Can bala sharks live with firemouth cichlids?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and firemouth cichlids 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 firemouth cichlids.

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Firemouth cichlid75–86°F · pH 6.5–8

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 75–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bala sharks the mid, firemouth cichlids 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	Firemouth cichlid
Temperature	72–82 °F	75–86 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–8
Adult size	13.0 in	6.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Semi-aggressive
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
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 firemouth cichlids

All firemouth cichlid tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with firemouth cichlids?

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and firemouth cichlids 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 firemouth cichlids.

What temperature suits both bala sharks and firemouth cichlids?

75–82 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, firemouth cichlids need 75–86 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and firemouth cichlids need together?

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