Bala shark
A large, peaceful cyprinid often mistaken for a shark.
The bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus), also known as the tricolor shark, tricolor sharkminnow, silver shark, or silver sharkminnow, is a fish of the family Cyprinidae and one of the two species in the genus Balantiocheilos. Despite its common name, it is not a true shark but is referred to as one due to its torpedo-shaped body and large fins. It is notable for being a popular aquarium fish that grows too large for most home tanks, and is listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN Red List.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The bala shark occurs in the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Previous records further north in the Mekong and Chao Phraya River are due to confusion with the recently described and possibly extinct B. ambusticauda, though the presence of any Balantiocheilos in the Mekong is questionable. These fish have a silver body with black margins on their dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic fins, and big eyes to find and catch prey. They grow to a maximum length of 35 cm (14 in).
In the wild, bala sharks are found in midwater depths in large and medium-sized rivers and lakes. They feed on phytoplankton, but mostly on small crustaceans, rotifers, and insects and their larvae. Large numbers of B. melanopterus are exported for the aquarium trade from Thailand, having been bred in captivity. The species has become rare or extinct in many river basins of its native range; in Danau Sentarum (Borneo), fishermen reported in 1993 and 1995 that populations had decreased dramatically after 1975, for no clear reason, citing possible causes such as overfishing for the aquarium-fish trade or forest fires and resulting pollution. The species is apparently extirpated in the Batang Hari basin (Sumatra), and it seems that all individuals exported from Indonesia and Thailand by the aquarium-fish trade are captive bred.
Reader's Guide
The bala shark is widely available in most pet stores but is often misunderstood as an aquarium fish. It is generally peaceful and good companions to many other types of tropical fish. It is a hardy fish that tolerates temperature changes, pH changes, and other factors to which other fish may be sensitive. The water pH should be 6.0–8.0, hardness soft to medium (5.0–12.0 dGH), and temperature 22–28 °C (72–82 °F). It prefers to be kept in groups of two or more specimens and requires a covered aquarium as it is a skilled jumper, though it may injure itself on the lid.
Very young bala sharks are sometimes kept in small aquaria, but given their adult size, schooling behavior, and swimming speed, they quickly grow to need much more room. Hobbyists debate over acceptable minimum tank sizes, but generally recommend at least a 2-meter tank; FishBase lists a minimum of 150 cm (4.9 ft). Many believe the fish is simply too large and too active to be kept in residential aquaria at all, with only enormous custom-built tanks or indoor ponds considered feasible. The species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, having declined in many river basins due to overfishing for the aquarium trade and pollution from forest fires, with captive breeding now supplying exported individuals.
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