Can convict cichlids live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and bala sharks can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive, though bala sharks are big enough to shrug most of it off.

Convict cichlid74–82°F · pH 6.6–7.8

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outConvict cichlids are aggressive, though bala sharks are big enough to shrug most of it off.
Watch outBala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for convict cichlids.

What works

Both are fine at 74–82°F.
pH 6.6–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: convict cichlids 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

	Convict cichlid	Bala shark
Temperature	74–82 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6.6–7.8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	13.0 in
Minimum tank	30 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for convict cichlids

All convict cichlid tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Questions

Can convict cichlids live with bala sharks?

Yes, with care. Convict cichlids and bala sharks can share a tank, but watch one thing. Convict cichlids are aggressive, though bala sharks are big enough to shrug most of it off.

What temperature suits both convict cichlids and bala sharks?

74–82 °F. Convict cichlids need 74–82 °F, bala sharks need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do convict cichlids and bala sharks need together?

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