# Gomez The Bala Shark



## Gomez177 (Jun 3, 2008)

Any quick responses would be appreciated as I am considering putting him down because I am not sure if he is suffering. I have a six inch long bala shark. This morning I heard a loud splash and possibley a thud. Now he is floating upside down but I do not think he has a broken nexk because he can still propel himself and even control where he goes to the extent a fish can. I would like some opinions. I am hoping it may be that he swallowed a large amount of air and I can help by feeding him pees. Does anyone think I would be best to put him down?


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## Gomez177 (Jun 3, 2008)

Nevermind, He died. He let out on large string of air bubbles and quit moving altogether. I am glad that he went fast.


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## Torn (Apr 12, 2008)

Aww, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm new to fishkeeping but maybe someone with more experience can tell you what happened to him.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Best guess? He tried to bail out of the tank and hit the canopy.


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## bf2king (Aug 3, 2007)

sry to here that


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## Gomez177 (Jun 3, 2008)

Yeah I figured the same with the canopy. I was hoping he took in some air because of the shock of the impact and that's why he was floating upside down, but I guesse he must have been pretty messed up. Will bury him tomorrow, some fish are too good for the toilet (well, if I had my way I'd bury most of them but I have A LOT of guppies, can't spend a lifetime making tiny plots^^') Especially large ones with personality.


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## southafrica1001 (Nov 18, 2007)

sorry to hear about your loss  its nice he is getting a burial


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## okiemavis (Nov 10, 2007)

It sounds like perhaps a ruptured swim bladder or something like that, the floating upside down would point to a trauma to the swim bladder. I'd assume it would be accompanied by internal bleeding, but this is really all extrapolation here. Hopefully it wasn't too painful for too long.

On the other hand, it very definitively seems like trauma, which means you won't have to worry about it being a problem with any of your other fish. Just make sure there's nothing that can be knocked over or fall on them within the tank.


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