I was at walmart yesterday and saw they had a black fin shark. I decided to go ahead and get it because the thing said oscars were good tank mates and only got to six inches. After I got home I looked it up and what I saw it said that it got over a foot and was brackish when it got big. I just wanted to find out if this info was right and was wondering if just the aquarium salt I put in would be enough. Thanks.
Black fin shark?
- Thread starter aaronb
- Start date
Online it said it was also known as a columbian shark. It looks like a baby channel catfish right now.
All freshwater fish benefit from some salt in the water. The blackfin shark does get pretty big, i've seen some that were around 10" in size. They are a nice looking fish. I've actually seen one person that converted them totally to a saltwater tank though i'm not sure if that's such a good thing even though it was doing very well. I know they are definately brackish fish once they start getting some size to them though honestly i've seen people keep them in just regular freshwater tanks also though it would be best to keep them as they should be which is brackish once they get bigger.
Alot of species of synodontis cats would be a good tankmate for an oscar. They are very smart and can hold their own with cichlids. I have a Syno. "Featherfin" that is now about 6" in size and he is definately the "boss" of the tank and everyone knows to just leave him alone. Very personable too, comes right out at feeding time and begs just like the big guys. You may want to consider something like this instead of the blackfin shark.
Alot of species of synodontis cats would be a good tankmate for an oscar. They are very smart and can hold their own with cichlids. I have a Syno. "Featherfin" that is now about 6" in size and he is definately the "boss" of the tank and everyone knows to just leave him alone. Very personable too, comes right out at feeding time and begs just like the big guys. You may want to consider something like this instead of the blackfin shark.
Thanks. I'll try to get a picture when I get home tonight. If I can get him to hold still. I liked because he's so active. More so than my pictus. I haven't seen him make any attempt to hide like most catfish do.
If it's actually a Columbian Shark (actually a catfish) then it will need brackish water as it grows. Aqurium salt won't cut it. You wanna be able to slowly rise the salt to about 1.016 or so. Only raising it about .002 per week, so that the bacteria in your filters can convert to the brackish. If you don't keep this fish in brackish, it will develop skin problems as it gets older. Here's a link to some info.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=700
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=700
Columbian sharks need brackish to marine as adults
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Yes they can grow to 1.5' TL but usually don't. 1' is very likely.
They can be ok in freshwater when very young. IMO and IME after ~3'-4", they need salt in the water to thrive, perhaps 0.5% (5 g of table salt per 1 liter). The more they grow, the more salt they will need... to full marine at adulthood, that is 3% salt. I know of perhaps 3 cases where the fish survived to adulthood in freshwater but it is a torture for the fish and all those people have lost their fish soon thereafter.
Swimming madly around is not always a good indicator. It often is with this fish but it also can be as if he is looking for a way out, that is unsuitable water is bothering him.
They don't hide normally and like each others company.