Red Tail Black Shark

[chromide]

i am looking to get a red tail shark, does anyone own one and has any usefull info. i know all the basic info dont keep more than one, they will eat about any food... ect. i would like to no more about the behavior of the fish, i have 4 cherry barbs and i dont want them to eat or kill them. i also have a blue gourami and a sailfin catfish. thank you.

 

[england]

hi,depend's what size tank?if you have a sailfin catfish i guess you talking of a gibbicep plec? in that case the tank should be atleast 5foot,then id say yes....mine is fully grown and at 6-7inch and will take on my 10inch plus silver bala sharks and beleive it or not my snakehead

 

[chromide]

another name for the catfish is featherfin he is 3 or 4 inches. the redtails at my local store are about 3 inches. so you think he will eat my 1 1\2 inches cherry barbs? i really want him.

 

[star4]

In my experience with the lovely RTBS mine hit 4" and went nuts and killed 10 tiger barbs over the course of 4 days (well it was at night, I only caught him one night when I couldnt sleep) I moved him to a tank with a kissing gourami, they fought constantly. He is now in a 5ft tank with large cichlids (serverum, firemouth) and now leaves them well alone. They are a very beautiful fish, mine did leave the cherry barbs alone, but did kill the tigers, I think he would have gone for them next if I hadnt removed him to another tank.

 

[MOW4T]

i have one 6 - 7" and he/she has never killed anything (didnt know they were capable) its in with guppies atm and is really placid obviously this is one example but have heard that they can be aggressive

 

[Forestpisces]

Firstly we need to know the size of your tank 55g would be a minimum but condsidering your featherfin id say larger would be optimal. RTBS are terratorial and like to claim a section of the tank as their own, this sadly is often quite a large area which is why they are advised to be kept with fish that are larger than them e.g. Severums even oscars or have similar aggression levels such as convicts and firemouths. A slightly more placid option would be a rainbow shark but even though they are said to be less aggressive you should treat them with the same caution and a RTBS.

 

[arobinson1984]

Agree with forest.

RTBS need a minimum of 55 gallons, not because of their size but because of their nature.

As forest said, they claim large areas in a tank as their own 'territory' and in small tanks this can quite often be the majority of the tank that they claim meaning they attack other fish that come into their territory.

In a 55 gal or larger tank, the surface area is sufficiently large enough for the RTBS to claim their section with enough left for the other fish therefore minimising aggression.

MOW4T, what size tank was yours in? and was it defo a RTBS or a red tailed rainbow shark? Was just its tail red, or its fins as well?

Andy

 

[MOW4T]

100cm(l) x 30cm x 42cm(h) dont shout at me

had it for 3 or 4 years and still going strong

it has a red tail black fins and a white tip to its top fin

 

[arobinson1984]

100cm(l) x 30cm x 42cm(h) dont shout at me

had it for 3 or 4 years and still going strong

it has a red tail black fins and a white tip to its top fin

If its working for you then

If its in with just guppies that is probably the reason its ok as it has no other competition for the bottom levels of the tank.

Andy

 

[fluvial]

I had a RTB shark for just 3 weeks before he started making life hell for my male Rosy Barb.
Kept chasing him all over the tank - and had to be removed before he killed him from stress.

I think they're lovely looking fish but I wouldn't try another in my community tank.

 

[chromide]

i have a 55 gal with plenty of hiding places. the barbs stay in the back of the tank and my catfish is only going to get bigger so i know he will be fine. i might just get him and see what he does my local pet store will take him back, ill just be out a couple of bucks no big deal. thank you all.