Overview The Bala Shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus), also called the tricolor shark minnow, is a silver, black-edged cyprinid, not a true shark. Native to rivers and lakes of Borneo, Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia. Grows to about 14 in (35 cm) standard length, so...
Popular Fish Species for your Aquarium
Here are some of the most popular freshwater fish species that are commonly kept in aquariums, each with unique characteristics and care requirements.
A common rule of thumb for how many freshwater fish you can keep in an aquarium is to allow about 1 inch of fish per gallon of water; however, this can vary depending on the specific fish species, their adult size, activity level, and bioload, with heavily planted or densely stocked tanks often needing more filtration and swimming room.
Iridescent Shark
Overview The Iridescent Shark (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) is a large, schooling catfish, not a shark. It was formerly called Pangasius sutchi. Native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers of Southeast Asia. Can reach about 51 in (130 cm) standard length. Sold as...
Scarlet Badis
Overview The Scarlet Badis (Dario dario) is one of the smallest percoid fish. Males are bright red with blue bars. Found in tributaries of the Brahmaputra in West Bengal and Assam, India. Grows to about 0.8 in (2 cm) standard length. A popular nano fish. Feeding A...


