Bala Shark (Balantiocheilus melanopterus) Care Guide
A large, active schooling fish with a silver body and black-edged fins resembling a shark silhouette. Despite its intimidating name, it is peaceful but grows to 35cm and needs a very large tank (300L+…
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Balantiocheilus melanopterus is a species in the family Cyprinidae. A large, active schooling fish with a silver body and black-edged fins resembling a shark silhouette. Despite its intimidating name, it is peaceful but grows to 35cm and needs a very large tank (300L+). A strong swimmer that can jump, requiring a tight-fitting lid.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Balantiocheilus
- Scientific name: Balantiocheilus melanopterus
- Other names: Silver Shark, Tricolor Shark
- Origin: Southeast Asia
Habitat
Balantiocheilus melanopterus is a large, fast-swimming cyprinid from rivers and lakes of Southeast Asia, now much reduced in the wild. A shoaling omnivore of open mid-water, it grows large and requires a long tank and group company.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 300 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C
- pH: 6-8
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Adult size: 25-35 cm
- Lifespan: 8-10 years
- Recommended group size: ≥ 5
- Difficulty: intermediate
Diet
Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: peaceful
- Position in tank: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Clown Loach, Tinfoil Barb, Giant Gourami, Oscar
- Avoid with: Small Fish, Shrimp, Slow Swimmers
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: egg-scatterer
- Breeding difficulty: advanced
Bala Shark Breeding Guide
Overview
Balantiocheilos melanopterus is a large, schooling cyprinid that is not bred in home aquaria. Seriously Fish states that as far as is known it has not been bred in aquaria, while it is farmed for the trade in large numbers via the use of hormones, so it is near certain that wild fish are unavailable in the trade and effectively all fish on sale originate from commercial breeding projects.
Sexing
Juveniles cannot be sexed reliably. When sexually mature, females develop noticeably thicker bodies than males. No other consistent external difference is documented.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
No aquarium spawning behaviour has been documented. The fish is an egg-scatterer by reproductive type, but on farms reproduction is achieved by hormone induction rather than by a recreated natural trigger, and no replicable hobbyist spawning method exists.
Common Challenges
The combination of very large adult size, a need for a sizeable group, and the absence of any documented home-aquarium spawning makes breeding impractical. Wild populations have declined severely across the native range, reinforcing that trade fish are farm-bred and that wild collection should not be relied upon.