The Bala Shark

If there was a popularity contest for fish varieties among aquarists, the Bala Shark would most likely come out tops. Also known as the Silver Shark, the Bala Shark is a growing favorite among tropical fish hobbyists.

  • Description: This tropical fish isn't a shark at all though. It belongs in the Cyprinidae family. They are named sharks because of their appearance. The Bala Shark, also known as the Silver Shark, is originally from Indonesia and Southeast Asia. They are referred to as "sharks" because of their torpedo shaped body and their large fins.
  • Food: You wont have a hard time feeding your Bala Shark. Bala Sharks will eat most types of fish food including vitamin enriched flake foods, pellets, frozen, freeze dried and definitely live foods with the key being a varied diet. They sometimes make a clicking noise while eating.
  • Aquarium Care: The Bala Shark has grown in popularity within the fish community because of its versatility in any freshwater aquarium setting. The Bala Shark is a great community fish.However, they are not recommended for the beginner because of their large tank requirements. Bala Sharks also can become quite large. They have been known to grow up to 18 inches. The normal range is around 13 inches. Therefore, it is important to keep their adult size in mind. A Bala Shark should not be in an aquarium under 55 gallons.Bala Sharks are excellent jumpers. Have a hood on your aquarium to prevent your Silver Shark from leaping to its death. They are very fast swimmers and will dart around your aquarium very quickly. Be sure you don't have any sharp objects in your aquarium that could injure your fish. These fish require large tanks because of their potential adult size of 13 inches. They are mostly peaceful but may eat smaller fish such as neon tetras when they reach a large enough size. Among its attributes, the Bala Shark is an extremely hardy fish that is not very susceptible to Ich or other fish diseases, it gets along well with almost all other aquarium fish (they do not pick on smaller fish and because of their size and swiftness, they are not picked on), they are foragers and help keep algae under control, and they are ominvorous (eat meat and vegetables) and will eat just about anything.
  • Other Facts: Bala Sharks also have some unusual behaviors, making them distinctive. They are known to rest on the bottom or on a rock. Don't be surprised if you see them lounging around. They also have been known to make strange grunting or clicking sounds that you can hear.

    • Bala's do best in the following conditions; the water temperature should be around 75 to 80 degrees, pH 6.5 to 7.0, their favorite foods are worms, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, and in combination with flake food. They prefer to have a large tank with plants available to munch and do best when paired with another Bala Shark.