Help! My Shark Is Dying
- Thread starter FishyMel
- Start date
FishyMel
New member
Hey dude, thanks for being so supportive. And no, that shark never made it through the acclimation process. It didn't eat and was packaged in a gallon of water so when I got it from half way accross the country it's NH4 was through the roof and the animal was already half dead. It only lived a week and it was never healthy. It had visibly burned gills and was breathing very hard all the time. That was also back in december.
I've had this shark for over a year and hatched her from an egg myself. I always kept quality care of her. I have never been so attached to one of my aquatic pets before and I'm pretty upset about this. I'm probably breaking down the whole tank now. I was looking for her reasons for her death not criticism.
For anyone who truly cares to help.
Nitrates- 5
PO4- .3
Nh4-0
No2-0
PH-8.2
specific gravity-1.024
I've had this shark for over a year and hatched her from an egg myself. I always kept quality care of her. I have never been so attached to one of my aquatic pets before and I'm pretty upset about this. I'm probably breaking down the whole tank now. I was looking for her reasons for her death not criticism.
For anyone who truly cares to help.
Nitrates- 5
PO4- .3
Nh4-0
No2-0
PH-8.2
specific gravity-1.024
T-T-Trigger
Premium Member
Thats amazing that it could happen so fast??! I am not a shark keeper, so can't share insight. but wow, that sucks.
The nice thing about illness in this hobby is we generally have time to sort it out, so this definitely sounds like a toxic reaction. sry.
The nice thing about illness in this hobby is we generally have time to sort it out, so this definitely sounds like a toxic reaction. sry.
sorry about your shark. I haven't kept them, so I can't offer any experienced input.
is this the one that was eating Caulerpa? this is an off the wall idea, but is it possible it was poisoned by heavy metals or some other toxin that accumulated in the macro? if macroalgae take up metals or other possibly toxic (to sharks) materials present in trace amounts in your tank, the compounds could become highly concentrated. again, it's just a thought, but many plants are known to take up and concentrate toxic compounds, which is the basis for phytoremediation - using plants to clean up polluted sites.
is this the one that was eating Caulerpa? this is an off the wall idea, but is it possible it was poisoned by heavy metals or some other toxin that accumulated in the macro? if macroalgae take up metals or other possibly toxic (to sharks) materials present in trace amounts in your tank, the compounds could become highly concentrated. again, it's just a thought, but many plants are known to take up and concentrate toxic compounds, which is the basis for phytoremediation - using plants to clean up polluted sites.
FishyMel
New member
I actually was considering a very similar idea. I was thinking that even the natural toxins caulerpa intenally produces could harm a carnivorous animal who doesn't have the proper internal bacteria to break up them up.
Your idea of absorbed compounds is also very feasible and basically the same principle. The whole idea of these plant's great absorbtion is why we use them in our refugiums.
Yesterday she also ate quite a bit of caulerpa. The more I think about it the more I attribute the fatality to the caulerpa. The water change was just most likely coincidental.
Apparently my shark did not get the memo she is a strict carnivore.
The whole tank is populated with fragile animals as previously mentioned-- butterflies, a ray, and corals. I would think if the issue was water quality their health would also reflect this. My stingray actually looks better than ever.
Your idea of absorbed compounds is also very feasible and basically the same principle. The whole idea of these plant's great absorbtion is why we use them in our refugiums.
Yesterday she also ate quite a bit of caulerpa. The more I think about it the more I attribute the fatality to the caulerpa. The water change was just most likely coincidental.
Apparently my shark did not get the memo she is a strict carnivore.
The whole tank is populated with fragile animals as previously mentioned-- butterflies, a ray, and corals. I would think if the issue was water quality their health would also reflect this. My stingray actually looks better than ever.
college429
Member
Sounds like a toxic reaction. They are sensitive to changes in PH. Did you check the ph of the new water?
Where are you purchasing your sharks from. My recommendation is to only buy captive bred. They are more hardy. Try tropicorium.
Where are you purchasing your sharks from. My recommendation is to only buy captive bred. They are more hardy. Try tropicorium.
reefer334
In Memoriam
You killed it when you put it in the sump.
That shock of new water will kill a fish quick!!!!!!!
Not to say it would not have died anyway,but you made sure when you moved it.
It should not be eating culpera.
I see many things wrong but not enough time type out the answers as I have a cast on my arm.
If you want some advice PM me with your number and I can tell you on the phone.
I know most people on this forum think I am full of sh**,
but I have more experiences with sharks and fish than most people.
That is why I do not visit this forum anymore because it gets very lame with the same question asked over and over again very boring!!!!
Chris
That shock of new water will kill a fish quick!!!!!!!
Not to say it would not have died anyway,but you made sure when you moved it.
It should not be eating culpera.
I see many things wrong but not enough time type out the answers as I have a cast on my arm.
If you want some advice PM me with your number and I can tell you on the phone.
I know most people on this forum think I am full of sh**,
but I have more experiences with sharks and fish than most people.
That is why I do not visit this forum anymore because it gets very lame with the same question asked over and over again very boring!!!!
Chris
crazinezz978
New member
loll
FishyMel
New member
The shark was already upside down in the main tank. I moved the shark to a refugium with pristine water as a last gasp. At that point I figured the shark I thought she might be dying from something in the water. Would you just leave the shark in the tank?
Don't tell me it is common knowledge a shark eating caulerpa will die. I figured it was a similar situation as a clown trigger eating caulerpa, something unknown but common and natural. My clown trigger has never died from eating caulerpa.
As for the water change what do want me to do? Give no water changes. I didn't fluctuate my parameters at all from the water change other than lower my nitrate.
You in no way can tell me my shark died of a novice mistake, the reason to her death is still very strange. She even ate like a pig yesterday after the water change. It isn't like she died of nitrates because she was in a 10 gallon aquarium with an undergravel filter.
Next time before you bash a dedicated, experienced hobbyist and conservationist, ask yourself why you are wasting your time when you could be doing something worthwhile like bashing this guy.
So many fins, so few sharks
Is this what I did to my Shark?
Is this how many sharks I've killed?
In the past 5 years alone 8 species have gone extinct due to shark finning. Read about it. http://johngriffith.org/SHARKS.aspx
You in many ways are preaching to the choir.
Hobbyists are not killing the shark population with their pets. This shark would have died in the wild anyway. I had to cut it from its egg case because the shark wasn't even competent enough to make it out itself; It had already wrapped itself around 3 times, couldn't move and ran completely out of yolk by the time I cut her out. The number of sharks that make it from 0 to 1 year in the wild is minimal and even less than the number of sharks that make it from 0 to 1 in captivity. Most sharks people keep are now are even captive bred and have no effect on the wild population. I am not saying it is okay to kill sharks but when sharks die of honest mistakes I don't think it is right for someone bash the guy into the ground.
You wonder why people think you are full of it.
dude chill out.... I'm sorry that you lost your shark and we all loose fish from time to time and it sucks! but you started this thread and you have to accept the fact that people will always look negative and positive on it. The guy is offering for you to call him so he can explain, who knows maybe he will help maybe not but its not worth posting inhumane pictures of sharks gettin finned or killed is it? IMO sharks shouldn't be kept in a tank but I dont go around chewing everyones butt for doing it so just lay off and learn from this.....
FishyMel
New member
I am not attacking anybody. I am just presenting my case. Shark finning is a real event that takes place everyday. I agree it is incredibly inhumane and it is something many people choose to overlook, ignore, and pretend is not happening. 40-100 million sharks a year end up looking like the third picture. I did not do that to those animals I am just showing how absurd it is to attack someone when millions of innocent sharks die for soup! Those pictures are not something anyone wants to see and it needs to be stopped.
Maybe I just interpreted his post incorrectly but it sounded to me like he wants to call me to tell me what an inhumane person I am when I do everything I can to keep these animals and am an activist for their conservation.
Maybe I just interpreted his post incorrectly but it sounded to me like he wants to call me to tell me what an inhumane person I am when I do everything I can to keep these animals and am an activist for their conservation.
You killed it when you put it in the sump.
That shock of new water will kill a fish quick!!!!!!!
Not to say it would not have died anyway,but you made sure when you moved it.
It should not be eating culpera.
I see many things wrong but not enough time type out the answers as I have a cast on my arm.
If you want some advice PM me with your number and I can tell you on the phone.
I know most people on this forum think I am full of sh**,
but I have more experiences with sharks and fish than most people.
That is why I do not visit this forum anymore because it gets very lame with the same question asked over and over again very boring!!!!
Chris
How an anyway does this have to do with the pictures he is trying to help with your shark that died and then you go and post some pics that has nothing to do with YOUR SHARK dying?....... All im saying is you need to chill and listen instead of fighting over the internet. I am in no way a expert at saltwater but In the last few years I have shut my mouth and listened to people even if I know they don't know as much as me, Why? because people would rather fight and say nonsence stuff instead of just listening I'm sorry but when someone offers help why would you not try and take it instead of posting some inapporprate pictures?? I understand it is happening but I'm sorry there is no way me or you can stop it and thats just the truth
That shock of new water will kill a fish quick!!!!!!!
Not to say it would not have died anyway,but you made sure when you moved it.
It should not be eating culpera.
I see many things wrong but not enough time type out the answers as I have a cast on my arm.
If you want some advice PM me with your number and I can tell you on the phone.
I know most people on this forum think I am full of sh**,
but I have more experiences with sharks and fish than most people.
That is why I do not visit this forum anymore because it gets very lame with the same question asked over and over again very boring!!!!
Chris
How an anyway does this have to do with the pictures he is trying to help with your shark that died and then you go and post some pics that has nothing to do with YOUR SHARK dying?....... All im saying is you need to chill and listen instead of fighting over the internet. I am in no way a expert at saltwater but In the last few years I have shut my mouth and listened to people even if I know they don't know as much as me, Why? because people would rather fight and say nonsence stuff instead of just listening I'm sorry but when someone offers help why would you not try and take it instead of posting some inapporprate pictures?? I understand it is happening but I'm sorry there is no way me or you can stop it and thats just the truth
