can i put bala sharks in with a red tiger oscar?

Question

55 gallon long tank about 5 feet across and 2 feet tall by a 1 1/2 width

Answer 1

If your tank is a 55 gallon then it's really 48" long, 12" deep, and 24" tall. This is just barely enough for a single adult Oscar and not nearly enough for a school of Bala Sharks.

On the other hand, if your tank is the 110 gallons your dimensions refer to, it is very feasable to keep them together. Oscars are not nearly aggressive as they're made out to be - they're pushovers compared to most large cichlds. Large, non-territorial tankmates like balas, clown loaches, silver dollars, and tinfoil barbs tend to be mostly ignored by Oscars. This is by no means a rule, of course, since every now and then you come across a feisty Oscar that doesn't tolerate tankmates as well.

Answer 2

It would depend on your Oscar's aggressiveness. I have an Albino Tiger Oscar and a Bala Shark in the same 55 gallon tank and they barely even notice one another. The Oscar has never once tried to nip at the Shark. I got them both when when they were small. They have lived together for around 6 months with no problems whatsoever so far. Right now, my Oscar is around 7 inches long and extremely nonaggressive for an Oscar. He might develop an attitude as he ages, but so far, he's as gentle as a guppy. However, a 55 gallon is really too small for an adult Oscar and even one adult Bala Shark. A 55 gallon is barely big enough for a single adult Oscar by himself, let alone a couple Bala Sharks. I am moving either my Oscar or both of them to a 150 gallon in a few weeks.

Like the others have said, you don't want to put small Bala Sharks in with a big Oscar. But Bala Sharks are very quick- quick enough to avoid attacks by most aggressive Cichlids of the same size or smaller.

It's not the best idea in the world, but a Bala Shark can be put in with an Oscar in most cases, I would think. Depending on fish size, tank size and the disposition of your Oscar.

Answer 3

how big is your oscar and how big is the bala sharks? If the shark is smaller then the oscar and can fit it in the mouth then your sharks are going to be lunch. How aggressive is your oscar? If you have given her fish before then the likelihood of survival of balla sharks has gone down. I had the same size tank as you with a mating pair of oscars and if you put a fish small enough to fit in its mouth they were goners. Don't waste your money.

Answer 4

As others mentioned, if the shark can fit in the oscar's mouth, don't even bother.

The main reason I'm responding is to suggest you double check the dimensions on your tank. According to my calculations, a 5 x 2 x 1.5 foot tank is closer to 110 gallons. You may have a bigger tank than you think you do, and that's worth knowing. On the other hand, you may just have just quoted the wrong measurements. :-)

Answer 5

I wouldn't recommend putting a bala shark in with an oscar. Oscar's can be Very aggressive and will end up killing the bala.

Answer 6

Yess if the tank is satisfactorily huge and the bala is a minimum of as huge because the Oscar. you want a 6ft plus and 2 hundred gallon plus tank for this and the bala needs some shoalmates of that's own species.

Answer 7

I would not, the possiblitiy of seeing the sharks tail hanging out of the Oscars mouth is good in time.

Answer 8

Usually balas are too docile to be with oscars. Sorry

Answer 9

has been done before with varying results, if the sharks are around 3inches long it shouldn't be a problem..the oscar may try to nip at em, but he won't mess em up too much