Scientific Name: Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Common Name: Tri-color Shark, Bala Shark, Hangus, Malaysian Shark, Silver Bala, Silver Shark, Tri-color Shark Minnow
Adult Size: 13 inches
Life Expectancy: 10 years
Habitat: Southeast Asia
Minimum Tank Size: 120 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
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Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F
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pH Range: 6.5 - 7.0
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Water Hardness: 5 - 10
Temperament: Peaceful
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivore; accepts flake foods, pellets, freeze-dried and frozen foods. They also voraciously accept live foods,including Daphnia, bloodworms, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, and tubifex worms. Vegetables should be included in their diet as well; they readily consume fresh veggies such as spinach and peas, as well as fresh fruits.
Breeding & Spawning: They have not been successfully bred in standard aquariums, although occasional undocumented reports do surface. The likely issue is tank size, along with the lack of information regarding the required conditions for breeding. However, this species is bred commercially but the commercial breeders in Asia employ the use of hormones to induce spawning, so the natural spawning conditions are still largely unidentified.
Gender: Typically, there are no obvious external differences between the sexes. However, during the spawning season, the female develops a rounder underbelly than the male.
