Can bala sharks live with upside down catfish?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and upside down catfish 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 upside down catfish.

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Upside down catfish72–79°F · pH 6–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bala sharks the mid, upside down catfish 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	Upside down catfish
Temperature	72–82 °F	72–79 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6–7.5
Adult size	13.0 in	4.0 in
Minimum tank	125 gal	30 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Middle	Bottom
Group	Groups of 4+	Groups of 3+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Better tank mates for upside down catfish

All upside down catfish tank mates

Questions

Can bala sharks live with upside down catfish?

Yes, with care. Bala sharks and upside down catfish 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 upside down catfish.

What temperature suits both bala sharks and upside down catfish?

72–79 °F. Bala sharks need 72–82 °F, upside down catfish need 72–79 °F.

What size tank do bala sharks and upside down catfish need together?

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