Red Tail Black Shark

[samiam9818]

Im starting up a 40 US gallon tank and i would like to get a red tailed black shark.

I currently have 4 platies, will they be shark food?

Is the tank large enough?

 

[africanjake]

yes they will be shark food
red-tails while beautiful are agressive and can be kept with very little and definitely not platies

 

[tom_os]

no dont add it

 

[Anguilla82]

tank isn't big enough anyway i'm afraid.

 

[xx-miss-limber-xx]

I hava black shark with a red tail... and its fine with everything in my tank? Are there different types of them? I have 2 placo's a catfish barbs and cichilds in my tank and theyre all fine together. hmm...?

 

[tom_os]

thats because you tank has larger fish that the shark wouldnt be able to fit in its mouth

 

[xx-miss-limber-xx]

thats because you tank has larger fish that the shark wouldnt be able to fit in its mouth

Theyre all about the same size though. About 3 inches id say. my placo is the biggest (altho hes only about 4 inches) and has recently had a chunk of his fin bitten off but im not sure which little bugger did that yet. he went a bit pale that day but hes back to normal colourings and seems fine now. I want to add another fish to my little group... jus not sure which lol.

 

[tom_os]

that was probably the shark that did that

you fish are much larger compared to platys

 

[raptorrex]

Im starting up a 40 US gallon tank and i would like to get a red tailed black shark.

I currently have 4 platies, will they be shark food?

Is the tank large enough?

No, sorry, 50ukg plus for an RTBS. they are small, ish(6-7inches) but are swimming machines.

thats because you tank has larger fish that the shark wouldnt be able to fit in its mouth

first i have heard of this, never known a RTBS to, actively, hunt other fish. mine never looks at my cory, even when they were 1/4 inch long. RTBS can be aggressive, but not by hunting fish to eat. they protect their terratroys, which are big. they are more of a therat to larger fish than the small ones. they dont even have a big mouth!

 

[stranger69]

I had 2 redtails in my community 28 gallon then transferred to my 46 gallon. One died in the 28. I've got two red shoulder severums, 5 clown loaches, 2 breeding dalmation mollies, 2 pearl gourami's, 3 tri coloured sharks and a pleco.

The remainng redtail only bothers one of the tri couloured sharks and leaves the rest of the fish alone. I guess it really depends on their temperment.

Note: the redtail didn't get aggressive with the tri coloured until they were moved to the 46 gallon, found that odd.

 

[Marclau]

I was in the same boat but thankfully my LFS said the same......can be aggressive and even my tank, at lower end of preferred size. They instead told my better to get one or two Flying Foxes, dont get too big.....few cm smaller then red tail shark and good at cleaning algea.....they were also cheaper so greatfull for their honesty....

 

[Anna Robinson]

Red-tailed black sharks are not predators and do not eat fish. Their aggression is territorial. They are usually worst with other bottom-dwelling fish.

40 gallons is maybe a bit small, it depends on the temperament of the shark you end up with.

 

[K-Holed]

Although they do need a larger tank, I'd be very surprised to see them actively hunting fish. They can be grumpy old men at times and will chase other fish away, but I've never seen one predate on other tank mates. The main problem arises when you try and house multiple RTBS in one tank, then they will get rather aggressive. Given enough space however, they should pose little threat in a community tank.

 

[raptorrex]

Ok once again! RTBS do not hunt and eat fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but need a big (ish) tank