VERY IMPORTANT Iridiscent Shark Please help!

[Matteus]

Footprint is more important for these guys. They are constantly moving and typically bump into the walls if spooked. They are a very skittish fish and are more comfortable in groups of 6 or more.

Ps. I’m sure you know this, but cycled media or substrate is more important than cycled water. The beneficial bacteria is on the surfaces rather than in the water itself. You can always add extra bacteria to your filter media as well.

Good luck with these guys. Please share photos.

 

[kno4te]

kno4te would you say # of gallons is more important or dimensions? As I Have a 55G tub with that is 40 inches long, while I could also use a 100 gallon which is 30 inches long but The height and width are different? Please let me know ASAP

If u have the 55g tub then that’ll work and will be fine as it’s temporary. Since the fish are 1 in then the dims aren’t too important right now. Just imo.

 

[islandguy11]

Agreed a smallish tank or tub will be ok for a few days, but I wouldn't push it past that for too long -- Iridescent Sharks as Matteus mentions are quite high strung and active fish esp. when younger, so the sooner you could get them into something bigger the better. They're also very jumpy fish (esp. when younger), so as kno4te says make sure your tank/tub has a good lid or net to cover the top. Good luck!

You might like this video at one of my LFS:

 

[tlindsey]

Hello so at the moment I’m doing a clean out of 300 gallon, I just bought 3 albino Iridiscent sharks to grow out in it but at the moment have to keep them in my 5 gallon for 1 more day before I can move them in. Will their growth be stunted by having had spent two days in the 5 gallon, they are only 1 inch and are very tiny, I bought them as they were being housed in a tank with a 7 inch albino who could probably swallow them whole. Please let me know! And yes I know I will move them to a bigger tank later the 300 is just to grow them out so they can go in my pond.

Welcome aboard

 

[ApexPangasius]

Thanks for all the help! Since I have 3 thought atm would you say that I still should add a couple more? Let me know

Reason I mentioned this is because a couple of you mentioned it would be better in larger groups! When I do move them I plan to keep them all together hopefully who knows though if all 6 would survive etc

I’ll share photos later today, as well

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Agree with all guys say above. If your plan for their lifetime is solid, you could grow out 10 or 20 of them if you wished. No one on here breeds them. No sensible reason whatsoever to. The trade is swarmed with the cheap farmed ones from SE Asia, the same ones you got, either albino or normal colored, don't matter. They are actually culls from the food fish farming, so their growth and final size and lifespan are unpredictable but certainly will be sub par, because this is exactly why they had been culled.

IME, the bigger their tank is, the better they will grow. I've learned 1st hand that the reason behind great many people reporting that their IDS are under a foot or so after having kept them for years, sometimes even 5-10-15 (!) years, is precisely because of the small tanks and poor tank mates who stress them out. I can fetch you links if you wish to know more.

 

[ApexPangasius]

Putting them into a 100 gallon aquaculture tank

...

Will put them in tomorrow it’s gonna be real nice! Anyone know of any good websites that are that are trusted etc that might sell Iridiscent sharks

Reason I ask is because I’d rather get ones that are not culled etc and perhaps try to get different species too of pangasius!

I think the 100 gallon should be good for at least a 6-12 months!

I also would like to note i am not getting tank mates only pangasius whether that might include other species than hypothalamus I am not sure..however I do plan to try and see what I can make of it and I will report my findings!

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Anyone know of any good websites that are that are trusted etc that might sell Iridiscent sharks... Reason I ask is because I’d rather get ones that are not culled etc and perhaps try to get different species too of pangasius!

*****I don't think you will find any wild or farmed and not culled IDS in the trade.


I think the 100 gallon should be good for at least a 6-12 months!

*****An average IDS in adequate care should reach 1.5'-2' in one year. Such an IDS would outgrow 100 gal in several months IMHO.


I also would like to note i am not getting tank mates only pangasius whether that might include other species than hypothalamus I am not sure..however I do plan to try and see what I can make of it and I will report my findings!

*****That's wise and good to know. The only other two Pangasiidae I think I have ever seen in the trade are the black ear (larnaudie), which would be a good tank mate for an IDS, and paroon shark, which is a risky tank mate for an IDS.

 

[EntoStentor]

Ok I think I have made up my mind, going to get one of those stock Rubbermaid’s fill it up with some sand/gravel and add the cycled water from the 300 gallon into the 150. I think that will be good enough for only 3.

NO DON'T DO THAT. There are no beneficial bacteria in the actual water. Add substrate or filter media

 

[ApexPangasius]

Hey guys I’ll upload pics tonight so I have 3 1 inch albinos and 1 inch regular pangasius hypothalamus inside my tank. I ended up getting a 150 gallon for them for this time. I’m however having trouble feeding them etc. what type of food do you reccomend. Please let me know asap

If someone can help it would mean a lot thanks again