good compatible fish for bala shark

[bball4life]

Im gonna have alot of room in my tank the only fish that i will have in there is a bala shark does anyone know any good or really nice fish that are good with balas?

 

[Mr Miagi]

There arre many suitable tank mates. Juist an\bout all fish, with the exeption of a few of course. Its hard to say "these fish and this fish" because there are sooo many out there for sale.

But i would avoid excevily small fish and guppies. They arnt aggresive, but will occasionally eat small fish.

Also, balas prefer their own company, so if you tank is suitably large enough, get two more.

But what are your tank specs?

 

[aitchy21]

if your tank is big enough 3 or more clown loaches, this is what i got 2 balas and 3 clowns in a 4 ft tank,the clowns r still young and r full of personality they huddle up together when they sleep in a hole in my bogwood its so cute and sometimes have petty squables with each other and r active all the time and i read they can live 10years plus.

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

bala sharks like to be in groups of 3 or 4 so id get another few of them around the same size as the one you already have

what are your tank specs?

 

[Matchu]

Try and get slow moving fish, as balas are very easily scared.

 

[Iron Man]

Tiger barbs are excellent tankmates for balas (I've read) but I would get more 3 balas before I would get anything else. You need at least a 4 ft long 55 gallon tank for balas to have enough room to swim and grow...and thats pushing it...though its doable.

 

[andywg]

I would never recommend balas in less than 6 feet of tank. Even then they only get a couple of good spurts before having to stop. And these fish love to swim. Now that 3 of mine are similar in size they spend half their time chasing one another from end to end in play, something they just couldn't do in a 4 ft. Remember this fish can easily reach 14" and needs to be in a group of at least 3, preferably more.

However, if you have the room then clown Loaches make good tank mates. A rare fish is the Pink tailed Chalceus (Chalceus macrolepidotus). Another 10" fish that are as timid as balas so tend not to spook them.

If you want to go further down the tank then a number of catfish fit the bill from larger cories to the larger pimeloids. Basically any fish that isn't overly aggressive, small enough to fit in the bala's mouth, or predatory of large fish should be fine with balas.

HIH

Andy