Clever Rainbow Shark

[Fingol]

Been feeding the guppies the occasional cube of tubiflex worms (quarter of a cube), but the rainbow shark absolutely loves it too. Trouble is he hogs it. To ensure the guppies get most of it, I just float it. It took him a while but he learned to swim to the surface and to 'smell' where it was floating. He'd grab it with its mouth, drop to/ near the bottom again and shake it, swim forwards and backwards to 'rip bits off'; it must be a real pain not having teeth.

For a couple of weeks he was quite frustrated as everytime he got a bit off it, it float back to the surface again and he'd have to find it again. Losing valuable time and the guppies would eat more of what was rightfully 'his'; according to him anyways.

Today when he found it, first go he took it into his cave, I didn't see him again until he was finished; I never saw the tubiflex again at all.

I both hope and not that he has learned this trick by himself and will repeat it next time.

Anyways here he is:

[Keri Anne]

Very clever

[LYNDYLOO]

Clever Wee Fellow alright,

As they say "Where there's a will, theres a way"

Lynda

[Caper]

Smart little fellow!

I thought you couldn't put sharks in with guppies, have you had them together for awhile?

[Fingol]

The shark was there first, the guppies were added a little over a month ago. The guppies are not bothered by him, he seems to have no interest in them at all. The five guppy mums have (all?) had babies. He swims right by these too. His main interests are flakes and tubiflex;oh and if the bronze cats lay eggs...he's there eating them. Only this morning was I quick enough, I managed to get a clutch of about half a dozen eggs off the glass and into the small tank (only used for raising guppy fry at the moment; I caught and seperated all the blonde/ golden/ white fry that were part of the batches; almost a quarter of them) otherwise only two bronze cat bubbas have been born (and raised) in the tank.

anther picture

[Caper]

He's a very pretty fishy...and likes to get his pic taken

I just read somewhere that bala sharks are supposed to be "friendly" are rainbow sharks the same, or are they considered aggressive, although apparently yours isn't...nice sharky

[Fingol]

I think they can be agressive towards their own species (the red tail and the rainbow sharks). I have seen the bala sharks (if they are the same as the silver sharks?); they are beautiful, but grow too big for me; over 30 cm!!! I can imagine one of them eating guppies....

Only ever kept this one; so have not got that much experience with them. This one seems OK with guppies, bronze cats, bristlenoses and tiger barbs (had them for a long time; group of ten...until they got old and sick and died).

He would occassionally like a torpedo run at one of the barbs, but all in good fun. He'd not nip. Nothing like what the barbs did to each other...nasty nasty fishes. Two males could fight for hours, only stopping to fight with another male. Like tag fights at WWF, without the muscle or the music.

Last picture; the guppy fry in it and the shark went for the same bit of food; guess who won? (Fry is just to the right off the sharks head.)

[Caper]

I'd love to have a bala shark but like you said they get to big

The pic a the top with sharky in his "cave". Is that a terra???, shoot, can't remember the name...like the pots you grow flowers in?

[Fingol]

The 'cave' is quite common in pet stores here (Wellington; NZ). It's an elbow pipe; it gives access from both sides but because it has a bend in it you can't see right through it.

It comes with a standard hole at the top of the elbow, also allowing access from there. I have however put it in the tank upside down so that there is no hole in its roof. The shark used it more often after that.

The other side of the pipe I have 'blocked' with moss and plants. A fish that really wants to can force its way through, but most access it from the front. When the shark patrols the tank others occasional visit it, but most the time seem to sense when he is about to return. Once or twice a bronze cat got caught inside, only to explode from the back of the pipe in rather a hurry.

It's the only 'artifical decoration' I have in the tank. The drift wood provides caves but the BNs have taken up home there. I have a lazy blue male guppy, I think he sleeps a lot under the drift wood too (There is lots of gaps between the wood and the gravel). I often do not see him. Only to suddenly appear when there is food other other activity in the tank.

Its a pity because he is more beautiful than the other blue I have but I don't think he'll father any fry. He's too darn lazy!