Bala Sharks Facts:

Scientific Name : Balantiocheilus melanopterus

Diet

A well-balanced Bala Shark diet consists of:

• Food may be flaked, pellet, frozen or live.
• Avoid exclusive food which is not nutritionally complete.

Feeding

Things to remember when feeding your Bala Shark:

• Feed small amounts 1-3 times daily, no more than fish will eat in 3-5 minutes.
• Thaw frozen foods if you choose to feed frozen.

Housing

• Keep in an appropriate size aquarium; provide plants for hiding, various species may prefer sparse or thick vegetation.
• Stable water quality, water temperature, and pH levels are critical to the health of the aquatic life. If you are unsure of your water quality or pH levels, Home Aquatics offers water testing.

Characteristics

• During spawning, the females are noticeably thicker-bodied than males, but it is impossible to accurately sex young fish.
  

Habitat Maintenance

Daily: Check filter, water temperature and other equipment.
Weekly: Check water quality at least once a week.
Monthly: Change 10-25% of the total volume of water every 2-4 weeks, or as needed.
Introduce new inhabitants to the aquarium gradually.

Compatibility

Danio are compatible with most peaceful species of fish, however tankmates should be large enough to not fit in the Bala Shark's mouth. Bala Sharks like to be kept in groups of 3-5 of the same species. 

Health

Signs of a Healthy Fish

• Clear eyes
• Healthy appetite
• Bright, even coloring
• Clean in appearance

Avoid overcrowded conditions; they are a major cause of stress and disease. Maintain good water quality with regular water changes and adequate filtration.

Red Flags

• loss of color or appetite
• spots or fungus on body or mouth
• erratic swimming
• frayed fins

Common Health Issues

The Bala Shark is not really a shark at all. Though it looks imposing, especially since it can get quite large, it is not aggressive. This good community fish will not prey upon smaller fish as long as the tankmates are too large to fit in its mouth. It will get along with its own kind and most other species.

Bala Sharks are big, active, shoaling fish that will spend time in all regions of the tank, particularly in open water. It is best to set up a suitable environment before purchasing this species. For juveniles, start with a tank that is at least 30 inches long and no less than thirty gallons in capacity, but bear in mind that a much larger tank will be needed. Because they are very active swimmers, it is advisable to keep adults in a tank that is at least 72 inches long and ideally 150 or more gallons.

This fish is very hardy and does fine under normal water conditions as long as regular maintenance is preformed. They are extremely easy to feed and will take a wide variety of foods. They will overeat, so take care not to overfeed. The biggest issue with keeping this fish is its potential size. They get very large, and though they grow slowly, upgrading the size of the tank will be necessary as this fish matures.