Sick Banded shark. HELP

[saltgeek]

My banded shark has gotten sick seems to be just kinda laying around and when he does swim he swims in tight circles until he bumps into a corner or a rock then he just lays there either upside down or on his side. Does not seem to eat anymore either. Anybody have any ideas? he is 5 months old. and breathing seems normal. Any help would be very gratfull. I don't wanna loose him I hatched him from an egg.
Thanks
Fred

 

[beth]

How big is your tank, and how big is the shark? Have you posted your concerns over in the Aggressive Forum? If not, you should, because their are hobbyists over there that are familiar with keeping sharks.

 

[saltgeek]

100 Gal he is only about 5 inches long. Yes I put them in both forums. I don't want to take a chance of someone missing the question that could help me.

 

[musipilot]

What are your water parameters?

 

[saltgeek]

Water perameters are perfect. I have testing all levels and they are great. everything else in the tank is doing great. Corals inverts ect.

 

[beth]

Is this fish in a reef tank? How densely populated is the tank with LR and corals? I have never kept a shark, but I do know that they need "wide open spaces". The fact that you mention that he "bumps" into rocks, makes me think that the fish just does not have the room he needs to scoot around. Sharks really are not appropriate for reef tanks, regardless of how small they are. The are not nook and crany type of fish...they need space to move swiftly and unobtrusively thru the waters.

 

[saltgeek]

There is not much... the rock in on the back wall of the tank. Like I said he is still real small. only 5 inches from head to tip of tail.. The 100 Gal tank is only a temporary home for him There is a lot of room for him to move in the tank as things sit right now. I am sure that is not an issue with him. He is 5 months old.

 

[beth]

What are you feeding him?

 

[jim27]

I've only seen sharks like this at my lfs. They're laying on there back and often get blown around by powerheads and don't do anything. Thankfully this hasn't happened to mine. It could have something to do with stress. Is anything in the tank bothering it, like a fish picking at it or something? What's else is in the tank? What has it been eating?

 

[saltgeek]

He had been eating a sea food combo made up of squid, shrimp, crab, octipus, muscles, clam, etc. blended up with a touch of garlic oil. all of my fish eat it and love it. I have two damsils and one tomato clown the tomato clown was nipping at his tail the last couple weeks. Not often but he was doing it. Unfortunatly he died last nigt. Thanks for the replies and the help.
Thanks again
Fred