Bala shark tank mates

Good matches

18 of 98

The safest picks for bala sharks are bichirs, plecos and black ghost knives. Each match shares bala sharks' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Peaceful but grows over a foot. Will swallow small fish when big.

Temperature

72–82°F

pH

6.5–7.5

Temperament

Peaceful

Minimum tank

125 gal

With care

69

Avoid

11

Good tank mates

• Bichir72–82°F
• Common pleco72–82°F
• Black ghost knife73–82°F
• Oscar74–81°F
• Elephant nose fish73–82°F
• Rainbow shark72–80°F
• Red tail shark72–79°F
• Pictus catfish72–79°F
• Yoyo loach75–82°F
• Kissing gourami72–82°F
• Chinese algae eater74–80°F
• Koi72–77°F
• Clown loach77–82°F
• Tinfoil barb72–80°F
• Dojo loach72–77°F
• Severum74–82°F
• Blood parrot76–80°F
• Silver dollar75–82°F

Possible, with care

• Betta At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small betta. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Pea puffer At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Guppy At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small guppy. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Honey gourami At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small honey gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Sparkling gourami At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small sparkling gourami. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Blue gourami Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for blue gouramis.
• Corydoras At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small corydoras. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Mystery snail Large bala sharks crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Angelfish Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for angelfish.
• Kuhli loach Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for kuhli loaches.
• Bristlenose pleco Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for bristlenose plecos.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive, though bala sharks are big enough to shrug most of it off.
• Dwarf gourami A grown bala shark may treat small dwarf gouramis as food, especially at night.
• African dwarf frog At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small african dwarf frog. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Clown pleco Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for clown plecos.
• Tiger barb A grown bala shark may treat small tiger barbs as food, especially at night.
• Firemouth cichlid Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for firemouth cichlids.
• Bolivian ram A grown bala shark may treat small bolivian rams as food, especially at night.
• Otocinclus At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small otocinclus. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Paradise fish Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for paradise fish.
• Electric blue acara Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for electric blue acaras.
• Upside down catfish Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for upside down catfish.
• Endler's livebearer At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small endler's livebearer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Congo tetra A grown bala shark may treat small congo tetras as food, especially at night.
• Molly Water chemistry is a squeeze. The only pH that suits both is around 7.5.
• Crayfish Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for crayfish.
• Lemon tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small lemon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Pearl gourami Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for pearl gouramis.
• Zebra danio At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small zebra danio. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Cherry barb At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small cherry barb. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Zebra loach Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for zebra loaches.
• Kribensis Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for kribensis.
• Ramshorn snail Large bala sharks crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Hatchetfish At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small hatchetfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Panda cory At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small panda cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Apistogramma A grown bala shark may treat small apistogramma as food, especially at night.
• Neon tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small neon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Black skirt tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small black skirt tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Siamese algae eater Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for siamese algae eaters.
• Harlequin rasbora At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small harlequin rasbora. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Hillstream loach At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small hillstream loach. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Nerite snail Large bala sharks crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• African cichlid Different water: african cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6, bala sharks want pH 6.5–7.5.
• Celestial pearl danio At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small celestial pearl danio. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• GloFish tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small glofish tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Ember tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Black neon tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small black neon tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Odessa barb A grown bala shark may treat small odessa barbs as food, especially at night.
• Serpae tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small serpae tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Platy At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small platy. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small dwarf neon rainbowfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Pencilfish At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small pencilfish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Killifish At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small killifish. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Pygmy cory At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small pygmy cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Electric yellow cichlid Different water: bala sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, yellow labs want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Zebra pleco Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for zebra plecos.
• Glass catfish A grown bala shark may treat small glass catfish as food, especially at night.
• Assassin snail Large bala sharks crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Swordtail Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for swordtails.
• Glowlight tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small glowlight tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Rummy nose tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small rummy nose tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Chili rasbora At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small chili rasbora. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Rosy barb Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for rosy barbs.
• Boesemani rainbowfish Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for boesemani rainbowfish.
• German blue ram At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small german blue ram. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Cardinal tetra At 13 inches a bala shark can swallow a small cardinal tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Peacock cichlid Different water: bala sharks want pH 6.5–7.5, peacock cichlids want pH 7.8–8.6.
• Gold barb A grown bala shark may treat small gold barbs as food, especially at night.
• Discus They only share 82°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. No temperature suits both.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Cherry shrimp A bala shark is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
• Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and will bully peaceful bala sharks.
• Bamboo shrimp A bala shark is big enough to swallow adult bamboo shrimp.
• Ghost shrimp A bala shark is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
• Amano shrimp A bala shark is big enough to swallow adult amano shrimp.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 13 inches bala sharks do.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Flowerhorn Flowerhorns are aggressive and will bully peaceful bala sharks.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); bala sharks need 72–82°F. They meet only at 72°F, the edge of both ranges.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the bala shark care sheet.