The Silver Shark is also known as Bala Shark, Tri Color Shark Minnow, Hangus and Silver Bala. This exotic ornamental fish was imported from Thailand by the aquarium fish traders (Galib, 2010). Origin is Thailand and Malaysia (Aqualandpetplus, 2009). Life span 8-10 years and they are named sharks because of their appearance and the shape of their dorsal fin (Fishlore, 2009b). Available in aquarium shops of Dhaka, Khulna and Rajshahi city (Galib, 2010).
Systematic position
Class: Actinopterigii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Genus: Balantiocheilos
Species: B. melanopterus
Synonyms
Barbus melanopterus Bleeker, 1851
Puntius melanopterus (Bleeker, 1851)
Morphology
Body elongated and laterally compressed. Body color is silvery with darkish above. Edges of dorsal, pelvic, anal and caudal fins are marked with black border. Lateral line scales are 35 in number (Galib, 2010).
Measurements of the different body lengths were obtained as follows: SL 74.67% of TL, FL 80.67% of TL, BD 22.67% of TL, HL 22.67% of TL, CP 8% of TL and Eye 35.29% of HL (Galib, 2010). Maximum size recorded 13 cm whereas 33 cm size was reported by Fishlore (2009).
Fin formula: D. 9; P1. 11; P2. 10; A. 6; C. 20.
Food and feeding
This fish is omnivorous in nature and feeds on phytoplankton, but mostly on small crustaceans, rotifers as well as insects and their larvae (Rainboth, 1996).
Breeding and gender differentiation
Gender is hard to determine, but the female may be smaller than a male Silver Shark of the same age (Fishlore, 2009).
Economic importance
The Silver Shark is commonly used as ornamental/aquarium fish. Retail price varied between BDT 150 and 200 per pair (Galib, 2010).
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References
Aqualandpetplus. 2009. Caring for your new Bala Shark, Aqualand Pet Plus info on Balantiocheilus melanopterus, retrieved on December 16, 2009. http://aqualandpetsplus.com
Fishlore. 2009. FishLore.com Tropical Fish Information, retrieved on December 12, 2009; http://www.fishlore.com
Galib, S.M. 2010. Cultured and Ornamental Exotic Fish Diversity of Bangladesh, MS dissertation, Department of Fisheries, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, 169 pp.
Rainboth, W.J. 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO, Rome, 265 p.
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