Need Info On Bala Cats

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Columbian shark/White tip shark/black fin shark/Arius jordani......All synonyms. I have seen them over a foot in all fresh. They (the book) say like onion said, these will eventually need brackish all the way to full salt. I used to have a pair and got rid of them..:( Wish I had not though....
 
I absolutely love the fish, and really don't want to have to get rid of him. I just don't have a brackish/marine set up (not that I can't get one)
Does anyone know at what time he will need to start acclimating to brackish and marine?
He's 4-5 inches right now
 
I agree with everyone else. I had one. And he was about 6" and I was about to move him to a new tank to do brackish, but I noticed he wasnt looking so good and he didnt make it before he got moved. I loved mine so much. He used to school with my IDs
 
basslover34;1462126; said:
Some people have kept them in freshwater their whole lives, they need the saltwater more for their breeding behaviours I think.
I'm sure there are more people that will chime in with this information
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i have never kept them, but from what i have read they are extremely likely to develop skin and organ complications and infections without saltwater
 
blurock;1461804; said:
I absolutely love the fish, and really don't want to have to get rid of him. I just don't have a brackish/marine set up (not that I can't get one)
Does anyone know at what time he will need to start acclimating to brackish and marine?
He's 4-5 inches right now
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these guys are cool for a catfish. they are active schooling bottom to mid dwelling swimmers that does not hide alot. if im remember it right they max abt a foot in aquaria and just a lil over on the wild.. so ud probably need to acclimate it to a brackish tank at around 6-7inches?
i know they say it has to be on full salt on adulthood. honestly thou ive never seen 1 adult in a salt tank.
 
i've seen these labelled as colombian shark cats which is quite a common name in UK they can get over 18" in an aquarium apparently
 
blurock;1461593; said:
I promise you its NOT a bala shark. it has whiskers and if it has scales they are so small you can barely see them. I know bala sharks when I see um, and this lovable lil guy is no Bala Shark.
That's why I was asking for the info, I was wondering if he was mis-labeled cause I can't find anything online. The store I bought him from has been really good about their labeling and information so far. The guy working that day told me they rarely carried bala cats, but I know they carry bala sharks regularly and have seen them everytime I go in.

Here's some pics, he's in the upper right corner of the tank (he's very active and wouldnt hold still for a photo op. He's 4-5inches, smooth bodied, has whiskers, and that catfish spine on his dorsal fin.
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Quick tip for taking pics of those fast moving guys...If you have a digital camera does it take video? Most do. Take a few seconds of video. Play the video on your PC and pause it at the spot where the fish is displayed well. Now hit Alt and PrtScn at the same time and then open up MSPaint and paste the screen shot you just took. Put a border around the guy and cut that and paste it back into a blank MSPaint window and save it as a JPG file.

It's not going to be as high quality as a photo but it works well. Here is an example of one I took of a peacock that wouldn't hold still...

Red Peacock.jpg
 
TheFanatic;1466918; said:
Quick tip for taking pics of those fast moving guys...If you have a digital camera does it take video? Most do. Take a few seconds of video. Play the video on your PC and pause it at the spot where the fish is displayed well. Now hit Alt and PrtScn at the same time and then open up MSPaint and paste the screen shot you just took. Put a border around the guy and cut that and paste it back into a blank MSPaint window and save it as a JPG file.

It's not going to be as high quality as a photo but it works well. Here is an example of one I took of a peacock that wouldn't hold still...
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Oh what a great idea! Thanks for the tip, I will have to try that. Here's a pic I got of him from the top of the tank.
BabyGuppiesandTheBoys039.jpg


HiGhTiMeZ;1466355; said:
these guys are cool for a catfish. they are active schooling bottom to mid dwelling swimmers that does not hide alot.
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They are very cool for a catfish. I love the little guy. He already eats out of my hand and rubs up against my arm like a cat to say thank you. His personality compliments my Tiger Oscars amazingly, I'm happy with my choice of replacement for the Pictus that didn't make the 300mile move.
 
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