Template:POTD/2023-10-12
The bala shark (Balantiocheilos melanopterus) is a fish in the family Cyprinidae, and one of two species in the genus Balantiocheilos. It is found around the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. It has a silver body with black margins on the dorsal, caudal, anal, and pelvic fins. It has big eyes which it uses to find and catch its prey. The bala shark has a maximum length of 35 cm (14 in). Bala sharks are found in midwater depths in large and medium-sized rivers and lakes. They feed on phytoplankton, but mostly on small crustaceans, rotifers, and insects and their larvae. The bala shark is listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN Red List, having become rare or extinct in many river basins of its native range. However, large numbers of the species are bred in captivity and exported from Thailand for the aquarium trade. This bala shark was photographed at Karlsruhe Zoo in Karlsruhe, Germany.Photograph credit: H. Zell