Can corydoras live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Corydoras72–79°F · pH 6–7.8

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small corydoras. 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 corydoras.

What works

Both are fine at 72–79°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: corydoras 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

	Corydoras	Bala shark
Temperature	72–79 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6–7.8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	2.5 in	13.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	Groups of 6+	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for corydoras

All corydoras tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Questions

Can corydoras live with bala sharks?

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

What temperature suits both corydoras and bala sharks?

72–79 °F. Corydoras need 72–79 °F, bala sharks need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do corydoras and bala sharks need together?

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