How Big Do Bala Sharks Get?

[FuriousFish]

So, ive seen balas @ 14 inches before... so, ik they can get that big...
BUT, ive had my 3 in my 300 Gallon tank for around 3 months (i got them when they were only an inch)
and, after 3 month, are STILL only 2 inches... (if even...)
HOW FAST DO THEY GROW???
HOW (if possible) CAN I SPEED UP THEYRE GROWTH RATE?!?!?!

 

[jordanhunt]

I had 2 balas for a year and they didn't grow at all, unfortunately they died when I moved house, they grow very slowly and it could take years for them to reach even 6 inches, they can get to an absolute maximum of 16 inches. If you want a similar fish that gets the same size but grows much much faster (about an inch or more a month) get a tinfoil barb, I previously owned two and they were pretty cool


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[jordanhunt]

Also I don think you can speed their growth, you could try feeding food with a lot of protein (bloodworms, carnivore pellets)


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[ecoli73]

Three to five inches in about 8 month...I had six, now four. A bit fragile for cichlids, even milder ones.

Tin foils went from 3 to six inches during the same time but at 6 inches, tinfoils are massive comparing to the balas.


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[FuriousFish]

I had 2 balas for a year and they didn't grow at all, unfortunately they died when I moved house, they grow very slowly and it could take years for them to reach even 6 inches, they can get to an absolute maximum of 16 inches. If you want a similar fish that gets the same size but grows much much faster (about an inch or more a month) get a tinfoil barb, I previously owned two and they were pretty cool


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IK... I have 4 Tinfoils in this SAME TANK!! My one tinfoil is 10 inches and ive only had him a year...

 

[Rafini]

Tinfoils grow like weeds but they are perfect dither fish for larger tanks for that exact reason.

Main problem concerning Bala growth is that they have very small mouths and therefore cannot eat the same types of food that a nother fish their size might be able to. If you put them in a grow out tank alone and fed them only cichlid flakes (lots of protein) you would get some good growth from them.

My tinfoils were taking cichlid pellets bigger than their mouths at 2" so they grow a lot faster because the diet they have access to.

 

[skooby]

Yea I've had my bala for about 8months now and only has grown an inch I only have him as a dither though

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[Catfish Pownage 63]

feed them frozen beefheart i had some 3 that were 4in. i fed them beefheart and after about 2 months they were 7in. and eventually out grew my 55 but i have 90g now

 

[SePPii]

My girlfriend had 1 in a 55 gallon and it went from 1"-7" in a year Nd all she did was feed it tetra flakes from Walmart. Annnnd she rarely changed her water.... Maybe once a month. ( she knows better now though )


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