Can bala sharks live with sparkling gouramis?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Sparkling gourami72–82°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small sparkling gourami. 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 sparkling gouramis.

What works

Both are fine at 72–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bala sharks the mid, sparkling gouramis 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	Sparkling gourami
Temperature	72–82 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	13.0 in	1.5 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	5 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Top
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Better tank mates for sparkling gouramis

All sparkling gourami tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with sparkling gouramis?

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

What temperature suits both bala sharks and sparkling gouramis?

72–82 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, sparkling gouramis need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and sparkling gouramis need together?

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