Can pea puffers live with bala sharks?

Verdict

Yes, with care

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

Pea puffer74–82°F · pH 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 pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
Watch outPea puffers 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 pea puffers.

What works

Both are fine at 74–82°F.
pH 7–7.5 suits both.

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

	Pea puffer	Bala shark
Temperature	74–82 °F	72–82 °F
pH	7–8	6.5–7.5
Adult size	1.0 in	13.0 in
Minimum tank	5 gal	125 gal
Temperament	Aggressive	Peaceful
Swims at	All levels	Middle
Group	Alone or in pairs	Groups of 4+
Diet	Carnivore	Omnivore

Better tank mates for pea puffers

CrayfishYes

All pea puffer tank mates

Better tank mates for bala sharks

All bala shark tank mates

Questions

Can pea puffers live with bala sharks?

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

What temperature suits both pea puffers and bala sharks?

74–82 °F. Pea puffers need 74–82 °F, bala sharks need 72–82 °F.

What size tank do pea puffers and bala sharks need together?

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