Shark Balu - care and maintenance in an aquarium

Shark balu looks like a miniature copy of all known predators. The fish of the represented breed group stands out among other residents of the water space, so it is worth considering them in detail. Otherwise, members of the group are called a shark barbus or a shark ball. Due to the specific shape of the hull, the family represented its name; more fish with sharks have no similarities. Since the ball is prone to manifestation of aggression, they are kept separately or in combination with other large individuals.

Description

1. The first time the fish in this group was described by Blicker, it happened back in 1851. Representatives of the family live in Asian countries, as well as on the Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra. Some data say that Thailand was originally considered the birthplace of fish, namely, the Mekong basin. But at the onset of 2007, it was found that there are no water inhabitants of this breed in the river. Moreover, they are not found in the named region.
2. Fish is listed in the Red Book as an endangered species. The whole thing in the disappearance of representatives of the family of their natural habitat. But the reasons for this have not been found. Most likely, this is due to the catch, as well as the feeding of birds and the strongest pollution of water with industrial waste.
3. Those fish, which lead aquarists, are grown on farms using hormones. They are exported from Indonesia and Thailand. As for the natural habitat, fish prefer large and medium water sources. Inhabit deep rivers, lakes.
4. Balu does not belong to the fish who prefer a certain level of water space. The family lives in a lowland, middle, and also near a water mirror. That is, it is evenly distributed throughout the aquarium.
5. The fish is similar to a shark, but only externally and indirectly. Prefers fresh water sources. As for food, in its habitat it eats rotifers, small crustaceans, larvae and insects, vegetation, plankton.
6. Aquarium pets of this breed are famous for their oblong body, which looks like a torpedo.The eyes are large, round, constantly in search of food. The fin on the back is raised and pointed, high.
7. In aquarium conditions, the fish can grow up to 30 cm, which is very good. In the natural environment, it is 35 cm in height. As for the duration of life, these pets will please the hosts of 10 years minimum. The main thing is to provide complete care.
8. The fish are painted in a silvery shade, in the area of ​​the back can be dark. The abdominal zone, on the contrary, is light. The fins are whitish or yellowish, fringed with black. When spawning takes its beginning, the belly of the female becomes rounder, but these are all differences.

Content

1. The difficulty lies in the size, the fish require a very large water tank. And the more the better. These pets grow in a short time.
2. If you start from the opinion of experienced aquarists, the fish in its content does not cause problems. The main and main thing - provide enough space for the ball. One individual has an aquarium of 300-400 liters. At the same time in length it should be at least 1-1.5 meters.
3. It is necessary to keep fish in schools, so immediately acquire 5, and preferably 6 individuals.Accordingly, it is necessary to increase the size of their homes fivefold. For beginners, this can be a problem.
4. The water change is systematically carried out. Each week, 25-30% of the volume is discharged. Some aquarists make substitutions of up to 50% of the total volume, see for water pollution. Since, due to its natural features, the ball requires flow, then provide the aquarium with a suitable external filter. It is also necessary to take care of the saturation of water with oxygen.
5. Other conditions are equally important. For example, fish require a temperature regime that is in the range of 22-28 degrees. They also prefer to live in places with a neutral acid environment.
6. These fish quickly destroy delicate vegetation, so you should do without it at all or plant variants with a strong root system and hard foliage.
7. If there is no vegetation in the aquarium environment, it is necessary to install a filter to enrich the water with oxygen. Balu like high thickets, but the fish swims quickly, so the bushes are located near the walls of the aquarium.

Feeding

1. Presented fish are picky in their food and can eat absolutely any kind of food. In the wild, the larvae, small insects, parts of plants and algae mainly eat the ball. As for the aquarium content, the fish will eat without problems both live and artificial food.
2. In order for individuals to feel as comfortable as possible and grow well, they are recommended to give daily moth, artemia and high quality dry food. In addition, the fish eat great vegetables and daphnia. To dilute the usual diet, you should give pets pieces of fruit, spinach and green peas.
3. Larger individuals are strongly advised to give predominantly protein foods. Among such, mussels, shrimps and various worms should be distinguished. As for the frequency of feeding, the procedure should be carried out up to 3 times a day. Portions should be such that the fish have time to eat food for 1.5-2 minutes.

Compatibility

1. As mentioned earlier, the ball belongs to a rather peaceful fish. Therefore, such individuals without problems will be able to live with neighbors of similar size. Balu, though not a predatory species,but the fry and small inhabitants he will eat in any case.
2. Among small fish should be distinguished rasborov, guppies, neons, zebrafish, microassemblies galaxy. Therefore, the ball will get along only with individuals of a similar nature and almost the same size. Due to the rather large size and activity, the considered individuals may be irritated by other inhabitants of the aquarium.
3. It is quite interesting to watch such fish, but the ball is very shy. If you decide to start such individuals, it is strongly recommended that at least 5-6 pieces. These fish are accustomed to stay in flocks. In such a family there is a leader. Also in the school fish show less aggression.

Breeding

1. In rare cases, it was possible to successfully breed the fish in question under aquarium conditions. Most fish come from professional farms, which are located in Asia. Therefore, it is easier to purchase individuals in the store than to try to breed them.
2. Consider that sexual maturity reaches the ball only when it reaches a size of 30 cm. It is not recommended to keep individuals in a container with a volume of less than 500 l.If you intend to contain several fish of this species, the aquarium should be much larger.
3. Balu is peaceful, despite its impressive size. But with breeding there will be certain difficulties. It is quite difficult to distinguish the fish by gender. For the same reason they are recommended to be kept in flocks.
4. As soon as the individuals reach sexual maturity, it can be noted that the males are an order of magnitude larger than the females. In addition, the latter have a more round belly. Consider, you will have to wait a lot of time before you can distinguish individuals by sex.
5. Often, even experienced breeders can not always determine the sex of individuals. To prepare for spawning, it is recommended to acquire additional capacity of at least 250 liters. The temperature of the medium should be about 26 degrees.
6. Keep in mind that spawning is not recommended to plant tightly with plants. Balu need enough space for free swimming. It will be enough to have several large algae bushes planted in the corners.
7. If you plan to grow fry in spawning grounds, breeders recommend keeping the bottom of the tank clean.As a result, it will be easier for you to clean the aquarium and observe the development of the eggs.

Many are interested in, is it easy to keep the fish of this family? In fact, difficulties should not arise if you follow the recommendations. In food, fish consume almost everything, but they are greedy, prone to overeating, from which they die.

Video: aquarium fish shark ball