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christy2828

Bala driving me nuts!!!

christy2828
15 years ago

I started with two Bala's in a 55 gallon tank, but one was always harassing the other, so I found one a new home. I've had him about 8 months. He started out at about 3" and has doubled in size. I know I don't overfeed, they finish they're food in a few minutes. I only feed once a day, occasionally skipping a day. Anyway, he is driving me nuts. Every time I walk by it darts around. Often jumping and hitting the top of the tank. I knew they were jumpers, and have covered every hole, so no chance he can jump out. He just did it again, and I think he knocked himself out. He just spun around slowly for a few minutes but now appears to be fine. Occasionally, you'll see a few scales floating down after he has hit the top. I wish this guy wasn't so skiddish, it scares the crap out of me when you hear a loud bang walking by!!!! Christy :)

Comments (7)

  • petiolaris
    15 years ago

    Unfortunately, this is their nature. Not a whole lot you can do except provide more hiding places. Even then...

  • christy2828
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Yes, I've come to realize that. We have to move next year, so I will be getting rid of all of the fish. I do not plan on buying another one :) Christy

  • christy2828
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Well he's not driving me nuts anymore. He jumped again last night and knocked himself out again. Then his eyeball swelled up and was red. My DH put him out of his misery :( Poor guy. Christy

  • ehofehof
    15 years ago

    Don't blame yourself. I just got rid of three in the 5-8 inch range I acquired from a person leaving town (and his aquarium) --and they wouldn't even EAT in my presence. (But they nibbled my plantlets down to the substrate every night, arrgh!). The larger 2 would occasionally slam to the top for no apparent reason and splash water all over if I had the top open, and the smallest already both eyes damaged, probably from just such antics. Eventually I found that if I filled the tank all the way to almost touching the top, they would still swim up and splash water (the previous owner had cats!)(?) -but wouldn't try to jump.
    I miss 'em ... but the tank was(is) only 37 gallon, and they were forever butting/rubbing noses against the glass unless I turned their lights off.
    I also eventually discovered they _would_ voraciously eat scraps/gristle on chicken bones, as ALL of my various fish now do. I had been adding half a 500mg Oyster-Shell Calcium tab to each tank every few weeks, but maybe that wasn't enough: My Plecos and Algae-Eaters can't get enough of chewing on the ends of the bones left behind when my other fish finish with them.

  • ehofehof
    15 years ago

    I should add that my Bala's (and other various fish) took a few days to decide the chicken bones were OK to approach, and longer to try nibbling scraps off them. (During which time some of the bones developed some nasty growths, fungus?, and had to be netted out). I originally soaked and then pressure-washed the bones, but now I just do a quick rinse for any breading or spices and toss them in, and my community inhabitants are all over them.

    I did lose nearly a whole tank of shrimp once after feeding with grocery-store "dried shredded shrimp." Apparently it included some spice(s) poisonous to my ghosties, who gobbled it up. I found most of them dead on the bottom the next morning.((
    It didn't seem to bother the few fish I had in that tank (or maybe they just didn't eat any), but for the shrimp it was deadly.

  • abnormalsanon
    15 years ago

    Bala sharks can grow to be over one foot long, so research before you buy. A 125 gallon tank might be big enough for an adult...maybe. Otherwise they just outgrow the tank and die.

  • petiolaris
    15 years ago

    LOL! Or jump out of the tank!

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