First Semi-aggressive Tank

[donnie]

I'm not new to the hobby but I've only kept peaceful communities before, so I'm a bit worried by what to me seems an unusual development. Everything I've read, on here and on the net, says that rainbow sharks set up a territory and cruise around the tank from there, not claiming the whole tank. I've got a 50 gallon(us) 4' long tank and rearranged the decor into a couple of rock piles for plenty of hiding space, but even so the rainbow has taken over every cave in the tank and has begun bullying the 3 pictus cats I recently bought.

My question is, do these two species just not get along, or are there better types of caves that pictus cats like and rainbow sharks wouldn't. I'd post a pic if I could find the camera, but sadly it's MIA.

By the way, Ive also got 8 tiger barbs and 6 serpae tetras, but they've not been a problem ever since I rehomed the glowlight tetras (barbs or serpaes, not sure which, were nipping the tail off 'em) , and the tigers stick to themselves anyhow. No bother to either the shark or the cats. Also, if there's a better section to post this under, let me know. Thanks.

 

[Corleone]

Most of the information on this site reflects that rainbow sharks will claim a very large territory - often encompassing the whole tank. Red tailed sharks have a worse reputation, but their relatives aren't entirely innocent. They're particularly intolerant of any similar species, or anything that looks too much like them, but aggression can spill over onto other bottom dwellers and sometimes onto other fish in general. They can seem fine for a long time, even with other sharks, but when they reach maturity, they have a personality change and all bets are off.

Is there much size difference between the pictus and the shark? What I know of pictus, I'd think they should be able to stick up for themselves, but they have just been introduced into another fish's settled and established territory, often there's more aggression surrounding new fish than ones that have been in the tank a while. Rearranging things and breaking up known territories can sometimes help, though I don't know if that trick works with sharks, it's usually suggested for cichlids and female bettas.

Serpae tetras can be almost as bad as tiger barbs. Since you have a slightly smaller shoal of them, I'm tempted to blame them for nipping the glowlights, but it could well have been a mix of both. Quick, short finned, robust fish of comparable size should be ok with them.

 

[Gruffle]

Hi

I have a VERY similiar tank to yours, current inhabitants 6 serpae tetra, 1 RTBS, 4 danios, couple of cory's and a BN plec.

My RTBS really doesn't like the tetra and harrasses them quite a bit, and like yours has claimed the whole bottom of the tank as his territory.

My solution, which seems to have worked, was to stick more plants in to break up its line of sight and to introduce a small Firemouth Cichlid, which is about the same size as the shark.

Luckily the cichlid is fairly mellow and has calmed the shark down a lot!

 

[B13]

Ah...

You may have just provided a solution to a problem that I'm having...

My LFS-who-I-will-[never-go-back-to sold me two Siamese Flying Foxes. One is bullying the other. I'll stuff a few more plants in and see what happens...

 

[Anguilla82]

I had an RTBS in a 5 foot tanks that was ok with my Veija Syspillum and my fire eels, but took a distinct dislike when i introduced a jardini arrowana (one of the most aggresive fish species) the RTBS constantly harrased the arrowana and i had to get rid of the RTBS. Evil little beggars they are!

 

[donnie]

To be honest, the pictus do stick up for themselves, from the occasional missing scale I've noticed on the shark. As for the size difference, the cats are about 2 inches each, and the shark about 3. Yeah I guess if I ran into a dude a third again my size I'd be a bit nervous too!

That's sounds like a worthy idea, Gruffle, break up the line of sight with plants. I read that pictus need plenty of open swimming room, so maybe I erred in not providing enough cover for them. I know rearranging the tank didn't help, the shark was on the new caves before I'd even finished the decorations. Feisty little buggers, though I do give the edge to the cats. Them boys are more flexible than a chinese gymnast!

Corleone, thats actually why I bought the serpaes, I figured they'd hold their own in the kind of tank I want. The glowlights only went in because my wife wanted em for her tank, but her tank wasn't set up yet. It is now, so they're safe. Thanks for the replies, gents (or ladies, never can tell online), I'll go back to my hole and continue to graze off the posts already in the forum. Kudos, on that note. This site's a wealth of information and everyone gets on so well. Real gem among the clutter the internet's become.