Can bala sharks live with clown plecos?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and clown plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Clown pleco73–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outBala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.

What works

Both are fine at 73–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bala sharks the mid, clown plecos the bottom.

Water side by side

The green band is the temperature range both can live in.

The green band is the pH both tolerate.

Size to scale

Adult length in an aquarium. A fish can swallow anything that fits in its mouth, roughly a third to half its own length for predators.

Care at a glance

	Bala shark	Clown pleco
Temperature	72–82 °F	73–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	13.0 in	3.5 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Herbivore

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Better tank mates for clown plecos

All clown pleco tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with clown plecos?

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and clown plecos can share a tank, but watch one thing. Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.

What temperature suits both bala sharks and clown plecos?

73–82 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, clown plecos need 73–82 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and clown plecos need together?

At least 125 gal, set by the bala shark. Add space for each extra fish.