Bala sharks

[FSM]

I have read some about bala sharks and they seem like cool fish. I was wondering how fast they grow? I might put them in my 75 instead of the giant danios I currently have (along with some clown loaches and a small GT) I know they can outgrow my tank, but so will the clowns. It doesn't matter though, since CLs grow so slow I will probably be in college before they get too big, and they will have been sold to someone else. But I don't know how fast bala sharks grow. I read somewhere it is very slow, but I'm not sure if thats accurate.

Would they make good dithers for the GT? I chose giant danios because they are really quick and get reasonably big, although he could potentially get large enough to eat them, which is why I am looking for other options.

 

[Adam-011]

There slow growers. Get about 3 for that tank. They swim wierd its like swim stop drift swim stop drift ect.

 

[brcacti]

As far as I know they can grow fast or slow depending on conditions, type of food, clean water, size of tank etc.

 

[Neervana]

hmm well i have had mine for around three - four years or so now and when i got him, he was around 4 cm in length. now he is 30 cm in length. don't know whether that is fast or slow, but he is a strong jumper lol make sure you weigh something down on the tank cover!! i only fed mine a cube of frozen bloodworms once a day and on the weekend some flakes.haven't changed the feeding regime since, he now belongs to my mum.

 

[Dylan]

The ones my mom used to have grew pretty fast maybe 1/2" a month

 

[pleco2009]

the ones i have went from 1 in to 4 in 4 months

 

[Ransom]

they seemed pretty fickle about the water also when i had some

 

[DaveB]

I have one left of a group I got 18 month ago. He has gone from maybe 3 to 5" and thickened up. And he eats a lot too. In fact he is one of the most efficient eaters in his tank, managing to weave around and chimp down on a bunch of food very quickly. So I wouldn't say he'll outgrow that tank any time soon. Mine could (and has) spend time in a 55 without being too big for it.

He's in a tank with a GT and several other fish and the GT leaves him alone. (There are three giant danios in there too, actually, funny you mention them. GT ignores them too.)

 

[brcacti]

Jumping was mentioned and that is how my dad lost his one foot bala jumped out of the tank even though the lid was on. This is probably a big way big balas are finally lost.

 

[Blue Butcher]

I bought three 1 year ago, about two inches each. Biggest one now pusing 8 inches, the other are just a bit smaller. They are in a 100 gallon tank with many other fish. They chase the other fish around. Fun to watch.