Species learning profile
Bala shark
Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in Southeast Asia. Despite its name and tall fin, this schooling fish is a carp relative, not a shark.
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At a glance
- پانی
- میٹھا پانی
- Habitat
- دریا
- زیادہ سے زیادہ لمبائی
- 35 cm
- پھیلاؤ
- Southeast Asia
- خاندان
- Cyprinidae
- رتبہ
- Cypriniformes
Observe
How to identify Bala shark
- Despite its name and tall fin, this schooling fish is a carp relative, not a shark.
- Guide context: river habitat in Southeast Asia.
- Reported maximum length: 35 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with river habitat across Southeast Asia. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.
Behavior
Fast-moving and social
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Plankton, insects, and plant material.
Ecological role
Consumes drifting food and is prey for river predators.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Bala shark تقریباً 35 سینٹی میٹر تک بڑھ سکتی ہے اور عموماً دریا کے قریب ملتی ہے۔
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Bala shark in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
Make connections