Iridescent Sharks

[houseslave]

My idiot LFS sold me two Iridescent Sharks. I asked if they got big and was
told that they only grow to about 6 inches. When I got home I did a search
and found that they get huge with a suggested tank size of 200 gallons. My
tank is only 55 gallons. I only paid about 14.00 for both so I don't know
if I should keep them until they get too big and then bring them to the LFS
or return them now? Or perhaps my information is incorrect and they only
get to be 6" at adulthood?

Thanks in advance.

[Dinky]

"houseslave" > wrote in message
. net...
> My idiot LFS sold me two Iridescent Sharks. I asked if they got big and
was
> told that they only grow to about 6 inches. When I got home I did a
search
> and found that they get huge with a suggested tank size of 200 gallons.
My
> tank is only 55 gallons. I only paid about 14.00 for both so I don't know
> if I should keep them until they get too big and then bring them to the
LFS
> or return them now? Or perhaps my information is incorrect and they only
> get to be 6" at adulthood?
>


I have seen recomendations of up to 400 gallons for this fish. It's crime
IMO that they are sold in LFS's to unwary customers dooming the poor fish to
a short life when the cramped quarters cause it's growth to be stunted
resulting in death. Myself, I would keep them, they will have a decent life
in your care for a while, if you take them back they'll just be resold to
another unsuspecting person.

[Geezer From Freezer]

Dinky wrote:
>
> "houseslave" > wrote in message
> . net...
> > My idiot LFS sold me two Iridescent Sharks. I asked if they got big and
> was
> > told that they only grow to about 6 inches. When I got home I did a
> search
> > and found that they get huge with a suggested tank size of 200 gallons.
> My
> > tank is only 55 gallons. I only paid about 14.00 for both so I don't know
> > if I should keep them until they get too big and then bring them to the
> LFS
> > or return them now? Or perhaps my information is incorrect and they only
> > get to be 6" at adulthood?

Keep 'em and when they start getting too big, build 'em a pond!

[NetMax]

"Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Dinky wrote:
> >
> > "houseslave" > wrote in message
> > . net...
> > > My idiot LFS sold me two Iridescent Sharks. I asked if they got
big and
> > was
> > > told that they only grow to about 6 inches. When I got home I did
a
> > search
> > > and found that they get huge with a suggested tank size of 200
gallons.
> > My
> > > tank is only 55 gallons. I only paid about 14.00 for both so I
don't know
> > > if I should keep them until they get too big and then bring them to
the
> > LFS
> > > or return them now? Or perhaps my information is incorrect and
they only
> > > get to be 6" at adulthood?
>
> Keep 'em and when they start getting too big, build 'em a pond!

The last time I looked into this, this is what I found out (the
information might be a bit dated now). There is more than one fish which
goes by the trade name of Iridescent Shark or ID shark. One type grows
to about 6". There is at least one type which grows to several feet
long. Unfortunately, juveniles between them are not easily distinguished
apart, so there is some randomness. As well, they all have several
undesirable characteristics. I'm pretty sure they are scaleless, because
they are very prone to parasites (ie:Ich). They have an even greater
susceptibility to bacterial problems with their eyes (eye cloud). In a
mixed tank, they are your 'canary in a coal mine', getting sick whenever
water parameters start going bad. They are also very jittery, startling
easily (ie: lights turning on or off), banging into objects and injuring
themselves. Their defence system is to swim away, so in an aquarium,
they are easy prey (I've seen one killed by 2 smaller adult Leporanus).
They can also be difficult to feed, especially during acclimation.

If you decide to keep them, and you do so successfully, they are very
elegant fish. The correct environment and they are easy to feed and care
for, but arranging for and maintaining the correct environment requires a
bit of research and discipline. They are not appropriate fish for new
hobbyists. They might even be too much trouble for some older hobbyists,
but we don't always know better, and get taken in by their grace ;~).

NetMax

[Harry Muscle]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
. ..
>
> "Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> >
> > Dinky wrote:
> > >
> > > "houseslave" > wrote in message
> > > . net...
> > > > My idiot LFS sold me two Iridescent Sharks. I asked if they got
> big and
> > > was
> > > > told that they only grow to about 6 inches. When I got home I did
> a
> > > search
> > > > and found that they get huge with a suggested tank size of 200
> gallons.
> > > My
> > > > tank is only 55 gallons. I only paid about 14.00 for both so I
> don't know
> > > > if I should keep them until they get too big and then bring them to
> the
> > > LFS
> > > > or return them now? Or perhaps my information is incorrect and
> they only
> > > > get to be 6" at adulthood?
> >
> > Keep 'em and when they start getting too big, build 'em a pond!
>
> The last time I looked into this, this is what I found out (the
> information might be a bit dated now). There is more than one fish which
> goes by the trade name of Iridescent Shark or ID shark. One type grows
> to about 6". There is at least one type which grows to several feet
> long. Unfortunately, juveni etween them are not easily distinguished
> apart, so there is some randomness. As well, they all have several
> undesirable characteristics. I'm pretty sure they are scaleless, because
> they are very prone to parasites (ie:Ich). They have an even greater
> susceptibility to bacterial problems with their eyes (eye cloud). In a
> mixed tank, they are your 'canary in a coal mine', getting sick whenever
> water parameters start going bad. They are also very jittery, startling
> easily (ie: lights turning on or off), ing into objects and injuring
> themselves. Their defence system is to swim away, so in an aquarium,
> they are easy prey (I've seen one killed by 2 smaller adult Leporanus).
> They can also be difficult to feed, especially during acclimation.
>
> If you decide to keep them, and you do so successfully, they are very
> elegant fish. The correct environment and they are easy to feed and care
> for, but arranging for and maintaining the correct environment requires a
> bit of research and discipline. They are not appropriate fish for new
> hobbyists. They might even be too much trouble for some older hobbyists,
> but we don't always know better, and get taken in by their grace ;~).
>
> NetMax
>
>

NetMax, you wouldn't by any chance know the scientific name for the ID shark
that grows to only 6"? I'm guessing the Pangasius hypophthalmus applies to
the large variety.

Thanks,
Harry




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[NetMax]

"Harry Muscle" > wrote in message
...
>
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> . ..
> >
> > "Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >
> > >
> > > Dinky wrote:
> > > >
> > > > "houseslave" > wrote in message
> > > > . net...
> > > > > My idiot LFS sold me two Iridescent Sharks. I asked if they
got
> > big and
> > > > was
> > > > > told that they only grow to about 6 inches. When I got home I
did
> > a
> > > > search
> > > > > and found that they get huge with a suggested tank size of 200
> > gallons.
> > > > My
> > > > > tank is only 55 gallons. I only paid about 14.00 for both so I
> > don't know
> > > > > if I should keep them until they get too big and then bring
them to
> > the
> > > > LFS
> > > > > or return them now? Or perhaps my information is incorrect and
> > they only
> > > > > get to be 6" at adulthood?
> > >
> > > Keep 'em and when they start getting too big, build 'em a pond!
> >
> > The last time I looked into this, this is what I found out (the
> > information might be a bit dated now). There is more than one fish
which
> > goes by the trade name of Iridescent Shark or ID shark. One type
grows
> > to about 6". There is at least one type which grows to several feet
> > long. Unfortunately, juveni etween them are not easily
distinguished
> > apart, so there is some randomness. As well, they all have several
> > undesirable characteristics. I'm pretty sure they are scaleless,
because
> > they are very prone to parasites (ie:Ich). They have an even greater
> > susceptibility to bacterial problems with their eyes (eye cloud). In
a
> > mixed tank, they are your 'canary in a coal mine', getting sick
whenever
> > water parameters start going bad. They are also very jittery,
startling
> > easily (ie: lights turning on or off), ing into objects and
injuring
> > themselves. Their defence system is to swim away, so in an aquarium,
> > they are easy prey (I've seen one killed by 2 smaller adult
Leporanus).
> > They can also be difficult to feed, especially during acclimation.
> >
> > If you decide to keep them, and you do so successfully, they are very
> > elegant fish. The correct environment and they are easy to feed and
care
> > for, but arranging for and maintaining the correct environment
requires a
> > bit of research and discipline. They are not appropriate fish for
new
> > hobbyists. They might even be too much trouble for some older
hobbyists,
> > but we don't always know better, and get taken in by their grace ;~).
> >
> > NetMax
> >
> >
>
> NetMax, you wouldn't by any chance know the scientific name for the ID
shark
> that grows to only 6"? I'm guessing the Pangasius hypophthalmus
applies to
> the large variety.
>
> Thanks,
> Harry

No, I'm sorry I don't. If I did, I'd be one step closer to being able to
buy more selectively. Note that despite the international
standardization achieved with scientific nomenclature, when you get to
peasants working a fish-farm deep in the heart of a 3rd world country,
they will tell you whatever you want to hear. For example, I've ordered
SAEs using their sci-name from multiple sources and have received
everything but, so even armed with the right name, ymmv.

NetMax