Can bala sharks live with gold barbs?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and gold barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown bala shark may treat small gold barbs as food, especially at night.

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Gold barb64–75°F · pH 6–8

What to watch

Watch outA grown bala shark may treat small gold barbs as food, especially at night.
Watch outBala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for gold barbs.

What works

Both are fine at 72–75°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 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	Gold barb
Temperature	72–82 °F	64–75 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–8
Adult size	13.0 in	3.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	20 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Middle
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 6+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Better tank mates for gold barbs

All gold barb tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with gold barbs?

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and gold barbs can share a tank, but watch one thing. A grown bala shark may treat small gold barbs as food, especially at night.

What temperature suits both bala sharks and gold barbs?

72–75 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, gold barbs need 64–75 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and gold barbs need together?

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