Bala Sharks and Clown Loaches are very popular aquarium fish, but for different reasons. The Bala Shark (aka Silver Shark) looks a lot like a shark (go figure). The shape of the body and dorsal fin fit the traditional “great white” shark archetype and there is something great about having miniature sharks swimming around in your aquarium, even if Bala sharks are just minnows. Clown loaches are also popular for their appearance. Clown loaches have 3 vertical black bands on their bright orange body which makes for a lively looking fish. What the clown loach has above most other fish is its personality. They can be very outgoing and have many strange behaviors, earning them the nickname ‘clown’.

Both Bala Sharks and Clown Loaches are school fish, so you should definitely try to have at least 5 of each in your aquarium. If you keep Bala Sharks alone, they can become aggressive and nibble at other fish in the tank. The clown loach, on the other hand, will become very stressed, its growth will be stunted, and it may die. It’s more enjoyable for everyone involved if you keep these two species of fish in groups.

However, keeping them in groups can become a problem. Both Bala Sharks and Clown Loaches can grow up to a foot long! When you buy them, they’re about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 centimeters) long, so they’ll fit comfortably in smaller aquariums. However, once they are grown, a large aquarium (around 125 gallons) is recommended. That can be a great investment for a hobbyist.

Both species of fish are more susceptible than most to fish diseases such as Ich. This means you can use them like a “parrot” to alert you when there are potential problems in the tank. If you notice any of these fish getting sick, check the water quality right away. If the water quality is normal, do your best to diagnose the disease. There are many resources online and there should be someone at your local aquarium store who can help. Since the bala sharks or clown loaches have warned you about a potential problem, you have a bit of a head start before the hardier species get sick.

Before you start medicating your fish, make sure you know what is making them sick. You don’t want to medicate for the wrong disease. Also, clown loaches are very sensitive to medications, so be sure to read the label for directions.

Bala sharks and clown loaches are not good starter aquarium fish. They are very susceptible to “new tank syndrome”. You’ll want to stock a new aquarium with more hardy species and allow the nitrogen cycle to kick in at least once before adding bullets or clowns (this takes around 6-8 weeks).

Bala sharks and clown loaches hail from Southeast Asia and rarely breed in home aquariums. Actually, there have been no confirmed cases of clown loaches breeding in aquariums.

If you’re thinking of keeping Bala Sharks and Clown Loaches in a tank, you can be sure they get along. Just make sure you have enough of each fish, otherwise you may be in trouble.