Breeding The Bala Shark
The Bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus) is among the most popular freshwater aquarium fish, being both very beautiful and easy to care for. Its coloring is dark silver with black margins along its fins, and for this reason it is also sometimes known as the tricolor shark or silver shark.
Bala sharks do well on a varied diet of standard fish food, vitamin-enriched flake foods, fresh vegetables, pellets, and live food such as mosquitoes or shrimp.
The male fish is sleeker than the female. Bala sharks reach maturity at 9 inches and can grow up to 15 inches in length, making them among the largest aquarium fish. The males are sleeker than the females. Therefore, it is recommended that they be kept in a tank no smaller than 40 gallons. The Bala Shark originates from places such as Thailand, Borneo and Sumatra and have made their way around the world.
- Keep in mind that the Bala Shark is not likely to breed without a spawning hormone. This hormone must be extracted from carp and then applied to your fish.
- These fish reach maturity at 9 inches in length. The female will be much more chubby than the males.
- Once you can distinguish between sexes, separate them so you can condition them for breeding.
- If you do succeed at breeding the Bala Shark, remember that the babies are quite sensitive and can contract the "ich disease".