Bala Shark – 5cm (Balantiocheilus melanopterus)

The Bala Shark, also known as the Silver Shark or Silver Bala (Balantiocheilus melanopterus) is great for the semi-aggressive community aquarium.  It’s a relatively large freshwater fish found in fast flowing rivers across Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sumatra and Kalimantan and is one of the more passive freshwater sharks.  They are a beautiful fish with a metallic silver body with a yellow and black dorsal and caudal fin and are active and visible during the day.  The only thing it has in common with a shark is its name which it gets because of the high dorsal fin and body type which looks like the dorsal fin of a shark.

Behavior

They are shoaling fish in the wild. So it is recommended that you keep at least 4 (ideally 6) together to give them some comfort.  Because of their size, they can be a bit greedy with food, so this is something to look out for if you are planning on keeping them together with small fish. Despite being quite active, they sometimes prefer to hide in plants and roots. They are a peaceful fish and will rarely cause trouble.  They are timid and easily scared, especially during the first few weeks in a tank. But don’t let that fool you; they are still active during most of the hours.

Tank Conditions

Balas require a large aquarium with driftwood, rocks, and spots of dense vegetation. This shark does best in small groups of 3 or more, as they prefer to school in the aquarium. As this fish enjoys fast flowing rivers, having a good filtration system in place is a must. The filter should be chosen depending on the tank size, however a powerful external one is highly recommended.  Even though Bala are considered peaceful, they are still very active fish. Place a lid on top of your tank to stop them from jumping out. It is especially recommended to have a lid on during their settling in period for the first few weeks.

They should be in a well lit tank which can be achieved by using a simple freshwater aquarium lamp. Leave it on for at least 8-9 hours a day..

The ideal thickness of the substrate would be around 1 cm, the closest thing to their natural environment would be dark colored pebbles of different sizes.  Because they are so active, having a lot of space for them to swim around is crucial, so having a lot of rocks and roots isn’t necessary.  If you do want to include plants, Anubias is an ideal choice, and you can plant them around the edges so it doesn’t disrupt the middle section where they will be swimming.

Start off with at least 170 litre tank, but continue to increase the volume as they grow.  The aquarium should be large and long, as they are active swimmers. An ideal tank for adults would be at least 550 litres and 1.5m in length.  Because of their large size and shoaling, you will need at least 170 litres per fish.

Compatibility  

They are relatively peaceful fish and can be kept together with other peaceful large fish.  They are quite tolerant towards other small fish as long as they’re not small enough for him to swallow it. They can be kept with other Bala Sharks, Corydoras, Rainbowfish, Gourami, Rasbora, Char (Salvelinus), Tetra, Minor Tetra would make good tank mates.  When choosing tank mates for this fish, the most important things to keep in mind are size and temperament. Other large Cyprinids are also good tank mate choices, but start off by placing only Bala Sharks together and begin diversifying your tank after they’ve settled in.  It is recommended that you keep at least 4 of them together as this will significantly decrease aggressive behavior.

Do not add any carnivorous species such as large cichlids or small species such as neon tetras.  You also shouldn’t breed any fish in your community tank if you’re keeping Balas in there; they’ll most likely eat the fry.

Having other non-fish inhabitants such as shrimps is not recommended either as they are likely to be eaten. They will most likely be aggressive towards smaller shrimp, so it’s better to keep them separate.

Feeding  

An omnivore, the Bala Shark is not a particularly finicky eater. Flake food, freeze-dried bloodworms and tubifex, as well as vegetable-based foods should be fed.  Their natural diet consists of insects, small crustaceans, larvae, algae and plant parts. In the aquarium they happily feed on any type of food, both live and dried.  Due to their size, they also need lots of protein. This can be given by adding shrimp or other protein rich food. Their ideal feeding pattern is 2 or 3 times a day using small portions (they should take approx 2-2.5 minutes to finish).

Care 

They are not particularly vulnerable to any one disease but are sensitive to water parameters; another reason to keep the water in the aquarium nice and clean.  Bala are sensitive to water they’re in so regular partial water changes are needed. Good filtration is also a must. During their settling in period, they can be especially sensitive, so it’s better not to disturb them during the first month.

To create the most comfortable environment for the fish and make sure it stays healthy, 25% to 30% of water should be renewed weekly.

This is a strong fish and with correct care can live up to 10 years in a tank.

See Fish Disease Diagnosis and Treatment at Rebel Pets for help with diagnosing and treating diseases.