What is a Bala Shark?

When you go to your local pet store, you may notice a tank in the fresh water fish section, that has a group of lively schooling fish with a resemblance to sharks. These fish may look like sharks but they are not sharks at all. The Bala Shark is a fish that got it's name from the shape of it's dorsal fin and it's close resemblance to a shark. They are actually peaceful schooling fish that do well in a community tank.

A Bala Shark is a very active fish that requires lots of open swimming space with a well covered tank because Bala Sharks will jump. The lively nature and over all attractiveness of this fresh water fish make it a welcome addition to any aquarium.

Not recommended as a starter fish, the Silver Shark is not very hardy and will not tolerate the high toxic level in a new tank. Best to wait 6 to 8 weeks and when the aquarium has been established with a working bio-filter, it is then safe to add a couple silver sharks to the aquarium. You can use NutraFin Cycle Biological Aquarium Supplement to establish a biological filter quickly in a new aquarium.

These fish are not the easiest fish to breed and it is very rare that they will spawn in an aquarium. If they are to spawn it would most likely be in a tank that is at least 75 gallons. Sexing the Bala Shark can be difficult to as the only real difference is that the female has a slightly fuller belly.

They are not picky eaters and will eat flakes, algae wafers and other live foods. I recommend TetraMin Tropical Crisps because it promotes bright colors and doesn't cloud the water as flake foods can. They are easy to keep and fun to watch. The bala shark is my choice for favorite aquarium fish.

    Related Information Sources: