Can crayfish live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

Yes, with care. Crayfish 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 crayfish.

Crayfish65–77°F · pH 6.5–8

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 crayfish.

What works

Both are fine at 72–77°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: crayfish 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

	Crayfish	Bala shark
Temperature	65–77 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6.5–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	5.0 in	13.0 in
Minimum tank	20 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	Bottom	Middle
Group	One per tank	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for crayfish

All crayfish tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Questions

Can crayfish live with bala sharks?

Yes, with care. Crayfish 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 crayfish.

What temperature suits both crayfish and bala sharks?

72–77 °F. Crayfish need 65–77 °F, bala sharks need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do crayfish and bala sharks need together?

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