Back to Bala Sharks

[Sanj]

Well,

I have done it, I have bought 3 two inch long little fellas after much researching and advice seeking.

The fact is, is that the information on the net about these fish is pretty poor as is what you get from the mouths of many a LFS.

Yes info on the net might mention they grow to 10" plus, but then they say minimum tank size like 55 US gallons...pretty crazy.

A few articles I have come across have suggested the minimum for fully grown adults (13-14") is a 100 UK (125US) gallon aquarium.

Mine just meets this and having sought advice from ruputable LFS in the UK they have advised that my aquarium should be ok, although larger is always better for these fish.

Thes fish live for quite along time and take a while to grow, the eventual community will be these three with Red line torpedos and Boesmani's and a few others (SAE and Loaches).


Can anyone else shed light on the their experiances with these fish, what tank size how big/ old are your fish etc?

 

[Storm]

I have two balas which I just moved to a 55 gallon tank. They were previously in a 30 gallon with their tankmates from day one...1 albino rainbow shark and 1 common pleco. I've had all of these guys for about 2 1/2 years. One of my balas is considerably larger...approximately 8 inches long. The smaller one is approximately 6 inches long. When I got them they were about 2 inches long. They are gorgeous fish and I have been very lucky...no trouble at all with illness.

 

[CFC]

My largest bala shark took around 30 months to grow to a little under 12 inches and i had 4 others which grew to between 8 and 10 inches in the same time frame, i believe the smaller fish were males which are thought to remain smaller than females. The smallest size tank i recomend for these fish is 75 US gallons which has the same foot print as a 90 US gallon tank (48x20") though a longer tank is prefferable.

With large bala's watch the oxygen levels carefully, the bigger fish have very high oxygen requirements and will keel over and die in a very short time if the oxygen levels drop, i lost all 5 of mine when the powerhead to the juwel filter failed and the surface was not being aggitated during the heatwave last year, i was on holiday at the time so wasnt even able to see the warning signs


more information on bala sharks here http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=54527

 

[Sanj]

Hey thanks for replies,


CFC, are you going to get some more Balas? Was it a juwel internal filter in your aquarium?

 

[Cavafish]

Eek! I will watch my powerhead more carefully and get a spare in I think.

I find the balas are great if nervous fish. I really want to get another decent sized tank so as to get these guys out of the sometime hectic environment they are in. I take it you are going to use the Juwel Rio 400 for them? It is the tank I have and I believe they will be fine in there.

Best of luck with them

 

[Sanj]

Lo Cavafish,

yup its the Juwel 400... you have one too !!

Funny thing i used think it was a massive aqaurium, but now it doesnt seem so big lol

I am hoping they will buddy up with the Torpedos, they get on ok but you still see them seperating a bit and tend to keep to their own as do the torpedos, occasionally mixing.

I am going to get more torpedos hope, the balas will feel calmer with having similar shaped fish around.

 

[CFC]

Hey thanks for replies,


CFC, are you going to get some more Balas? Was it a juwel internal filter in your aquarium?

Unfortunately i wont be getting any more bala sharks in the visable future, the only freshwater tank i have which is large enough to house them already houses a lot of large predatory fish that would eat any new smaller fish i added, the next freshwater tank down from that which i currently have set up is just 36x18x18" which isnt even big enough to grow them out to the 6 inches they would need to be to be safe.

The filter was a juwel filter, i had a additional eheim on the tank too but the juwel powerhead was what aggitated the waters surface and made gas exchange take place, without it all the fish which couldnt breathe atmospheric air sufficated.