Can rams live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

German blue ram80–86°F · pH 5–7

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small german blue ram. 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 rams.

What works

Both are fine at 80–82°F.
pH 6.5–7 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: rams 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

	German blue ram	Bala shark
Temperature	80–86 °F	72–82 °F
pH	5–7	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	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for rams

All german blue ram tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks