I just let my husband pick out a fish to go with my 2 Orandas and 1 Ryukin. Well, he really liked the 5 finned shark. I had some reservations and I told him that the first time that shark nips at one of my fish he's going back to the store. We've had him for a week now and we've named him Lemmywinks. He's become best friends with my little red-cap (I wrote about her in a disease post). Lemmywinks loves to swim between her fins and follows her everywhere. Sometimes he'll turn around real fast and looks like he wants her to follow him for a change. As soon as he realizes that she's not following him he'll swim right up next to her again. They're really fun to watch together.

any idea at all what kind of shark it was?

I'm not sure. We got him at this aquarium shop in town. All their fish are so nice and healthy, it's the only place to buy fish in town unless you want to go to a chain pet store. But they just called him a 5 finned shark. He's silver with black on the tips of his fins. He has whiskers too. I'll try looking it up and post again when I find him.

Ok, finding him was quicker than I thought it would be. Lemmywinks is an Arius Seemani common names: 5 finned shark, shark catfish, and columbian shark.

ohh ok. i was reading your post wrong, i thought you were just saying a shark that had 5 fins.

your little guy, if you're interested, technically isn't a 'shark' at all, but instead is a member of the catfish family (see the barbels/whiskers) though they look more like sharks then some true sharks i've seen.

what size tank is he in now? lemmywinks could potentially get quite large; and while at a young age they can stand cooler fresh waters, as he grows he'd be a little happier in brackish, warmer waters with a strong current that more closely immitates his natural habitat (south american rivers).

although he seems to have taken a liking to your oranda. they sound like cute friends together they are definitely peaceful for the most part, just be sure to provide him with a well balanced diet so he doesn't start looking for 'food' elsewhere. and if you've got him in a tank with enough swimming room, they are some very graceful and powerful swimmers.

congrats on your new fish!

I just wanted to add... the columbian shark is a brackish fish. He will not be able to live with your goldies for very long.