Description
Silver Shark – Elegant, Active, and an Impressive Presence in Your Aquarium
Add a touch of grace and energy to your aquarium with the Silver Shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus), a stunningly sleek and fast-moving fish that will make a striking addition to your tank. Known for its silvery sheen, streamlined body, and impressive size, the Silver Shark is a popular species among aquarium enthusiasts seeking an active and visually captivating centerpiece fish.
Despite its name, the Silver Shark is actually a species of freshwater fish, not a true shark. Its long, slender body is silvery with a hint of metallic shimmer, making it a dazzling sight as it glides through the water. As a schooling fish, the Silver Shark does best when kept in groups of 3 or more, where it can display its natural schooling behavior and create an exciting spectacle. It is highly active, and you’ll often see it swimming swiftly around the tank, making it a perfect fish for those who enjoy watching energetic fish in constant motion.
The Silver Shark can grow quite large, reaching lengths of up to 12 inches, so it requires a spacious aquarium with plenty of swimming space. While peaceful by nature, its active swimming can sometimes be a bit intimidating for smaller or more timid tankmates. However, it coexists well with other medium-to-large peaceful fish.
Key Features:
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Sleek and Stunning Appearance: Silvery metallic body with streamlined fins, offering an elegant and shimmering presence in your aquarium
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Active and Energetic: Known for its speed and constant movement, the Silver Shark adds an exciting dynamic to your tank
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Schooling Species: Thrives in groups of 3 or more, exhibiting natural schooling behavior and creating a mesmerizing display of coordinated movement
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Peaceful but Bold: Generally peaceful with other fish but requires ample swimming space due to its size and active nature
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Hardy and Adaptable: Can adapt to a variety of freshwater setups with proper care, making it suitable for large community tanks
Care Guidelines:
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Tank Size: Minimum 75 gallons for a small group, as these fish can grow up to 12 inches and need plenty of swimming room
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Water Temperature: 74–80°F (23–27°C)
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pH Range: 6.5–7.5
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Diet: Omnivorous – enjoys a varied diet, including flake foods, sinking pellets, live or frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp), and vegetable matter
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Lifespan: 6–10 years with proper care
Tip: The Silver Shark prefers a well-maintained aquarium with clean, moderately moving water. It enjoys swimming in the middle to upper levels of the tank, so make sure to provide plenty of open swimming space and sturdy decorations. Keep the tank well-planted with caves or hiding spots for other tankmates, but ensure there is enough room for the Silver Sharks to move around freely.
With its graceful appearance, energetic swimming, and striking metallic sheen, the Silver Shark is an excellent addition to large community tanks, offering both beauty and movement. Ideal for those who want an active, eye-catching centerpiece fish that will thrive in a spacious, peaceful aquarium.
Click & Collect
FREE COLLECTION FROM OUR STORE
Place your order online and select Click & Collect at checkout.
Livestock will normally be bagged when you arrive, helping to minimise the amount of time animals spend packaged. If you’d prefer your livestock to be ready beforehand, simply contact us in advance.
Local Delivery
DELIVERED BY TROPICAL SUPPLIES • WITHIN 25 MILES
Order from our in-store range and have it delivered directly to you using our own local delivery service.
Minimum order: £50
Local Delivery Charges:
Up to 5 miles — FREE
5–10 miles — £10
10–15 miles — £15
15–20 miles — £20
20–25 miles — £25
Distances are measured “as the crow flies” rather than by road.
Once your order has been placed, we’ll contact you to arrange a suitable delivery date and time. We often combine nearby orders into efficient delivery runs, so local delivery may take a little longer during busy periods.
Ordering a large aquarium?
Please make sure someone is available to help unload the aquarium from our van when we arrive.
Dry Goods Delivery
FREE UK Delivery Over £75
Spend £75 or more on eligible dry goods and receive FREE UK delivery on orders weighing up to 20kg.
A great opportunity to stock up on food, treatments, filter media, accessories and other aquarium or reptile essentials while saving on delivery.
Free delivery applies to eligible orders up to 20kg and excludes livestock, aquariums, terrariums and other oversized items.
Qualifying orders will automatically show the FREE UK Delivery option at checkout — no discount code required.
Standard Parcel Delivery
Our standard parcel delivery charges are calculated according to the weight of your order and the available delivery service.
Orders placed before 12 noon may be dispatched the same day on our current dispatch days.
Express Pallet
75–500kg • Usually 1–3 working days
Designed for large and heavy orders that cannot be sent using our standard parcel service.
Please note: We currently dispatch parcels Wednesday to Friday.
Adding Something to an Existing Order?
If your original order hasn’t been dispatched yet, simply place the additional items as a Click & Collect order and leave us a note asking us to combine them with your existing order.
Available to Order
See something you want that we don’t currently have on the shelf? Many of our products can be quickly sourced from our suppliers.
Products marked Available to Order are not currently held in stock at our store but are available for us to order on your behalf.
Most items arrive with us within a few days and usually no longer than a week, depending on supplier availability.
Once your item arrives with us, we’ll either dispatch your order or let you know it’s ready for collection, depending on the delivery option you selected.
After receiving your order, we’ll check availability with our supplier. If there are any issues or expected delays, we’ll contact you to let you know.
Nationwide Livestock Delivery
Have your new livestock delivered safely to your door using our specialist livestock delivery service.
Minimum livestock order: £50
Thursday Delivery — £24
Order by: Wednesday, 12 noon
Dispatched: Wednesday afternoon
Delivered: Thursday before 1pm
Friday Delivery — £24
Order by: Thursday, 12 noon
Dispatched: Thursday afternoon
Delivered: Friday before 1pm
Saturday Delivery — £29
Order by: Friday, 12 noon
Dispatched: Friday afternoon
Delivered: Saturday before 1pm
Add Dry Goods to Your Livestock Order
You can include suitable dry goods with your livestock delivery, making it easy to add food, treatments, filter media, accessories and other supplies at the same time.
Please note: Livestock deliveries cannot include frozen food or heavy items such as gravel, sand or other unsuitable bulky goods. These items must be ordered separately using an appropriate delivery method.
Already Placed Your Order?
No problem. If your livestock order hasn’t been dispatched yet, place another order using Click & Collect and leave us a note asking us to combine it with your existing order.
Payment & Security
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