Do Rainbow Sharks And Balla Sharks Mix

[Robris]

Im adding a Rainbow shark to my African Cichlid tank.

 

[sellwoc]

Im adding a Rainbow shark to my African Cichlid tank.

I have just returned my rainbow shark, granted fully grown, becauce when he was moved into his new home ( a 350 litre tank) with 3 balas he attacked them all non stop. I have heard of them being kept together but would suggest the balas are a good bit bigger than the rainbow, but in my case it didn't seem to matter! The rainbow had killed guppies, neons and had a go at some fully grown albino cory's in his previous home. Maybe he just liked sushi!
He had some cave, bogwood etc. and he did calm down some, as was suggested to me, so give him some spaces to lurk. Lovely looking fish but a bit too terratorial and aggressive for my community tank. Hope this helps.

 

[Robris]

Yeah the Rainbow shark is def to aggresive for guppys, tetras etc. They are more aggressive than community fish but are nowhere near as bad as cichlids. Im going to buy a medium sized Rainbow shark and put him with my juvenile africans, that way he is bigger than them. Then after a year or more they have grown together to get along

 

[Elyse1]

WELL DO THEY MAKE GOOD AQUARIUM BUDDIES OR NOT OR DO THEY NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO EACH OTHER.

ANY HELP APPRECIATED.

In my aquarium I have 2 mollies, 2 big angelfish, 1 golden shark (albino rainbow shark), 2 rainbow sharks, 1 Bala shark and I did have 50 guppies which are slowly being eaten and now have 3 left. The Bala and the rainbow sharks seem to get along as tank mates

 

[GaryE]

No Bala shark ahould be kept in a tank less than 12 feet across the front, and only then with suitable tech. If you buy them for a smaller tank, you have to be aware you are going to slowly (or maybe quickly) kill them. They are racers - fish that run against the current for kilometres at a time. Their beauty is a curse that causes them to live in miserable conditions with room to swim in moving water.

NONE OF THESE FISH ARE REALLY SHARKS, AND THE NAME IS MARKETING FOR GULLIBLE PEOPLE. They looks sort of sharklike so people think they're getting something cool, I mean, a mouse looks a bit like a grizzly bear if you squint.

 

[Ichthys]

WELL DO THEY MAKE GOOD AQUARIUM BUDDIES OR NOT OR DO THEY NOT DRAW ATTENTION TO EACH OTHER.

ANY HELP APPRECIATED.

Of course not. Balas grow over a foot long and need to be kept in a group in a huge tank with a fast current. They’re very powerful open water swimmers. There aren’t many hobbyists’ tanks big enough for them. Rainbows are small loners that like a little territory near the ground, and would get washed away in a Bala tank.
You only need to research these fish very briefly to find your answer.

 

[AJ356]

This thread is 16yrs old and still going strong. The first time i saw Bala Sharks was over a curry in the local Indian restaurant. It was the opposite of relaxing viewing. The fish seemed twitchy and nervous. Obviously we know why. I think the tank I saw them in was 3 foot.