Aquarium Fish Paradise - Silver Shark Fish Profile

COMMON NAME
SILVER SHARK

SCIENTIFIC NAME
Balantiocheilos Melanopterus

FAMILY
Cyprinid

ORIGIN
Sumatra, Thailand, Borneo, Maylasia

TEMPERATURE
24-26 C

PH
6.8 - 7.5

HARDNESS
Moderately hard to hard
4 ° 18° dGH

DIET
Flake food, small sinking pellets, frozen, live food, plants

MAXIMUM SIZE
35cm

RECOMMENDED MINIMUM AQUARIUM
150 Litres

TANK REGION
Middle

SOCIAL
Peaceful

CARE
Easy-Intermediate 8/10

Silver sharks are great choice for any tropical aquarium. They are a thin, narrow fish with sharp triangular fins that feature black surrounding edges, their bodies usually offering a stunning colour of silver, some with light brown through the back of the shark and usually found with a white belly.

The silver shark also known as Bala Sharks are very hardy often easing into new aquariums well. They do prefer moderately hard water and are very comfortable in PH levels of 6.8 – 7.2.

While playful and entertaining they get along well with most species in a community aquarium and if more than one they will pair up with a partner. They can also get along well with other similar species such as Rainbow Sharks and Red Tail Sharks.

They can grow up to 35cm+ and therefore it is recommended to place them in a tank no smaller than 3ft.

You will mostly find Silver Sharks in the middle strata of the tank. They are often very curious of what is going on around them and you will commonly find them darting around the open spaces at the front of the aquarium.

They enjoy most foods, but particularly enjoy live brine shrimp and blackworms, but will also do well on a combination of flake, frozen foods and plants. Silver Sharks do like a varied diet.