The above picture is of my current 4 Irries. I rescued the larger two about a year and a half ago. They were very sick at the time, but as you can see all of them are happy now! 6/11/06
First of all I would like to thank everyone for commenting on my origional Irridescent Shark page. I have been told that I have the most informative page on Irridescent sharks and I'm glad that you like it. I have decided to make this section even better, so I rewrote the origional report. Please, comments welcomed as always.
The Irridescent Shark, or Pangasius suchi, is actualy classified into the catfish family. Unlike all the "catfish", Irridescent sharks do have many features related to the true shark. They have barbed fins and scales, are mainly middle and top feeders, can get as large as a small shark, are very skiddish, and have tiny needle-like teeth as babies. Because of the barbed fins and scales, I would not suggest you brush up against them going from the tail to the head; it will hurt. This also means no nets on these guys, unless you want to spend hours trying to cut your friend out of a net they are caught on. Stress alone can kill these guys, so please no nets. Irridescent sharks do not bite, so you need not worry about their teeth. Irridescent sharks are usually metalic black and silver/white body. They can also be pink, or white; both varieties have black eyes. Please keep in mind that the Irridescent sharkl is not for everyone and also not for the beginner fish keeper.
Don't make any sudden moves....no, I really mean it. Irridescent Sharks are as timid as they come. Just like their wild counterparts. Sharks in the wild are actually afraid of humans, ok...most are afraid of humans, and will swim away at great speeds. Any shark when in a small enclosed space will try to get away from something they are afraid of. Irridescent Sharks slam into glass, gravel, anything. Never have any thin glass in the tank. Only heavy ceramic. They can break a heater and a thermometer, trust me, when they get to be a certain size. Irries spook easily, a little too easily. They need to be "trained" very well. A command for them to calm down works nicely. They are extreamly smart fish. Because they spook easily, they have to be raised very carefully. It's hard to raise an Irridescent shark. You need to really work with them and try to gain their trust. The babies will eventually calm down, but without trust, it's worthless. The bigger ones get spooked just as easily and babies and adults can hurt themselves in a fish tank. That is why the "calm down" command works. If they do go into a frenzy and nothing will calm them down, walk away. Walk away before they seriously hurt themsekves or jump out of the tank. Irries normally won't jump out of a fish tank, but take precautions anyway. Remember, trust is everything.
Never keep smaller fish with any larger fish. Irries are ery peaceful fish, but they are what you call opitunistic carnivores. They may one day just deside that your smaller fish is a meal. This will definately happen if underfed. If feed properly and given the right amount of space, Irridescent sharks will rarely eat a smaller fish. My Irries live with 5 cherry barbs and are fine. Do take precautions though and always be watchful. Choose your tankmates for your Irries wisely. Because Irries are peaceful by nature, do not choose a tinfoil barb, for example, for a tankmate. If you are unsure on the proper tankmate for your Irrie, please just ask me. I'll be happy to answer ANY of your questions. Remember, Irries are considered semiaggressive fish.
Irridescent sharks are schooling fish and need to be in a group of at least 2-3 fish. They are happier in larger groups. Just keep in mind that they can get 6 feet long and have a long lifespan. Irries will not brede in captivity, at least their are no known cases of Irridescent shark birth in a home aquarium. One of mine did get pregnant, but got sick and died soon after. Irridescent shark babies and adolescents are very hard to raise. They will get sick at the drop of a hat. I recomend using prevent ick in your tank at least once a week to
Ok, now a scarry truth. Since Irries are so timid and get so big, they can get winded by their many ordeals. Be careful when handing an Irrie. Be patient. When you add a new Irrie to a fish tank, he may panic. Leave him alone. You may find him suddenly at the bottom of the tank laying down, or bottom up. LEAVE HIM ALONE. Your fish is not dying, unless he went into shock, which is unlikely if you know how to add fish to a tank. Anyway.......Irridescent sharks get winded alot and need to catch their breath. They many stay like this for an hour even. As long as they are breathing, let them be. Unless of corse you think they are stuck. That reminds me, don't clutter your tank. These guys need room to swim. Ok, so just give your Irries time and let them adjust.
Ok, I probably kept you wondering long enough. So, you want to know how big Irridescent Sharks get. Well...I have seen they at least 5 ft long and looked like he was a foot wide. They can get bigger, but it takes some time. My last two Irries were very big. My biggest one was almost the length of a 20 gallon tank. Well, almost as long as the width. I had them for about 5 years and lost one to a sickness and the other died while I was away at colleg, she needed her mom at home to care for her. Anyway...........they take a long tim eto get really big and they have long livespans. Irries will grow faster if givin a bigger tank from the start. A small tank doesn't stop them form growing, but it does slow their growing down a bit. They WILL outgrow that 10 galon tank in about 1 1/2 - 2 years.
I guess you are wondering about the health of an Irrie. I really admire them. They will hold on till the very last minute and will go down fighting. I admire their strength and their will to live. If one gets sick, the other will protect her till she gets better. Irries don't get sick often, but when they do it can be hard to care for him. Like I said before, Irries are strong fighters and will hold on long enough for you to get medicine in the tank. Baby Irries are prone to Ick (white spot) and that is extreamly hard to cure in baby Irries. BUt gain, they are strong enough to survive. When all the fish get sick in your tank, you m,ay find that your Irries are in tip -top- shape. They are very strong fish and do not get sick very easily. My Irridescent sharks had out lived all my other fish, except for one very old corry catfish. He was givin to me by a neighbor and was older then my sharks. Anyway......Irries are overall very healthy, but when they get sick it's 24/7 care to see that they get better.
So you think you may want to breed these sharks? Think again. There is no known account of an Irrie even getting pregnent in a home aquarium. But I have a surprise........my Irridescent shark Nibles got pregnent!! I think she was almost at her due date, but she got sick and the miedicne didn't work. She already had a weak immune system from being pregnant. Jena is lost without her. He was the one who got her pregnent. I feel so bad for him. She was a fighter, one of teh strongest I've seen and Jena wouldn't leave her side. He tried to swim in the net with Nibbles as she was taken out of teh tank. That's true love. He stayed by her sidfe for three long days. Not to mention protecting her while she was pregnant. I miss her so very much.
Irridescent Sharks can get expensive depending on the color and size you buy. The bigger the fish, the more expensive. That 5 footer I saw was, If I remember correctly, about $600. They are not cheap fish. I fish this size <---------------------------------------------------------------------------> can be about $12. It depends where you get them too. Irries come in two colors with the black and silver having variations. They can have more silver then black, more black then silver, lighter black markings, pitch black markings, and almost brown markings. The black bands could also be almost grey. They are all considered the Irridescent Shark standard. The most popular being teh black and sliver. Albino Irries are not only hard to find, but also much more expensive. They are all white, almost pink. Took me months to find them. My best friend bought two for me. An albino Irrie this size <----------------------------------------> can be about $7-$10 oposed to $4-$6 for the regular color. Now of corse my measurements may be off. I'm just making an example.
Who would I reccoment these fish too? Hmmm........let's let........I would reccoment these fish to someone who has had tropical fish and knows how to care for fish in general. I would reccomend tham to anyone who is willing to dedicate their time to raise them right and love them. I wouldn't reccoment Irries to someone starting their first aquarium. Tropical Fish Hobbyists once put my beloveed Irries down. I was so very upset with them, especially since I read their magizine every montha nd looked up to them. I love my Irries.
I hope you think twice about getting an Irridescent Shark. If you read this and still think this fish is for you, go and get some with my blessings. If you have decided not to get an Irrie, there are many other fish out there that may be great for you. Try a Betta or even a Red Tailed Shark. And one last thing, you can't have an Irrie unless you have a filter and NEVER, NEVER use a net on them. Babies are ok, but don't risk it. They have barbed fins, which you can feel is you brush against them towards their tail, like real sharks. They hurt, feels like timy needles. If you use a net on your Irrie you may be spening the next 4 hours cutting it away form her body. I have done this before as well. Not fun at all.
Still have questions? Well......what are you waiting for, email me. Just make the subject line something pertaining to my webpage. I hope you enjoy the rest of my page!!
