Tank mates for bala sharks

We checked bala sharks against all 149 other species in our database for water temperature, pH, size, fin nipping, predation and aggression.

Good tank mates for bala sharks include nerite snail, dwarf gourami, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras, angelfish and tiger barb. Avoid cherry shrimp, guppy and neon tetra: bala shark eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.

Bala sharks: 22–28°C (72–82°F), pH 6.5–8, adult size 30 cm (11.8 in), minimum tank 230 gallons (871 L). Full bala shark care guide.

Check a full stocking plan

Good Compatible tank mates (57)

Shared water conditions and no known conflict. Still add fish slowly and watch them.

Caution Possible, with care (34)

These can work in the right setup, but there is a real risk. Read the reason first.

  • Betta fish · 5+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat bettas, especially young or small ones.
  • Common goldfish · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–22°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Fancy goldfish · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Oscar · 75+ gal
    • Oscar defends its patch of the tank and may chase bala sharks, which use the same area.
  • Amano shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Bala shark hunts shrimp. Larger amano shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black skirt tetra · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat black skirt tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Blood parrot cichlid · 55+ gal
    • Blood parrot cichlid defends its patch of the tank and may chase bala sharks, which use the same area.
  • Discus · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 28–28°C).
  • Dojo loach · 75+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 22–23°C).
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Dwarf neon rainbowfish · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat dwarf neon rainbowfish, especially young or small ones.
  • German blue ram · 20+ gal
    • Their temperature ranges barely overlap (only around 27–28°C).
    • Bala shark may eat German blue rams, especially young or small ones.
  • Ghost shrimp · 10+ gal
    • Bala shark hunts shrimp. Larger ghost shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Hillstream loach · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Bala shark may eat hillstream loaches, especially young or small ones.
  • Julii corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat julii corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Peppered corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat peppered corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Platy · 15+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat platies, especially young or small ones.
  • Rosy barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Sterbai corydoras · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat sterbai corydoras, especially young or small ones.
  • Bamboo shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark hunts shrimp. Larger bamboo shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Bleeding heart tetra · 29+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat bleeding heart tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Diamond tetra · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat diamond tetras, especially young or small ones.
  • Dwarf chain loach · 29+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat dwarf chain loaches, especially young or small ones.
  • Dwarf orange crayfish · 10+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
    • Bala shark may attack small crustaceans like dwarf orange crayfish, especially after they molt.
  • Gardneri killifish · 10+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat gardneri killifish, especially young or small ones.
  • Gold barb · 29+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Odessa barb · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat odessa barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Paradise fish · 20+ gal
    • One is a cold-water species and the other is tropical, so neither will be at its best.
  • Peacock gudgeon · 15+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat peacock gudgeons, especially young or small ones.
  • Severum · 55+ gal
    • Severum defends its patch of the tank and may chase bala sharks, which use the same area.
  • Thai micro crab · 5+ gal
    • Bala shark may attack small crustaceans like Thai micro crabs, especially after they molt.
  • Vampire shrimp · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark hunts shrimp. Larger vampire shrimp sometimes survive, but expect losses.
  • Black ruby barb · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat black ruby barbs, especially young or small ones.
  • Pearl danio · 20+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat pearl danios, especially young or small ones.
  • Variatus platy · 15+ gal
    • Bala shark may eat variatus platies, especially young or small ones.

Avoid Bad tank mates (58)

  • Cherry shrimp: Bala shark eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
  • Guppy: Bala shark can eat guppies: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Neon tetra: Bala shark can eat neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Panda corydoras: Bala shark can eat panda corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Zebra danio: Bala shark can eat zebra danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • African dwarf frog: Bala shark can eat African dwarf frogs.
  • Cardinal tetra: Bala shark can eat cardinal tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Celestial pearl danio: Bala shark can eat celestial pearl danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Cherry barb: Bala shark can eat cherry barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chili rasbora: Bala shark can eat chili rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks.
  • Convict cichlid: Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks.
  • Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bala sharks don't belong in that setup.
  • Ember tetra: Bala shark can eat ember tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Glowlight tetra: Bala shark can eat glowlight tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Harlequin rasbora: Bala shark can eat harlequin rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Honey gourami: Bala shark can eat honey gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Jack Dempsey: Jack Dempsey is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks.
  • Otocinclus: Bala shark can eat otocinclus: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Pea puffer: Bala shark can eat pea puffers: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Pea puffer is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks. Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
  • Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bala sharks don't belong in that setup.
  • Pygmy corydoras: Bala shark can eat pygmy corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks. Red zebra cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bala sharks don't belong in that setup.
  • Rummy-nose tetra: Bala shark can eat rummy-nose tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • White cloud mountain minnow: Bala shark can eat white cloud mountain minnows: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • X-ray tetra: Bala shark can eat x-ray tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black neon tetra: Bala shark can eat black neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Black phantom tetra: Bala shark can eat black phantom tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Bloodfin tetra: Bala shark can eat bloodfin tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Clown killifish: Bala shark can eat clown killifish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Crystal red shrimp: Bala shark eats small shrimp like crystal red shrimp.
  • Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks. Demasoni cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bala sharks don't belong in that setup.
  • Emperor tetra: Bala shark can eat emperor tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Endler's livebearer: Bala shark can eat Endler's livebearers: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Forktail blue-eye: Bala shark can eat forktail blue-eyes: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Frontosa: Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bala sharks don't belong in that setup.
  • Green terror: Green terror is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks.
  • Head and tail light tetra: Bala shark can eat head and tail light tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlid is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful bala sharks.
  • Kubotai rasbora: Bala shark can eat kubotai rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Lambchop rasbora: Bala shark can eat lambchop rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Lemon tetra: Bala shark can eat lemon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Marbled hatchetfish: Bala shark can eat marbled hatchetfish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Penguin tetra: Bala shark can eat penguin tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Rosy loach: Bala shark can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Rosy tetra: Bala shark can eat rosy tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Scarlet badis: Bala shark can eat scarlet badis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Serpae tetra: Bala shark can eat serpae tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Shell dweller cichlid: Bala shark can eat shell dweller cichlids: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown. Shell dweller cichlid is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bala sharks don't belong in that setup.
  • Sparkling gourami: Bala shark can eat sparkling gouramis: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Threadfin rainbowfish: Bala shark can eat threadfin rainbowfish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Checkerboard barb: Bala shark can eat checkerboard barbs: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Dwarf rasbora: Bala shark can eat dwarf rasboras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Flame tetra: Bala shark can eat flame tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Glowlight danio: Bala shark can eat glowlight danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Green neon tetra: Bala shark can eat green neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Least killifish: Bala shark can eat least killifish: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
  • Silvertip tetra: Bala shark can eat silvertip tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Frequently asked questions

What fish can live with bala sharks?

Good tank mates for bala sharks include nerite snail, dwarf gourami, bristlenose pleco, bronze corydoras, angelfish and tiger barb. They need similar water and won't fight with or eat bala sharks.

Can bala sharks live with angelfish?

Yes. They share similar water needs (24–28°C (75–82°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can bala sharks live with bettas?

Sometimes, with care. Bala shark may eat bettas, especially young or small ones.

Can bala sharks live with bristlenose plecos?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

Can bala sharks live with bronze corydoras?

Yes. They share similar water needs (22–26°C (72–79°F)) and peaceful temperaments.

How we decide: we compare each pair's comfortable temperature, pH and hardness ranges, adult sizes, mouth size (who can eat whom), fin nipping, aggression and territory. Read the full method. Data last reviewed 2026-10-13.