Can bristlenose plecos live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Bristlenose plecos and bala sharks 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 bristlenose plecos.

Bristlenose pleco73–81°F · pH 6.5–7.5

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

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

What works

Both are fine at 73–81°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: bristlenose plecos the bottom, bala sharks the mid.

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

	Bristlenose pleco	Bala shark
Temperature	73–81 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6.5–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	13.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Herbivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for bristlenose plecos

All bristlenose pleco tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Questions

Can bristlenose plecos live with bala sharks?

Yes, with care. Bristlenose plecos and bala sharks 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 bristlenose plecos.

What temperature suits both bristlenose plecos and bala sharks?

73–81 °F. Bristlenose plecos need 73–81 °F, bala sharks need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do bristlenose plecos and bala sharks need together?

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