Can bala sharks live with killifish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and killifish can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small killifish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Killifish70–77°F · pH 5.5–7

What to watch

Watch outAt 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small killifish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Watch outBala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for killifish.

What works

Both are fine at 72–77°F.
pH 6.5–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bala sharks the mid, killifish the top.

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	Killifish
Temperature	72–82 °F	70–77 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	5.5–7
Adult size	13.0 in	2.5 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	10 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Top
Group	Groups of 4+	Alone or in pairs
Diet	Omnivore	Carnivore

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Better tank mates for killifish

All killifish tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with killifish?

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and killifish can share a tank, but watch one thing. At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small killifish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.

What temperature suits both bala sharks and killifish?

72–77 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, killifish need 70–77 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and killifish need together?

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