# new hi fin pangasius shark



## sharkettelaw (Aug 30, 2011)

i just bought one today so it can eat its tank mates and thus make space for all my betta fry (he will be sold when he's achieved his purpose). But he's white. And i dont know if its from stress, from being cold or too warm (temp of tank is 28 celsius). His fins are black but otherwise he's a pale white. He's not gasping, he's not swimming into anything(they have very poor eyesight). I did do a big water change when i added him but he's not acting up. But does when another fish gets too close. I dont know if he'll start eating soon either, i really hope so. Aside from the flakes im giving him, i intend him to eat the mollies and platies i no longer want. Any ideas how i can make him more comfortable?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

I cant believe you bought a fish that shouldn't even be sold in the trade. This fish even gets to big for public aquaria long term.

Its cruelty on your part to even to get this fish just to eat fish that you don't want. Just give them away or donate to petco. Take the shark back. You will be lucky if you could find someone to buy it.


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## sharkettelaw (Aug 30, 2011)

firstly, ive been doing this for a long time so im not the stupid dumbarse you seem to think i am. I KNOW how big these fish get, and who the hell are you to assume i dont have big enough accomodations for it? Who are you to assume i wont give it better treatment than the petstore did until i rehome it? Im not stupid, im not new at this and i know what the hell im doing. Considering Marine Biology is the career path im choosing and you have the audacity to call ME cruel when you dont even know the setup and the research gone into acquiring this fish? BTW, i dont live in the US. We do not have chain petstores. Not all petstores here will take in fish or refund it. It is SO insulting and offensive that you will assume before you even ask what its being housed in. And the worst part is not even the benefit of the doubt. Learn to stop assuming before you point your fingers and accuse when you know nothing of the environmental surroundings.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Although not all links provide 100% accurate information there is some accuracy to most?
Chaky Aquaristik
Minimum tank size is 2,000ltr(aprox 500 gallons).You don't keep your mollies and platies in a 500 g aquarium do you?
There are hundreds if not thousands of fish that are "suitable" for aquaria that would eat your mollies and platies and be capable of living the rest of it's life in someones aquarium,just not the one you chose(and I'm not a marine biologist). purchasing this fish will only encourage the petstore to get more.Bad choice IMO.
If no storewould take your platies or mollies you really think they will take this fish back?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Well apparently not long enough to know that the fish is not suitable for a public aquarium let alone a home aquarium.

If you have an aquarium big enough, I want pics as proof. And I have probably been at this a few years past you.


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## sharkettelaw (Aug 30, 2011)

there's no ways i'd take this fish back to the store i got it from. There's 20 of them living in a 70L tank. Taking it back there is even more cruel than taking it home and giving it a bigger home. Thats if they'd even take it home. And the reason why that store wont take those mollies is because they're giant sailfin mollies breeding out of control and thus deformed, so yes, they ARE in a large aquarium. Secondly, im having a tank bigger than 500G built for a marine shark, so i wont and dont have a problem housing a hi fin in a large enough tank. Thirdly, once its fulfilled its purpose and IF i cant find a home for it then it will get fed to the marine shark. Thirdly, STOP ASSUMING that i dont know these fish are not suitable for home aquaria, i know that too. And i wouldnt buy it if i didnt have a large enough tank for it, now would i? And truth to be told, i do NOT want other type of fish that can do what i intend this shark to do, the whole point of it is to give it these fish and deformed betta fish that wont have a good life should they have deformed twisted spines. And dont worry, you WILL get pics of the tanks. Just not now when i cant take decent photos.


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## sharkettelaw (Aug 30, 2011)

and with all due respect, i started this post to get ADVICE. Not to read condescending, rude and ignorant remarks from somebody who doesnt even have a Ph.D in a subject of this nature. And yes, even those qualified turn to others for help when they're unsure. Nice to know you have no respect for individuals trying to do the right thing. Goes to show what kind of person you are. Good day, i'll go for advice elsewhere.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Don't look like your doing the right thing. And how do you know What I have or have not?

NO matter where you go your going to get no advice on how to take care of a fish that isn't suited for a home aquaria. Even with a 500 gal. That isn't suitable.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

sharkettelaw said:


> im having a tank bigger than 500G built for a marine shark, so i wont and dont have a problem housing a hi fin in a large enough tank. Thirdly, once its fulfilled its purpose and IF i cant find a home for it then it will get fed to the marine shark. Thirdly, STOP ASSUMING that i dont know these fish are not suitable for home aquaria, i know that too. And i wouldnt buy it if i didnt have a large enough tank for it, now would i? And truth to be told, i do NOT want other type of fish that can do what i intend this shark to do.


First it is a catfish not a shark(this may be worth points as you ATTEMPT to become a marine biologist).Secondly the fantastic (even national) aquariums have serious issues keeping marine sharks for any period of time,even in setups of hundreds of thousands of gallons.Your statement sounds more of one from a child enjoying their very first fish tank then an educated fish keeper(and even farther from a true "fish scientist").I would strongly reconsider any marine shark as they are even more innappropriate then the pangasius.I thought the "eats whole dog carcasses" would have turned on "a little light" in your head,but possibly you didn't read the link I posted to help explain what would make the fish more comfortable.
It really doesn't come across like you put a lot of thought or care and concern into your choice IMO.Sorry!
If you breed fish then you have learn how to cull without emotion or at least knowing it is best.If I buy 2 fish and have produced more than 2 then you/I are even in this world.If you/I have produced hundreds(like my GBR) or thousands(like my swordtails)then there is no shame or feeling cruel in euthanising the quickest most humane way(ice cubes and water and 10 seconds,not at the expense of another form of life,that will then in your plan need to be "disopsed of also"?
A marine shark!You need to do some serious learning.a neet idea/fantasy,an incredibly poor and "cruel" choice.Sorry petstores keep fish they shouldn't in conditions they shouldn't.The only way we can fix this is to NOT purchase those fish or from those stores.The fish is going to die anyways!All fish are going to die,the question is when and from what.We're trying to make sure they don't die because of us too soon!
Sorry for the rant!


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

OK, folks, nobody who knows me would suspect me to be the voice of reason, but I'll take a stab at it.

First, I realize these fish get huge and way too large for any tank unless custom built by someone with unlimited funds to do so. That may well be the case here and if so we all need to chill out. Back in my wholesaling days these fish hit the aquarium market and were all the rage. That was 30 something years ago and nobody really knew too much about them. I kept a few in a huge vat and they got huge. I finally got a guy with a 3,000gal atrium pond to take them off my hands. 

In this case it appears that Sharkettelaw did their homework and had a plan in place. Whether you agree or not with keeping this beast while small is a matter of opinion and we all have the right to one. If it were stuffed into a 20L I would have something to say and it would be stern as well. In this case everyone has made their opinion known and snipping each other is just not productive. If you told me I was torturing my fish I likely would have something not so nice to say, but I would P.M. it to keep it out of the public eye. I see both sides of this argument and it is time to let it drop. Follow up later with Sharkettelaw and see how the fish is doing if you like. I'm sure if you asked nicely you could get updated photos. Maybe people should have said they don't condone keeping this fish and don't believe it should be in the hobby.


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## sharkettelaw (Aug 30, 2011)

Firstly, Coralbandit, i KNOW its a catfish. I KNOW they get up to 4ft, i KNOW they're critically endangered in the wild. Secondly, i may sound like a child enjoying their first ever fish tank but come on, i love my hobby, im VERY passionate about my fish. Any person who knows me or lives with me can tell you that. Whats the point of a hobby if you dont enjoy it? And no im not a child so i know quite well what im doing. But the point is, if you told someone about your breeding of swordtails or whatever it is you do and they pointed a finger at you and told you that you're being cruel before even asking what conditions they live in, you'd also get offended. Thirdly, i chose Marine Biology as a career because of my passion for my fish and because im good at what i do. My plans as a Marine Biologist go far beyond homing a marine shark in a large enough aquaria, there is NOTHING about marine Sharks you can tell me that i dont already know. Sharks are my passion and my fav animal and one of the many reasons ive chosen the career im taking. And just because it involves working with Marine life forms does NOT mean thats what im limited to. I breed bettas too and thus have many tanks for them and i ENJOY it because that is what a hobby is all about it. You can say and do what you want and be rude all you want, ive got more people who can vouch for me about my passion and how well im going about it than there are of people who think otherwise.

And Henning, thank you for your input. Open minded people are always appreciated


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Good luck sincerely.I wasn't trying to be rude(it justcomes easy for so of us).I apologise and hope you have success with whatever you try.


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## henningc (Apr 17, 2013)

Thanks folks. We all love our hobby or we would not be hanging around here. I think we should learn from eachother and even when we don't agree keep it civil. Nobody should leave offened.


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