NEED HELP !!

[MonsterKeeper4]

i bought a silver tip shark ( which i found out is a catfish ). How do i make brackish water?and what would i feed it??? need info plzz !!

[kntrygrl4lyfe]

You can get some Instant Ocean, which is what I use, And do about... I did atleast a half of cup per gallon. Alot of people say 2 teaspoons per gallon, but, I use more. What I did was take some of the tank water, put it in a cup and put half a cup of salt in, mixed it, Then threw out the day I added a little bit at a time. Untill it was all gone. Then I repeted it the next day. How big of a tank do you have it in right now?

Mine ate bloodworms, beefheart, shrimp,flakes, pretty much anything you would feed any other catfish. Hope that helps

[MonsterKeeper4]

it's in a 40 gal.

[jconley]

What are it's tank mates?

1/2 cup of Instant Ocean salt will bring 1 gallon of freshwater to a specific gravity of about 1.021ish which is the average that most Saltwater fish keepers maintain. So you will have to determine how brackish you want the tank to be.
The Brackish level will need to be determined by the types of fish you are keeping with the "shark" as many fish WILL NOT tolerate much sea salt in the long term. When we get them at work, I usually take a day of drip acclimation and adjust them right to "full strength" salt water.

[kntrygrl4lyfe]

so you'll need around 20 cups of that salt. should be at any lfs. also, it'll need a bigger tank later down the road

[jconley]

so you'll need around 20 cups of that salt. should be at any lfs. also, it'll need a bigger tank later down the road

20 cups would bring the salinity up to "full strength". They don't have to live in a saltwater aquarium, but if he wanted a s.g. of say 1.010 ("half strength") then 8-10 cups should do it. However I would add a couple of cups a day for 4-5 days so as not to shock the catfish.

Again, depends on the tank mates!!

[MonsterKeeper4]

i currently have a 2" pbass in it. the columbian shark is at 3"

[kntrygrl4lyfe]

Ok ok, Sorry. I thought about it wrong.:wall: It was awhile ago I did that. I know though that I did do more then 1.010. again sorry

[MonsterKeeper4]

ohkay. i can put salt in with the pbass too ryte?

[jconley]

Pbass probably wouldn't appreciate that much salt, seeing as they are soft water fish lol! To appease the catfish and not offend the bass, I would just add a minimal amount of salt, say 1-2 tablespoons per 10 gallons spread out over a day or two and see how they do. If the pbass look like they are in trouble than do an immediate water change with freshwater, but they should be fine. I've kept pbass in the store with this amount of salt for disease prevention/treatment with no problems. They are going to shake and shimmy for a little while, but it's normal.

[kntrygrl4lyfe]

Well unless you have another tank, Someone has got to go. They cant live together forever

[MonsterKeeper4]

yea i got a 350 gal with a pacu and tinfoil barb but they might eat the columbian shark or 2" bass

[Mystix212]

Saltwater tanks are maintained at 1.023-1.025. Use a Hydrometre to determine the salinty of your water. Brackish can range from anything 1.010-1.018.