Weird Iridescent Shark

[Glabe]

I bought a 4'' Iridescent shark about a month ago, and since i've gotten it in my tank, it flips out when i turn on the light. When the light is off, it cruises around and swims against the bubbles. As soon as the light pops on, it darts around until he finds his hiding place under the java moss. Then he'll just hover there all day, sometimes even resting sideways or nose down! He's still healthy looking, not skinny or bruised up.

The only thing i see that could have caused it are the tiger barbs, who follow him around during the day when he does pop out of hiding, but never nip at him. Only 3-4 out of 9 ever follow him... idk why

any thoughts on this? the pet store said they'd take him back, and that's where he's going if he's a nervous wreck in my tank. i May keep him until i get my 55 up in 2 months and see how he does there... darn budgets keeping my fishes down!

29g - iridescent shark, 9 tiger barbs, 2 op gouramis 2", dragon goby goby 3.5'', bn pleco 3'', itty bitty black kuhli, clown loach 2.5''

thanks!

 

[WeedCali]

The Clown Loach will need a much bigger tank. The 55 will suffice for a while but he'll eventually outgrow that too.

Not too sure about the Iridescent shark though :\

 

[blue2fyre]

I would take it back. These guys get HUGE. They can reach close to 4 feet long

 

[Khemul]

Err, this is going to turn into a "restock your tank" thread fast...

To get the major things out of way;
* Clown Loach as stated will grow much bigger. They also like the company of their own kind, compounding the "will grow bigger" issue. Definitely going to need a bigger tank.
* The Kuhli needs more of its kind. They are social fish that tend to feel more secure in numbers.
* Iridescent Shark Catfish will get much bigger. You arn't even in the same ballpark for adequate tank. Pet stores really shouldn't sell them as aquarium fish since they require at least a pond.
* Dragon Goby is a brackish water fish. They often do fine until their immune system hits a threshold that the freshwater system can't support, then it is a rapid crash in health. Sometimes people manage to keep them in freshwater tanks long-term but it is more the exception then the rule. Hard-water fresh setups seem to have the best chance of replicating the brackish requirement, but it is not entirely known how so it more happens by accident then intent. I wouldn't suggest trying to keep it in fresh since the health crash is often very rapid.
* People will probably suggest 9 TB's in a 29g is pushing it. As long as you keep up on water quality it should be okay. Just doesn't give you a lot of room for error. If they are going into the 55 though then they'll be perfectly fine.

As for the skiddish catfish. I have a Pictus like that. Cruises around until the lights come on, then hovers in a favorite spot for hours. Think it is normal behavior since catfish tend to be nocturnal hunters.

 

[TheFishBoss97]

+1 on taking out the iridescent and the clown loach, when I was a newbie, the 1st fish I got was the iridescent, and it was for my 20G, I searched it up, and found out it NEEDS a giant tank(at least 200G) as a growout tank, and afterwards, a giant pond.

Clown Loaches would probably need at least a 100G.

 

[Glabe]

lol, yeah. i knew these were the posts i'd get but it's also what i need to hear. The shark is going back for sure since i don't plan on making those accommodations in the near future.

The clown loach seems as happy and healthy as a puffer after a snail boom. He's active swims with the tigers every once in a while... i think he's confused. I'll keep him waiting for the 55g, and if i can ditch the roommate and get my own place, i'll get a 100g or bigger. (with a refugium and more clown loaches. i hate waiting! and i'm going to turn half of the refugium into a small hydroponics garden) :thm:

no one mentioned this, but i made sure the gouramis were both female when i bought them

the dragon goby was one of those things the girlfriend brought home before we knew what is was (thanks a lot, pet store) and she fell in love with it too soon. my water is hard alkaline, so that and the success stories give me hope

i keep the parameters at 0/0/0. i keep adding plants (i don't know if i'll ever stop, they're a new love of mine) and i do water changes twice or more a week. i recently quit World of Warcraft, and aquariums stepped up to fill the void.