Bala Shark
Balantiocheilos melanopterus
The Bala Shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus) is a peaceful fish that's a good step up once you have a little experience. Give it a tank of at least 500 litres (132 US gallons), water held at 72-82°F, and a pH of 6-8. Always keep a group of at least 5 - they feel safest in numbers.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Southeast Asia
- East & Southeast Asia
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Bala Shark Tank Setup
Treat 500 litres (132 US gallons) as a starting point - big predators need length, strong filtration, and a secure lid. Hold the water at 72-82°F and pH 6-8, and assume anything small enough to swallow will eventually be eaten. Always keep a group of at least 5 of their own kind - kept alone or in pairs they tend to turn shy, nippy, or wash out in colour. They grow to around 35 cm, so plan the tank size and filtration for a full-grown adult rather than the small juvenile you see in the shop.
What Do Bala Sharks Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Bala Shark Tank Mates
COMMONLY MISREPRESENTED IN SHOPS - sold at 5cm but grows to 35cm+ requiring 500L+ for a school of 5. Impulse buying this fish is one of the most common causes of welfare problems in the hobby. Needs a tight-fitting lid as they are powerful jumpers. Endangered in the wild due to overcollection. The Bala Shark is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's predatory, so anything small enough to fit in its mouth will be treated as food rather than a companion. It's a shoaling fish, so settle a group of 5 or more of its own kind before adding anything else - a stressed, lonely fish is far more likely to nip or hide. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Bala Sharks Good for Beginners?
Doable once you test water regularly and catch problems before fish look sick. If this is your first tank, pick something more forgiving and come back later.
Bala Shark - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Bala Sharks need?
Bala Sharks need a tank of at least 500 litres (132 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
How many Bala Sharks should I keep together?
Keep a group of at least 5. Bala Sharks are a shoaling species and become stressed, lose their colour, or hide when kept singly or in pairs.
What water parameters do Bala Sharks need?
Keep them at 72-82°F with a pH of 6-8, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Bala Sharks eat?
Bala Sharks are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Bala Sharks good for beginners?
Bala Sharks are best for keepers with a little experience. They are manageable once you test water regularly and catch problems early; a complete beginner may prefer something more forgiving first.
Common mistakes with Bala Sharks
- Buying fewer than 5 - Bala Sharks need a proper school to feel secure; isolated individuals hide, fail to colour up, or become stressed.
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 500 litres (132 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Bala Sharks
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Serpae TetraFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
- Rosy BarbFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
