Can anyone tell what this shark is?

john.doe

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Hey everyone,
Does anyone have any idea what kind of fish this is? I was told he was a red tail black shark when I bought him, but when I got him home and really got to looking at him, there are a few things that strike me as off
1. RTBSs are supposed to have an entirely black body. this one has a white underbelly
2. There are small round markings just behind the gill slits, which I don't think is normal for a RTBS
3. RTBS typically only have a red tail, but this shark has red pectoral fins as well

The spots also don't seem typical for a rainbow, but I have a lot less experience with those, and I thought rainbows were supposed to have color on every fin. attached is a photo of the mystery shark in question. I hope someone here can help me out
 

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Yep redtail black, Epalzeorhynchos bicolor. Redtail and rainbows have been crossed from time to time. The problem we have is that these fish are being bred in captivity now and over the years are not as genetically stable as they are in the wild. That is why we are getting fish like yours coming through.
 
Yep redtail black, Epalzeorhynchos bicolor. Redtail and rainbows have been crossed from time to time. The problem we have is that these fish are being bred in captivity now and over the years are not as genetically stable as they are in the wild. That is why we are getting fish like yours coming through.
Thank you! I am happy someone was able to confirm. he's an awesome little guy I just wanted to make sure I knew what I was dealing with before I ended up accidentally putting a rainbow shark in with angels (I've been told rainbows have a tendency to nip fins). I'll keep an extra close eye on him just in case, but glad to know it is in fact a red tail.
 
Just on the side, I have always found rainbows to have a better temperament than Redtails. Not real fin nippers. They tend to cruise around after dark and can cause havoc
 
Just on the side, I have always found rainbows to have a better temperament than Redtails. Not real fin nippers. They tend to cruise around after dark and can cause havoc
good to know. I will keep that in mind. I have noticed him chasing other fish but have not observed nips. fingers crossed he plays nice. side note, should I be concerned about the white coloration on the end of his fins? I've never seen fin rot in person before and am mildly concerned about it
 
No, The white on the tip of the dorsal fin is just how they are
Okay, Awesome. thank you so much for your help. this is really my first time setting up an aquarium on my own, and I'm super worried I'm going to screw it up. My parents had a red tail and I really liked it, which is why I wanted one, but this one is definitely a little different
 

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