IRIDESCENT SHARK(BLACK AND ALBINO PANGASIUS)

 

well i have 3 iridescent sharks and very easy to take care. yes direct sunlight is to be avoided but dim lights could be useful. My friend had around 17 fishes like goldfishes, tetras, shubhangi, kois, mollies, some baby river fishes(not harmable to other fishes),etc. however throughtout this year all the fishes died due to some water problems and various diseases but somehow these iridescent sharks and river baby fishes never got affected. thats why now i only buy these sharks cause they're easy to take care while other fishes are very sensitive to any effect.

 

Those pinks one too are good(albino iridescent). however to keep their immunity strong i feed them peas around 4-5 times a week. you can add some rock salt too in the tank just to be safe from oncoming diseases. You can feed pellets too, if feeding pellets then i suggest flaked cause the're nutritional.
However you will require a long tank not much heightened since they are mostly swim at the bottom, depending on the size of the shark, babies could require a 1ft and 3/4 or 2ft-2ft and half.
well with proper care they could live upto 15yrs or more if lucky.

 

They grow to around 3-4ft long. 

 

They can live with anyother fish and with flowerhorns.

 

 

RECOMMENDED TO READ BELOW TOO

 

Fish Keeping Difficulty

 

While Pangasius Catfish are considerably hardy, they are not the best aquatic fish to keep in a home aquarium. This is due to the fact that once they reach their adult size they will require an aquarium the size of at least 300 gallons, if not larger. They are peaceful, but only if kept with fish that they cannot swallow. They are unfussy about water chemistry as long as the water is kept clean. and will eat nearly anything.

• Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Difficult - Their skin is very delicate and can easily be damaged leaving the fish vulnerable to infection.

• Aquarist Experience Level: Advanced - Advanced, to expert due to the large size this fish can potentially reach, and the size the aquarium of this fish must have to grow to its full potential.

 

Foods and Feeding

 

The Iridescent Shark Catfish is an omnivores species, known to consume generally anything that it can find. As they grow larger, they are known to consume more live and meaty foods. As they get older they loose their teeth, and like the Pacus, become more and more vegetarian.

In the home aquarium they will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, flake and pellet foods. These fish must have a balanced diet of green and meaty foods. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake or pellet food two to three times daily, but give them only what they can consume within 5-10 minutes. Also feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms. You can supplement with live foods such as feeder fish, which have been quarantined and fed proper food, to gain excellent nutritional value. Additionally, these fish will accept live crickets, or worms.

• Diet Type: Omnivore - As it ages, Pagnasius Catfish will become increasingly herbivorous.

• Flake Food: Yes

• Tablet Pellet: Yes

• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet

• Vegetable Food: Some of Diet - As they get older they loose their teeth and become more and more vegetarian.

• Meaty Food: Half of Diet

• Feeding Frequency: Several feedings per day - Feed two to three times daily, but give them only what they can consume within 5-10 minutes.

 

Aquarium Care

 

The Iridescent Shark Catfish are not too fussy about water chemistry as long as the water is kept clean. However they do prefer a soft acid water, so testing the pH will be helpful. Unless, your aquarium is equipped with an ample filter, change 25% of the water in the aquarium on a weekly basis.

• Water Changes: Weekly - Water changes of 25% on a weekly basis.

 

Aquarium Setup

 

The Iridescent Shark gets very large and requires ample room in order to swim. A minimum 100 gallon aquarium will work whiles a juvenile, a 300 gallon aquarium is recommended for the adult. The aquarium should be setup to resemble the fish’s native environment, which is a typical river, with driftwood and river rocks. As juveniles, these fish may prefer to hide amongst the driftwood. Have a tight fitting lid on the aquarium as these fish are known to jump. Due to their large size, heaters and other aquarium items can be broken. They require a large biological filter because they produce a great deal of waste.

• Minimum Tank Size: 100 gal (379 L) - This fish grows to over 3 feet and will eventually need a 300 gallon tank or larger.

• Suitable for Nano Tank: No

• Substrate Type: Any

• Lighting Needs: Moderate - normal lighting - These fish are easily stressed. Low lighting will be appreciated by new young fish until they are acclimated and comfortable.

• Temperature: 72.0 to 79.0° F (22.2 to 26.1° C)

• Range ph: 6.5-7.5

• Hardness Range: 2 - 20 dGH

• Brackish: No

• Water Movement: Moderate

• Water Region: Middle - They will swim in all levels, but generally the middle.

 

Social Behaviors

 

When they are young the Pangasius Catfish like to school up, but they will become more and more solitary as the get older. They are generally a good community fish and can be kept with most size tank-mates as long as they are too big for to be swallowed.

• Venomous: No

• Temperament: Peaceful - This fish likes to live in a school especially when young, however if given insufficent space as an adult the school life may become tense or the fish may become much more solitary. Finally it should be noted that this fish has poor eyesight and is fairly high strung so the aquarist should be absolutley certain that their specimens never become startled as panicked injury will likely result.

• Compatible with:

  • Same species - conspecifics: Yes - As juveniles they will not thrive well unless they are kept in a school with about 5 or more of their own kind.

  • Peaceful fish (): Safe - It is not recommended to house this species with small fish since they may become a meal.

  • Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor - Can be kept with Plecostomous and Synodontis Catfish. Caution with Bichirs and Tinfoil Barbs.

  • Aggressive (): Monitor - Larger cichlids may get along with the Pangasius, but it is not guaranteed. Caution with large Jack Dempseys and other large cichlid species such as Midas, or Snooks.

  • Large Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor - Caution with Arowanas and Red Tailed Catfish.

  • Large Aggressive, Predatory (): Threat - Caution with Peacock Bass.

  • Slow Swimmers & Eaters (): Monitor

  • Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive - It is not advisable to keep this fish with invertebrates as they are part of this fish’s natural diet.

  • Plants: Safe

 

 

 

Fish Diseases

 

Iridescent Sharks are vulnerable to many common fish diseases such as Ich and fungus related diseases. Like most catfish,being scaleless it makes them difficult to treat if they get Ich. Nearly all ich cures say to use them at half-strength on catfishes and scaleless fishes and this is absolutely a necessity for iridescent sharks. If infected, these fish can more easily be treated with medicines such as melafix, and used as directed.

These easily frightened fish are also prone to getting scratched up from mad dashes around the aquarium. Adding a squirt of a slime coat replacement like NovAqua or Stress Coat can help.