silver shark/balla shark

Question
QUESTION: hello i was wondering if you could tell me whats with my sharks iv kept tropical for a long time and in one setup i have kept four silver sharks reaching nearly 12 inches long but they are acting up and this has never happened. I know as iv researched them alot that they wont breed in household tanks..its a very large tank but the two largest have singled them self out and one is chasing off the other two and then swimming back to the other large one and no joke they are swimming around stuck together side on and they have been at it a while. are they ok?

ANSWER: Hi Faye,
I do think they are spawning.  It happens in big enough tanks, and if they are well fed.   They spawn, and their eggs will fall on plant leaves, much like little tetras do, or Silver Dollars.  The eggs are scattered all over the tank.  They do not care for their young, and may also eat the eggs.  If any of them should survive, you would need another tank to house them as the Bala Shark will eat them.  They do eat any fish that they can swallow. lol  It sounds very much like they are spawning, and nothing more.  I shouldn't be laughing, but I can't help it...I can just picture it.
They should quiet down soon, hopefully.  If they continue to do this, then it could indicate lack of space.
Silver sharks are usually peaceful.  They may get a little rough if they do not have the room to swim.  They need at least a 150 gallon tank, so I am hoping your tank is very big.  
I'm guessing here, but maybe the other two are following them to eat the falling eggs.  Check to see if this is happening.  They usually don't care though who eats the eggs.  
Watch them to make sure they don't nip each other.  Let me know what happens, and good luck!
Lynda


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QUESTION: Thankyou,so why dose pictureing it make make you laugh..i mean i laughed but only because you did and now i feel weird as im not sure why im laughing.LOL. well the tank is 5ft long over 2ft deep from top to bottom and nearly one and a half ft each end. it would be great if they spawned but im certain i read that its imposible everywhere..so is that a porky what people say. if i remove the eggs are they fertilised or will they hatch if moved and youll laugh out loud now as iv got white coral sand all pretty and as if im gonne find an egg on that but il keep an eye out. im already looking like a wolly spying on them at night with my sons ben10 torch. stop laughing and tell me if the eggs are white or cream or purple(please)thankyou so much. faye

ANSWER: Hi Faye,
I cannot help you with the colour of the eggs as when I saw the mating pair they were in a 500 gallon tank, and the babies had already hatched and taken away from the parents.  I think they must be transparent, and that would be a big help to you if they were..lol   I say this because most eggs are transparent when first spawned.   You must have plants in a tank for the eggs to fall on.  That way, you can remove them easily.  You would see them on the plant leaves.  You will have trouble finding the eggs in white coral gravel...lol  I know, it's not funny.  Soon you would see a little black or greyish dot in the middle of the egg, that would be the little baby.  Maybe she has not let them go, sometimes they snuggle up together like you saw them do, but don't spawn right away.  If you watch them closely, you will see the eggs coming out, and falling to the bottom of the tank.   Sometimes the eggs get fungus, and then they are white.  White eggs should be removed as they will scatter fungus on the other eggs close by.  You should have a tank ready with the same water the eggs were scattered in, and lots of aeration.   If you put little silk plants at the bottom of your tank, it would help if you want to breed the babies.
I think you have a 80 gallon tank, and they should really be in a 150 gallon tank, especially if you have four!  Two would be the limit for a 80 gallon tank.  
They do spawn in big enough tanks, and your tank is big enough for the two of them to spawn.   They are really schooling fish, the more the merrier, so they need big tanks.
I think because of their size people discourage breeding.  I can't think of any other reason.  Big fish are often stuck in small tanks, when they are small, not knowing that the fish will grow to 12 inches...this is sad.  Lack of information, and the "want to make a buck" is still the rule.  The Bala Shark is a big seller because he really does look like a shark, but the vendors seldom tell the customer how big they do get.  Most of them say that they will grow accordingly to the size of the tank.  This is true, but what they don't say is that their growth is stunted, their internal organs have no place to grow, and they eventually die.  How cruel is that?  Unfortunately there are no laws to protect fish.  I'm getting carried away here.  What was your question?   lol
I am also wondering how high your PH is with coral sand.  I know Bala Sharks can live happily in a high PH...as high as 7.8
They are beautiful fish, and I hope you do save some, if not this time, then next time.  They will spawn again.
Have a nice day
Lynda

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QUESTION: oh im hopeing some survive too but id get a larger setup and keep them or bring some to you LOL. well heres my water info..PH,7.0  NITRATE,12.5  NITRITE,0.1  AMONIA,0.0  How dose that sound to you.

Answer
Hi Faye,
That's great!  Your water is perfect.  You look after your tank very well.  I'm happy to hear this.  I have bred, and still breed many fish.  I have bred Oscars, but stopped when I noticed how mistreated they were!  You know what I mean, kept in 10 gallons tanks etc.  I have bred almost every South American cichlid, and African Cichlid in the book except for Green Terrors, and Jack Dempseys...lol
 I started off mostly like everyone else with livebearers.  I have also bred the beautiful Discus fish, and many many Angels, Silver Dollars, and mostly any fish that I put in my tanks.  I have also bred Australian Rainbows, and of course Bettas!   Would you believe, I started out with a 5 gallon, knew nothing about fish, and I will spare you my first experience.  We learn from our mistakes, and keep on learning.  
A tank filled with little Bala Sharks is beautiful to see.  They are one of my favourite fish.  
Would you believe my "X" told me "It's me or the fish"  well we are now divorced...lmaoooooooooooooo  I got tired of hiding tanks in closets, and basement so he wouldn't nag at me, and hatching brine shrimp under the couch so he wouldn't see them! lol I cleaned all my aquariums when he was at work.  He worked the nightshift, so heck some days I was so tired, I use to fall asleep while he was talking to me.  lol..You can imagine!  I am a fish nut, love them, and love the hobby.  
Breeding Bala Sharks is a challenge.  I have never bred them, but have a friend who did.  Don't put this into my head..lol  Your fish must be really nice to see.  
I hope that they all get along.  They should because they are schooling fish, but like I told you they can get nasty if they are lacking space.  It happens.
I will wish you luck with your spawn, and hope that you do breed some of the fry if you can find them..lol  Poor little babies with 4 Silver Sharks in a tank, they don't have much of a chance unless you watch them with a torch all night.  It's a 24 hour job!  lol
Take care
Lynda