Help me please my shark is sick!

xx_reptile_xx

xx_reptile_xx

New Member
My banded Cat shark does not look to well. First, He wasnt responding to food so I figured it was the temp but then he started rolling on his back and tonight I found him just laying on his back and I noticed that the base of his fins are red and he has a large red patch on his belly. Please help I have had him since he was a baby.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
If you haven't done so somewhere else, we'll need more specs on your tank - size, specific water parameters, other inhabitants, how large the shark is (how long you've had it). Have you had issues with the tank that you've treated with medications?
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/2841796
If you haven't done so somewhere else, we'll need more specs on your tank - size, specific water parameters, other inhabitants, how large the shark is (how long you've had it). Have you had issues with the tank that you've treated with medications?
only adding one more question to this list what type of substrate
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
from what i can gather from reading his other posts, its in a 75g tank, now i may be wrong, but he stated in another post that he has a 29g and a 75g fowlr that is currently housing a tank, which im guessin he meant to say shark, again, i might be totalllllyyyyyy wrong on this one
 
kjr_trig

kjr_trig

Active Member
Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2841847
from what i can gather from reading his other posts, its in a 75g tank, now i may be wrong, but he stated in another post that he has a 29g and a 75g fowlr that is currently housing a tank, which im guessin he meant to say shark, again, i might be totalllllyyyyyy wrong on this one

If so (that is what the profile says), I think we know why the shark is having difficulty.
In addition to Susan and Unleashed questions, I might add, is there anyone with a more appropriately sized tank you can give the shark to?
 
errattiq

errattiq

Member
Definitely the problem with the small tank if it is a 75, I'm willing to bet the redness is irritation to a rough substrate like crushed coral...
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
yeah, everything ive read on keeping sharks say you need to have very fine, soft substrate for sharks, otherwise they'll irritate or cut up they're bellies
 
premilove

premilove

Active Member
sounds like the shark has an infection. this guy needs to give it back to someone that is more experience with sharks. a 75 is still not enough. if its in a 29 man, that is not right. thats abuse.
 
aquaknight

aquaknight

Active Member
Sounds more like nitrate burns, since some of the redness is at the base of the fins, which would be hard to rub on abrasive substrate. And if the shark is a 29gal, it's a no-brainer that nitrates are probably thru the roof with the food and waste associated with a shark.
 
xx_reptile_xx

xx_reptile_xx

New Member
Sorry I have him in the 75 the alkalinity is a bit low and the ph is high. I have had him for 3 1/2 years he has know tank mates just a few hermit crabs , a choc. chip starfish and a pencil urchin. he is being kept on crushed coral.
 
xx_reptile_xx

xx_reptile_xx

New Member
Yhe tank has been treated for ich, but only him and a triggerfish made it. I had to remove the trigger because it was eating the sharks tail.
 
redman1221

redman1221

Member
Originally Posted by Xx_Reptile_xX
http:///forum/post/2842127
Sorry I have him in the 75 the alkalinity is a bit low and the ph is high. I have had him for 3 1/2 years he has know tank mates just a few hermit crabs , a choc. chip starfish and a pencil urchin. he is being kept on crushed coral.
That shark is really too big for that tank, you should have him in a larger tank, jmo. You should remove the crush coral because that can irritate the shark skin, he should be on fine sand bottom.
Originally Posted by Xx_Reptile_xX
http:///forum/post/2842129
The tank has been treated for ich, but only him and a triggerfish made it. I had to remove the trigger because it was eating the sharks tail.
You should never put a trigger in with a shark, I am glad you took the trigger out. Btw you should give the shark to someone with a bigger tank that can really care for it,jmo.
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
+1 on the fine sand bottom
and +1,2,3,4,5,6 on giving him to someone with a larger tank who can properly care for him
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
Originally Posted by Xx_Reptile_xX
http:///forum/post/2842127
Sorry I have him in the 75 the alkalinity is a bit low and the ph is high. I have had him for 3 1/2 years he has know tank mates just a few hermit crabs , a choc. chip starfish and a pencil urchin. he is being kept on crushed coral.
well he is def suffering from a form of infection most likely due to irritations of the cc this tank is way to small to be housing a shark at his age .. ph being high could also be another issue..
I know when i had a shark he went from 6 inches to 2 1/2 ft in one yrs time.. i cannot imagine a shark at even 2 ft being kept in a 75 gal tank at his age he should be a good sized shark by now.. i really hope you can find someone that can help you give this guy a proper environment ASAP.. as he cannot be medicated .. do a water change get those levels perfect again sharks are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrates as well.. ph should be 8.3
maybe you can set up a kiddie pool as a temp home for him.. im sure you can work something out for filtration and water flow..it may be inconvinient as far as room goes in your house but it may be the only saving grace for him until you can get him proper housing
 
nigerbang

nigerbang

Active Member
research animals before buying them.... wouldnt be good if I locked you in a closet that you could barely move aroujnd in...I get so sich of seeing posts like that.. sharks need large systems with very fine sand....do research before you buy... yeah it looks cool but this is the 3rd post like this I have seen today..this is why I am not on here much anymore....do your self a favor and use that little button at the top that says SEARCH
 
el guapo

el guapo

Active Member
Originally Posted by redman1221
http:///forum/post/2842827
Your Lfs don't have a large tank to put him in, I would call them and see if they can take him.
Thats what I was thinking .
You really need to do what is best for the shark . I know you really want to keep it . But plane and simple you can not offer the proper housing for the shark . You need to give it away to somebody that does have the ability to take care of it .
 
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