Juvenile Banded shark help

[7duster3]

This is only a temporary thing while a bigger tank/stand is being made for me. I bought garlic extreme and it seems as if the other fish love it but my banded shark still wont eat. I have tried the lights out feeding and got it to eat a few shrimp off of a wooden stick but it hasn't had much to eat since. I did notice that my nitrate levels are high and read that high nitrate levels can cause fish not to eat. Should i change my water more frequently and more of it??? Once again any help is greatly appreciated.
and for the record, i have the utmost respect for these fish and in no way possible do i have them to look cool to my friends. I enjoy this hobby and wanted to do something different. I would really hate to see one go.......

 

[kikithemermaid]

Originally Posted by Clown4Life
http:///forum/post/2596250
I have a 95gl Iknow it will not be long before I need to upgrade, but for the time being it should be fine
Just be sure you have a larger tank ready for him when he needs it.

 

[aquaknight]

I will second the high ammonia and/or nitrate. Could have been from the LFS (has anyone tested LFS water? Not pretty....)
I would also test your water with several different brands of new test kits, just for peace of mind. I know what a load a 21" bamboo can put on a tank, so unless you're doing 100% water changes every week (cummulative, over the week, never do that much at one time), I suspect the readings would be slightly worse then "fine" or "okay."

 

[cubsfan]

See if your l.f.s. has sand eels. The shark I had loved them soaked in garlic. The shark wouldn't eat squid or silversides or even shark formula cubes. You just need to keep trying different foods till you find what the fish likes. I also agree with feeding about a hour after the lights are off.
Do you have a cave for it to hide in? Mine would never just lay out in the open while the lights were on.
Best of luck, i hope it makes it but I doubt it will

 

[kichimark]

Originally Posted by cubsfan
http:///forum/post/2601047
. You just need to keep trying different foods till you find what the fish likes. I also agree with feeding about a hour after the lights are off.
Do you have a cave for it to hide in? Mine would never just lay out in the open while the lights were on.
+1. I got my bamboo to start eating about 3 days after hatching on baby octopus that I got from the market. I just chopped it up and fed her on a stick. She loves the stuff.

 

[risc]

In my experience with many sharks the red belly more often signifies nitrite poisoning. While at first the shark will appear to swim and act normal minus the feeding of course. Eventually 2-7 days later they will start swimming erratically and gasping for air. Eventually this can cause the shark permanet brain damage and you might find it swimming upside down or smashing into things in the aquarium. Death is generally almost certain if you don't move the shark to another established tank and monitor them closely.
Substrate is generally not the case... but in rare occurances it can be. I have housed horn sharks, leopard sharks, and bamboos, on crushed coral that was very abrasive and I have never seen it to irritate their bellies. I have however witnessed 2 bamboos and 1 horn shark die after their bellys became seriously inflamed and red. Upon testing the tanks they were in I found very high nitrite levels and higher then normal nitrate levels. In small aquariums sharks don't fare well with high nitrate levels either... but it's not as much of a concern short term as it is long term.
Remember that your nitrite levels could have spiked and returned to normal and it may have been just enough time to cause the damage to the shark. Even a baby bamboo should really be kept in a 180 gallon by itself or with some small fish that will not bother or pick at him. It may be hard to get them to feed in such a large tank when they are small... but you just have to keep trying. Getting a shark to feed is a lot like potty training a dog. You have to keep trying every 2-3 hours to get them to bite. Eventually they will get the idea.