Physical description: A slender, elongated fish with a tall, erect dorsal fin and a forked caudal fin. The head is small and dominated in size by the eye. The body is dark gray with a silver iridescence. The rear parts of all fins, have wide, black edges. This species has a streamlined look. Size/Length: To 16" (40 cm) Similar species: None Habitat: Southeast Asia; in large rivers and streams of Borneo, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Thailand. The Bala Shark is nearly extinct in the wild. S: middle Aquarium: A tank measuring 32" (81 cm) with a volume of 30 gallons (114 L) is suitable for young individuals. Adults over 10" (25 cm) are recommended to be kept in a tank measuring 72" (183 cm) with a capacity of 100 gallons (378 L). These fish need large open swimming areas, and prefer long tanks. The tank should have well-planted corners and a tight-fitting cover, for these fish jump. Water chemistry: pH 5.8-8 (7.0), 5-15 dH (7), 72-84°F (22-29°C) Social behavior: An active fish that can be kept in a community tank with small to large fish. This species will not harm plants. Suggested companions: Gouramis, Barbs, Danios, Rasboras, Loaches, Knifefish, tetras, Corydoras, Angelfish, livebearers, Loricarids. FOOD: Live; Tubifex , insect larvae, crustaceans, insects; flakes; small pellets. SEX: The females are fatter during spawning season. Breeding techniques: Breeding has only been successful in large tanks of 100 or more gallons. Southeast Asian fish farmers use hormones to breed the Bala Shark, although little success has been reported in captivity. Breeding potential: 10. Reports of successful spawning in captivity are non-existent. Remarks: This active fish grows quickly and needs a large swimming area. The hardy Bala Shark is an excellent jumper that has been known to make audible clicking sounds. Difficulty of care: 3. A robust, lively species ideal for a community tank. Recent articles about fish Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees (2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health. Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees (10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine. Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater (12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina. |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009 The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me. |
