Chinese high fin banded shark

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Tahn

Tahn

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Dec 5, 2016
209
68
31
Central NJ
So I went to the LFS looking for an algae eater (I know they don't "clean" the tank, I syphon poop 3 times a week, and much prefer it to scraping algae) and the guy showed me a baby (2 inch) chinese high fin banded shark. I had 0 clue about em, so I googled them.

Apparently they can get 4 feet long, which is ridiculous for my 55 gallon tank with 1 Oscar in it. However the LFS guy said his friend has had them for years and they are about a foot long, he also said to bring it back when it gets to about 1 foot, and I can trade it in for store credit. I bought him for 20 bucks, so I'm assuming when I trade him in, I can get a lot more value than that. OR I can simply sell him on craigslist, evidently, these are pretty hard to come by and are an endangered species from China and are often kept in ponds because they are tolerant of cold water.

Anyone ever have these before and can tell me more about them?
 
They do get large, 24" is not out of line, the larger they get the more they lose the dark colors, the large (Hi fin) dorsal seems to shrink (more like the body grows into it), and get to look like its cousin, the common carp, so gaining in value may be a little over enthusiastic.
They are temperate water fish (it gets cool in much of China (even cold)), and are best kept at lower, goldfish type temps. It will quickly outgrow a 55.
 
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LOL....guess. I have a,thing for ugly fish.
 
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Here's another one. Ten years old at 15". A little prettier than the 24" in my previous thread link.

 
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krichardson said:
LOL....guess. I have a,thing for ugly fish.
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I'm also in San Diego and I have a 30" Myxocyprinus in an indoor 300 gallon system that I've raised from 2" long. I love this fish! His name is Aticus. He is very personable and watches TV with us. I personally don't find him dull or ugly but I know others who do. Probably the color enhancing aquarium lights help.

At this point I need a bigger tank to keep him in or I'm going to have to put him in a pond.
My pond is 900 gallons on a covered front porch with a black liner so when I've put him there in the past he just disappears. Also, since it's covered there isn't enough algae to support him. He eats algae wafers but he won't be able to compete with the koi. I put his 2 siblings in the pond when they reached 18" and they starved. I've never gotten over that and I don't want the same fate for this guy. I've even debated getting rid of the koi but then I'd just have an empty looking pond.

Looking for a home for this guy. If I get a bigger tank it will come equipped with a divorce.

IMG_1992.JPG
 
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pstennett said:
I'm also in San Diego and I have a 30" Myxocyprinus in an indoor 300 gallon system that I've raised from 2" long. I love this fish! His name is Aticus. He is very personable and watches TV with us. I personally don't find him dull or ugly but I know others who do. Probably the color enhancing aquarium lights help.

At this point I need a bigger tank to keep him in or I'm going to have to put him in a pond.
My pond is 900 gallons on a covered front porch with a black liner so when I've put him there in the past he just disappears. Also, since it's covered there isn't enough algae to support him. He eats algae wafers but he won't be able to compete with the koi. I put his 2 siblings in the pond when they reached 18" and they starved. I've never gotten over that and I don't want the same fate for this guy. I've even debated getting rid of the koi but then I'd just have an empty looking pond.

Looking for a home for this guy. If I get a bigger tank it will come equipped with a divorce.

View attachment 1264343
Click to expand...
Impressive!
 
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