Compatibility questions + please help identify + Bala Shark in 70Gal?

[duanes]

In nature, Herichthys cyanoguttatus are opportunistic omnivores, not strict predators, in fact when stomach contents are analyzed, a majority of their diet is often found to be algae, and leaf litter.
Depending on seasonal availability, 80% of their diet can be vegetation.
Territoriality has nothing to do with predation, in fact some of the most ruthlessly territorial cichlids are primarily vegetarians, that will defend large swaths of algal turf they tend from other cichlid intruders.

 

[Travis_Bickle]

In truth, Bala Sharks don't really belong in normal aquaria. They're best in a group of 5-6, i had 5 in my 175G a few years back, they were all about 10--11 inches and looked pretty good but i bought one of a guy a while before that which was truly enormous, 15" and girthy, it was too big on it's own for my 175G really as they like swimming room. So i knew that if my 5 got anything close to the size of that massive one they would need a tank at least twice as big. That Leopard Bush fish is cool though, again i've had them many times in the past and your easy on with 45G plus for them, probably smaller.

 

[Urgula]

> In truth, Bala Sharks don't really belong in normal aquaria. [...]

I agree. I just needed a confirmation that's actually a bala shark (the guy selling the aquarium has no idea what his fish are).

I've found the fish breed by googling images on "silver fish with black fins".
I've read the conditions they need and entered the phase of denial a.k.a "I must be mistaken, this must be something else", thus posting this thread for identification.

I see how someone could get a monster fish by accident, but bala shark is not the most shiny-colorful fish, it's not super-cute like a baby tiger oscar and does not have myth "functionality" ("they keep your glass clean" they said), nor it's the cheapest like comet goldfish from the feeder tanks, so I don't understand why it would even get picked at the store.

It just didn't make sense that the guy selling an aquarium has a bala shark.

 

[The Morning]

Sure it does. People see the name shark and want one.

 

[Urgula]

Update:
TL;DR: everyone is fine.


Texas claimed the tank within 30 seconds.

Severums are re-homed, after Blue figured out he has to split them to break their soft attempt to defend themselves.
Sharkie loves Blue, Blue is more entertained and has something else to do other than watching people (he doesn't try to murder him, they swim around together tho... more because Sharkie wants to school with Blue and Blue doesn't want to kill him for some reason).

The rope fish rubs his body on Blue but he doesn't care. Rope fish tries to rope around pleco and partially succeeds.

Pleco was extremely happy and swimming around like he's not a pleco, but then went back to be a log and to bully Blue once a day.

With how thigns are right now, it should be a monthly water change, which is fine (water tests don't show anyhting crazy).
This is temporary, I'm looking to re-home the bala, but trying to find someone who has fish of similar color and shape, so he can school (he wants to school badly).
Worse case scenario, the bala will go to the same dude, as the severums (500gal, arowana + pleco + 2 severums). Hopefully, he'll love the arowana and the arowana won't kill him.

3/4 guppies were eaten. 1/4 was sent to breed to Blue's old tank. Didn't expect they will go so fast, but oh well.