Is The Bala Shark The Best?
Top Reasons The Bala Shark is the Best Freshwater Shark
- Very peaceful and good community fish.
- Most shark like of the freshwater sharks
- Easy to look after if your tank is big enough
- If you have the space it get to be up to 14 inches long
- Does not shy away from visitors
What is a Bala Shark?
Bala Sharks are capable of growing up to 14 inches in length which is too big for most small home aquariums. Full grown Bala Sharks should be kept in aquariums of no smaller than 75 gallons in size and really should be given a tank of over 100 gallons in size.
Bala Sharks a shoaling fish ad prefers to live in groups. Because of the size that these freshwater sharks can grow to, keeping a shoal of them is next to impossible. The biggest mistake people make when buying Bala Sharks is not knowing how quickly they can grow and out grow the tank they are being kept in.
Learn More About Bala Sharks

Bala Shark
Up to 14" Long
Even though bala sharks are small when sold at local pet stores remember they grow to be very big and grow fast. Never buy a bala shark for small tanks. Plan right from the start to give them enough space to grow. Keep them in a tank of 75 gallons in size or larger.
Links About Freshwater Aquarium Sharks
- Bala Shark
- All about Bala Sharks and why this aquarium fish is so popular.
- Rainbow Shark
- All about keeping and breeding rainbow sharks. Also called Red-Finned or Ruby Sharks.
- Red-Tailed Black Shark
- Red-Tailed Black Shark profile from bala shark bay an online aquarium fish community.
- ID Shark Or Pangasius Sutchi
- ID Shark profile from bala shark bay an online aquarium fish community.
Katys Tropical Fish
Katys Tropical Fish - A Complete Guide: Learn The Secrets To Setting Up And Maintaining A Professional Looking Aquarium!
What is the Best Freshwater Aquarium Shark?
Great Book on Freshwater Aqurium Fish Including Bala Sharks
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Rainbow Sharks
Rainbow sharks or ruby sharks are smaller freshwater aquarium sharks that grow to be up to 6 inches in size. They are hardy and can live in a wide range of water conditions. They prefer to have the water temperature between 72 and 79 Fahrenheit with the pH between 6.8 and 7.5.Rainbow sharks are territorial and show some aggressiveness. They may chase other fish of similar size and shape. They do not mix with other rainbow sharks and unless plenty of space is given, only one should be kept in an aquarium.
An albino rainbow shark is a popular color variety available in the aquarium fish keeping hobby.
Red-Tailed Black Sharks
Red-tailed black sharks are another smaller freshwater aquarium shark that also grow to be close to 6 inches in size. They are also hardy like the rainbow shark. They prefer to have the water temperature between 72 and 79 Fahrenheit with the pH between 6.8 and 7.5.Red-tailed black sharks get their name from their coloration. They have a completely black body with a red tail. They are not shy at all, but are very active and are territorial. They may chase other fish of similar size and shape. Red-tailed black sharks should only be kept as an single shark because they will fight with other red-tailed black sharks.
Iridescent Sharks
The iridescent shark or Siamese shark is another freshwater aquarium fish that has a shark-like resemblance. They are not sharks but are actually catfish. Iridescent sharks usually grow to be around 8 inches in an aquarium but can grow to be much larger. In the wild they have been recorded to be as large as 39 inches.Iridescent sharks like to live in shoals when young but become loners as they get older. They are very active and require a spacious aquarium. They prefer to have the water temperature between 72 and 79 Fahrenheit with the pH of about 7.0. They are peaceful but will eat smaller fish that are small enough to swallow.
Is The Bala Shark The Best?
Is the bala shark the best feshwater aquarium shark?
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byYes, thay are cool!
kimberobby says:
What a great lens, A FIVE STAR! Very interesting! Keep up the good work!
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Posted May 11, 2008
DrL1 says:
I have to agree that bala sharks are very cool freshwater aquarium sharks.
Posted May 10, 2008
WebGazelle says:
Bala Sharks are the best if you have a big enough aquarium. A full grown Bala Shark needs at least a 75 gallon aquarium.
Posted May 05, 2008
No way, they suck!
Great Books on Amazon
500 Freshwater Aquarium Fish: A Visual Reference to the Most Popular Species
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Complete Encyclopedia of the Freshwater Aquarium
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The Complete Book of the Freshwater Aquarium: A Comprehensive Reference Guide to More Than 600 Freshwater Fish and Plants
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Freshwater Aquarium Models: Recipes for Creating Beautiful Aquariums That Thrive
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Get Answers to Your Questions ABout Bala Sharks
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- aj2008 aj2008 Jul 27, 2009 @ 4:50 am
- Very informative lens - the red-tailed shark is my fav though!
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- praise praise Jul 23, 2009 @ 6:12 pm
- I have a rainbow shark, he is old, about 8 years and 6 inches long. He is a pretty good boy. A bit boisterous though:) 5*
Debra
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- sharpturn sharpturn May 13, 2009 @ 5:11 pm
- A very interesting lens, I have learnt a few things.
Thanks.
Andy
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- CoolFoto CoolFoto Dec 13, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
- Welcome to Tropical Fish group www.squidoo.com/groups/tropicalfish . 5*.
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- inkserotica inkserotica Aug 22, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
- Love sharks! All sharks are cool :) Will definitely add your lens to my favourites.
P.S. Carrie has invited you to join The Ever Project Group on Squidoo.
To find out what this is all about, just click this link:
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- youhavegottobekidding youhavegottobekidding Aug 7, 2008 @ 11:32 pm
- I've seen a lot of these Bala sharks but I didn't know that they could really grow that big.
5 stars for your very Informative Lens.
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- ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Jul 25, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
- Great lens! The Bala Shark is an interesting creature.
Lizzy
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- alicesy alicesy Jun 26, 2008 @ 9:28 pm
- Excellent Lens. I like the quality insight you have provided here about Is The Bala Shark: The Best Freshwater Shark Ever. Keep up the good work.
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Is The Bala Shark: The Best Freshwater Shark Ever
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- May 23, 2008 @ 8:02 am
- Great lens, very informative, I really appreciate your effort.
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- plecostomus plecostomus May 20, 2008 @ 10:55 pm
- I used to have a 10" bala shark-- it was amazing to watch, though a little jumpy. I moved it to a relative's (larger) tank, but this is a wonderful lens about a wonderful fish. I really enjoy P. denisoni (roseline shark) as a replacement for my smaller freshwater tank too.
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More on Bala Sharks
The Bala shark, Balantiocheilos melanopterus, also known as the tricolor shark, silver shark, or shark minnow, is a fish species of the family Cyprinidae, and has long been considered the sole member of the genus Balantiocheilos. This species is not a true shark, but is commonly called a "shark" because of its torpedo-shaped body and large fins.
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