Can honey gouramis live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Honey gourami72–82°F · pH 6–7.5

Bala shark72–82°F · pH 6.5–7.5

What to watch

Watch outAt 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small honey gourami. 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 honey gouramis.

What works

Both are fine at 72–82°F.
pH 6.5–7.5 suits both.
They use different parts of the tank: honey gouramis the top, 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

	Honey gourami	Bala shark
Temperature	72–82 °F	72–82 °F
pH	6–7.5	6.5–7.5
Adult size	2.0 in	13.0 in
Minimum tank	10 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Peaceful	Peaceful
Swims at	Top	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Omnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for honey gouramis

All honey gourami tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Questions

Can honey gouramis live with bala sharks?

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

What temperature suits both honey gouramis and bala sharks?

72–82 °F. Honey gouramis need 72–82 °F, bala sharks need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do honey gouramis and bala sharks need together?

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