Can bala sharks live with fancy goldfish?

Verdict

No. Bala sharks and fancy goldfish should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Fancy goldfish65–74°F · pH 7–8

What to watch

Deal breakerFancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
Watch outBala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for fancy goldfish.

What works

pH 7–7.5 suits both.

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	Fancy goldfish
Temperature	72–82 °F	65–74 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	7–8
Adult size	13.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	All levels
Group	Groups of 4+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Better tank mates for fancy goldfish

All fancy goldfish tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with fancy goldfish?

No. Bala sharks and fancy goldfish should not share a tank. Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.

What temperature suits both bala sharks and fancy goldfish?

72–74 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, fancy goldfish need 65–74 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and fancy goldfish need together?

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