Red Tailed Black Shark Has Kicked Off In My Tank Big Time

[Bravo2zero_sps]

Its about 8 years old, has been in the tank a couple of months (got it from the LFS) and not had any issues with it. However the tank has been fairly sparse (Trigon 190). I have recently added 4 Ruby Barbs and 4 Rams. They have been in there a couple of weeks. It now seems as though he/she has got the major 'ump about it and has started chasing the Rams and Barbs What a night to pick to start stressing the whole tank out. Can't catch it and do anything with it unless I took it out and killed it which at the moment is not an option (will be if it starts killing other fish). Its not attacking the 4 baby clown loaches though which are much much smaller than the shark and it also knows not to go anywhere near my Sailfin. Are the Rams/Barbs easy targets for it or because they are newbies intruding on its territory?

What are my options? Do they just chase other fish or do they bite as well? I'm worried the stress may kill the other fish, one of the Rams is already hiding in the plants. I have turned the light off to try and calm it down but I can still see it chasing around like mad. Do I wait until 27th and try and catch it and take it to the LFS or is there a way to try and calm this fish down? Like I say if it starts killing other fish I will have no choice but to take it out and kill it even though its one of my favourite fish, I can't just let it ruin my tank Why do it on Christmas Eve of all nights

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for your problems, does he have alot of caves the red tailed shark, they do get aggressive as they get older, and yes to be honest he could eat them.
Is it possible for now to put a partition up in the tank.

 

[Bravo2zero_sps]

Sorry for your problems, does he have alot of caves the red tailed shark, they do get aggressive as they get older, and yes to be honest he could eat them.
Is it possible for now to put a partition up in the tank.

Thanks for the reply. No chance of a partition unfortunately, just the way the tank is layed out and the fact I don't have anything suitable to do that. I have a large hollow artificial log that is used by my Sailfin and it 'allows' the rtbs to go in there with it. Up until tonight there hadn't really been a problem. I have had rtbs's before and they never did this or showed any aggression to any other fish but then they were never as old or as big as this one.

I'm hoping he/she can't eat any of the fish as its top lip is slightly deformed giving it a nose like appearance over hanging its top lip so not easy for it to get hold of anything. Its one of my favourite fish so don't want to have to lose it but may have to if it carries this on. I can only hope its having a moody night.

 

[WILDER]

Me too just hope he's in a grumpy mood because of the new arrivals, fingers crossed, and merry christmas.

 

[Bravo2zero_sps]

Me too just hope he's in a grumpy mood because of the new arrivals, fingers crossed, and merry christmas.

Cheers and Merry Christmas to you. It may not be a merry christmas for sharky come the morning if I find any of my fish are missing.

 

[Bravo2zero_sps]

Just to let you know it looks like he/she was having a bad night. Today no issues and that goes for tonight as well with the light on. All swimming about happily together, no fish have damaged fins so looks like it was just chasing and no biting. Wonder what put it in a bad mood, just hope it doesn't happen again.

 

[ICEEGRL]

In the future if you have a large plastic strainer you can catch the troublemaker and put it in the strainer and just float it in the tank. That will separate it from the other fish and give things time to chill out. I have one I use for time outs just like you do with kids. lol It works most of the time. They eventually learn that if they are bad they go in it so they act better. Good luck and Merry Christmas

 

[Bravo2zero_sps]

In the future if you have a large plastic strainer you can catch the troublemaker and put it in the strainer and just float it in the tank. That will separate it from the other fish and give things time to chill out. I have one I use for time outs just like you do with kids. lol It works most of the time. They eventually learn that if they are bad they go in it so they act better. Good luck and Merry Christmas

lol what a cracking idea! Just see my shark being put in its naughty strainer Merry Christmas to you too

 

[raptorrex]

In the future if you have a large plastic strainer you can catch the troublemaker and put it in the strainer and just float it in the tank. That will separate it from the other fish and give things time to chill out. I have one I use for time outs just like you do with kids. lol It works most of the time. They eventually learn that if they are bad they go in it so they act better. Good luck and Merry Christmas

IMO the best practical idea of 2006!!!!!!!