first instinct is to flee; a blind dash can cause injury in an aquarium

These injuries may result in the fish sinking to the bottom, where it may lie on its side or back until it recovers. Often when catching the iridescent shark, it will almost play dead and once back in the tank, acts fine and swims off.

Pets A Plenty is located on Rte 281 Cortland, across from Tops Market in the TJ Nails Plaza. 753-9213. Open 7 days a week. We now have a website. www.petsaplety.biz. check it out. I post care sheets, coupons, new animal arrivals, contests and more. Any questions, email me at friskyy@hotmail.com

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