What type of sharks can you put in a fish tank?
Sarah Martinez
Published Mar 16, 2026
What type of sharks can you put in a fish tank?
Here are six of the most common and popular sharks available for freshwater aquariums.
- Bala shark.
- Colombian shark.
- Red Tail Shark.
- Rainbow shark.
- Iridescent shark.
- Silver Apollo shark.
Is a shark a tropical fish?
Freshwater “sharks” are popular tropical fish stocked the length and breadth of the country. This group includes the barbs, rasboras, loaches and even goldfish — and our “sharks” naturally inhabit rivers in Asia and Africa.
Are there freshwater sharks for aquariums?
Roseline Torpedo Shark Also known as Denison’s Barb and the Roseline Shark. These freshwater aquarium Sharks are one of the few truly suitable for the average aquarist. They are medium sized schooling fish that reach 4 inches in length in aquariums, though a bit larger in nature.
What kind of fish looks like a shark?
Bowmouth Guitarfish. This distinctively shaped fish is a type of ray, but is often mistaken for a shark. The front portion of the body is flattened and wide, resembling a ray, while the back portion of the body is very shark-like in appearance.
Is a Bala shark a real shark?
These Southeast Asian fish are not true sharks, but their shark-like appearance and size make them quite an intriguing pet. Due to their peaceful nature, juvenile bala sharks do well in a community aquarium.
What is a GloFish shark?
GloFish Sharks are the largest species in the GloFish family and recommended to keep them in a 20 Gallon aquarium or larger. Sharks like to have places to hide in the aquarium and are a great addition because they clean up leftover food.
What is a small shark called?
Synonyms, crossword answers and other related words for SMALL SHARK [dogfish]
Is a shark ray a shark?
Shark rays are neither sharks nor rays. Their scientific name is Rhina ancylostoma. Their common name is Bowmouth Guitarfish – their broad arc-shaped head is similar to a bow, and their body tapers into a more streamlined shape, much like that of sharks. Shark rays have dual fins and human-like eyes.
Is Rainbow shark a shark?
It is a popular, semi-aggressive aquarium fish. Unlike true sharks, which belong to the Chondrichthyes (“cartilagenous fishes”) lineage, the rainbow shark is an actinopterygiian (“ray-finned fish”)….
| Rainbow shark | |
|---|---|
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Cyprinidae |
| Genus: | Epalzeorhynchos |
| Species: | E. frenatum |
Is Bala shark a catfish?
The bala shark, Balantiocheilos melanopterus, also known as the tricolor shark, tricolor sharkminnow, silver shark, or shark minnow, is a fish of the family Cyprinidae, and is one of the two species in the genus Balantiocheilos….
| Bala shark | |
|---|---|
| Subfamily: | Barbinae |
| Genus: | Balantiocheilos |
| Species: | B. melanopterus |
| Binomial name |
What is a purple shark?
16.49. Purple Glo Shark. The Galactic Purple Glo Shark is a gene spliced albino rainbow shark. Rainbow sharks from Indonesia have deep red fins on a silver body. These sharks are actually catfish and are hardy and easy to keep and peaceful.
Are rainbow sharks real sharks?
The rainbow shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum) is a species of Southeast Asian freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae. It is also known as the ruby shark, red-fin shark, red-finned shark, rainbow sharkminnow, green fringelip labeo, whitefin shark and whitetail sharkminnow.
What are the different species of sharks?
Subspecies of Sharks. The numerous species can be broadly categorized into 8 subgroups. Carcharhiniforms, also known as ground sharks, include the Caribbean Reef Shark , Black Tail Reef Shark, Grey Reef Shark , Hound Shark , Catshark and the Blue Tiger Shark.
What is the genus and species of a shark?
Angel shark, (genus Squatina), any of about 15 species of sharks that constitute a single genus (family Squatinidae, order Squatiniformes) characterized by flattened heads and bodies, with winglike pectoral and pelvic fins that make them resemble rays. The tail bears two dorsal fins and a well-developed caudal fin.
How many species of shark are there?
There are more than 440 known species of sharks across all seas on earth. The sharks are carnivores supported by their robust jaws and sharp replaceable teeth, though a few species are plankton feeders. Reproduction occurs through laying eggs which hatch into pups though some species give birth…
What is the smallest type of shark?
The dwarf lanternshark (Etmopterus perryi) is a little-known species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae and possibly the smallest shark in the world, reaching a maximum known length of 20 cm (7.9 in).