Bala Sharks

[Jovian]

I'm new here...and fairly new to fish keeping.  I have two swordtails now...I had three..but charlie died about a week ago.  But anyways.  I love the way Bala Sharks look, and act, but I'm still iffy on specifics with them.  How big of a tank should I have for them.  I know they are a schooling fish but, If I kept just one... would he be happy?  Basically.  Tell me everything that I would need to know about them.  Thanks in advance!

~Jovian~

 

[SoulFish]

very large tank they can grow to be a foot long and like to swim around alot and be in schools id say 120g+

 

[Pooky125]

Bala sharks are one of my absolute favorite fish, but, due to there size, I choose to leave them in the store. They get up to 12-18", and while they are quite docile, there also quite active. You could MAYBE raise 3 juvies in a 55 gallon, but, it could not be a permanent home for them. I'd say minimum of a 6 ft tank, if not more. There great community fish, and its truely a site to behold when you get a dozen or so schooling together in a huge tank like that... Balas, silver dollars, and tiger barbs would make a great community tank.

 

[Vyache]

I've got 3 six inch bala sharks and seven 3 inch ones. They have grown fast. I have them in a 135 gallon aquarium with eleven clown loaches, 3 dwarf gouramis, 4 cory cats and some others. I was doing a major remodeling job on one of my other tanks and threw three neons in the big tank. I was amazed, the bala sharks didn't even chase them! They are definitely a cool fish. Personally I like clown loaches the most but I get the most positive comments on the bala sharks. To me they just kind of look like bait. My wife insisted that we get some and it was a great choice. I do fear that they will someday outgrow even the 135 gallon tank that they are in however.

 

[Jovian]

Supposing I get a tank somewhere around 30ish gallons.  I want to get some clown loaches.  How many should I get, and what other kinds of fish should I get to go with them.  Thanks for all the feedback!

~Jovian~

 

[Vyache]

Clown loaches like their own for company so I'd say 3 to 4 small ones. They are usually available in the 1.5 to 3 inch range. Remember that they can grow up to 12 inches and live to be 20 years old. They rarely grow larger than 6 inches in most aquariums, although mine seen to be growing pretty fast because I'm feeding them a lot of live food and doing frequent water changes. They are very peacful fish and will get along with just about any others. In a 30 gallon tank I'd say keep the fish small. I'm envisioning five cardinal tetras or harlequin rasboras and a pair of dwarf gouramis. Three or four congo tetras might be an alternative. If you would like some top water fish zebra danios or marbled hatchet fish would be nice. Hmmm. I think I need another tank...

 

[lizwinz]

i like balas too but like pooky i have to leave them in the store  

so i got a redtail shark instead, he'll only get like 5" and you can only keep one to a tank anyway so it works for me, pretty neat fish, behaving himself so far

balas are cool tho wish i had room for a big enough tank, i barely squeezed in the 35gal and 55gal that i have

--liz

 

[Matt Nace]

[quote author=Vyache link=board=freshwatergeneral&num=1033691134&start=0#3 date=10/03/02 at 18:10:11]
I was doing a major remodeling job on one of my other tanks and threw three neons in the big tank. I was amazed, the bala sharks didn't even chase them![/quote]

The 1 inch neon would bully those balas. They are such wimps! ;D

 

[Jovian]

Thanks guys!  How would a redtail shark do with a few clown loaches?  Do they get along?  Thanks again for everything, you guys are great!

~Jovian~

 

[Vyache]

Redtail sharks and clown loaches get along just fine, and I agree redtail sharks are darn cool. I actually have three of them in my 135 gallon tank. Its big enough that they each have territory to defend. They chase each other around a lot but never hurt each other. I think these little rivalries actually add to the tank. One of the cool things about red tails is that they can swim upsidedown almost as comfortably as right side up. they can do some cool acrobatics when searching for food on plant leaves. One of my redtails lives in an obsidian cave, another in a large plastic amazon sword and the other between some roots of a piece of driftwood. When I feed them they are usually more interested in the food than chasing each other, so they all get plenty to eat. I would recomend only having one in a 30 gallon tank. I once tried the large territory thing with bettas. I put two males in a 240 gallon tank at my fathers house. I then watched them for about half an hour and they stayed to their own sides of the aquarium. Then the phone rang and I left them alone for a while. When I came back there were shredded fins all over the place and I had to scoop them out to save them from each other. Sheesh, can't we all just get along?

 

[Troy-N-Eli]

We have a 55G community tank w/ 1 bala shark and a bunch of other fish.  We found that he does very well on his own because we have a mirrored background, making him think that there's always another one around w/ him.

Yes, balas are docile, but we learned something the hard way.  Our kribbies finally had another brood recently, we were anxious to try to raise another batch and do it successfully this time.  "Sharky" had other plans...can you say SLURP?  No more kribbies, except Mom and Dad.  GRRRRR!  >  Anyhoo, like others have said, make sure you have plenty of room for a bala before you decide to get one.  They are easy to feed and lots of fun.  Also, too, check the top of your tank for openings...you'd hate to see them jump out of the tank, which they can easily do.

 

[Jovian]

Thanks again.  I'm prolly going with a 30ish gallon tank, I'm going to get a few clown loaches, and a red-tailed black shark.  What else... I don't know yet.  I wont be buying the tank for prolly 2 more weeks...so I still have a while to think about it.  I bought some decorations for it today though.  I got these roman ruin things... they look pretty cool... My tank is going to rock my socks off when it's all done.  Thanks for all the help.

~Jovian~

 

[Vyache]

I usually prefer natural looking tank but have to admit, I saw a pretty cool castle the other day. It had little openings in the doors and I thought it would be cool to get a bunch of khuli loaches to live in it.

 

[Jovian]

my little three gallon that I have now is very natural looking... I have plants that cover the back of it, tan-ish colored gravel. and a rock ledge thing for them to hide in.  I have two swordtails in it now.  A pinapple swordtail, and a red one...i think hes a red one.  Ive had him for awhile, and I dont remember what he is. But yeah.  The roman ruin things that I got are really cool.  When it's all done, and if I get my scanner hooked up, Ill get some pictures online for ya guys.

~Jovian~