Red Tailed Black Shark

[TheGodfather]

Hi everyone, i have just joined and may i say that this sight looks awesome and is absouletly packed with information. I was given a Juwel Rio 180L tank for christmas and i am completely bitten by the bug!!!!!!! I have done quite a bit of reasearch on which fish to get... These are the fishes i am considering: rainbowfish, cardinal tetras, clown loaches, panda corys, a red tail shark and platies. This bunch of fish may change... However the main problem i am faced with is the red tailed black shark. I love this fish, i love its colours, its playful nature. However the research i have done on the fish is very perculiar. Some people say these are great community fish who want harm other fish but are just slightly territorial and others say this fish spends its whole time eating smaller fish. Someone please advise me because my filter has matured and i can't wait to put fish in it. Is is suitable for the kind of fish i have mentioned above...

Thank you, Ollie

 

[The-Wolf]

IME, the only time RTBs' are not suitable for communities is when they are the largest fish in the tank.
if you have one or two fish that are larger than it then there should be no problems.
remember only one shark per tank.

just so you know; A rio 180 will be fine for clown loaches for a few years but as adults (12") it will be too small.

 

[TheGodfather]

Thanks for the quick reply... Please do keep the information on the RTB shark coming... Even if i only have two clown loaches?? Surely this cannot be to small for just two?

Ollie

 

[SamUK]

well to be honest your clowns should be in a group of 5 and are one of the only fish that that seems to really matter about.


they really come out when they have plenty of friends.


as for the RTBS, jus keep an eye on it.


i had one who would chase off convicts so even with bigger fish in the tank it was still a little sod.

 

[TheGodfather]

Ok, i am beginning to get a picture of the RTB shark but if i were to try 'keeping it at bay' by putting in a bigger fish which fish would you suggest???

Ollie

 

[fubarmick]

i have 1 rtb in my tank, its a playful thing thats all, will chase other fish around and get chased by fish!!!!! but like thay say i think he could be a bit naughty when he gets bigger, but luckly he smaller/same size as most ov my fish now, so no problems so far here

 

[Torrean]

If your worried about aggression from the rtbs you might want to go with a rfbs...otherwise known as a rainbow shark. They look and act very similair but the rfbs is a bit more mild. I have found from my experience that rfbs (and probably rtbs too) will bully other fish if there aren't atleast a few fish in the tank that are willing to turn around and fight....

example. I was a very bad newbie when I started out so keep that in mind.
I had four rfbs in a 29 gallon with two gourami one blue one red. The gourami would not turn and fight. They got chased and pestered constantly. Eventually I rehomed all of the sharks because of this. One of them was temporarily housed in my 55 with a male dwarf gourami. He was much less aggressive in this tank and I attribute this to the fact that the dwarf gourami was willing to turn around and bite the shark on the nose. He was still too aggressive to stay with the dwarf gourami. Now he is in a SA cichlid tank with convicts and JB parrots. He get's chased as much as he chases and is no longer a problem. They are IME tricky fish to keep but if you can get the stocking right they are very rewarding. Lot's of personality and interesting behaviour. Good luck

 

[NatKing]

I definitely agree about the clown loaches needing a big group and getting too big for the tank. I had a large RTS and it was fine, but the tank was 6ft 6 long.

 

[TheGodfather]

When you say 'get the stocking right', could i have some fish which would turn around and fight but also could i have some fish like the galaxy rasbora or cardinal tetra which would not fight back??? What would be a good fish to 'control' the RTB shark....

ollie

 

[TheGodfather]

Anybody know???

 

[Torrean]

I'm sorry but I'm kinda reluctant to answer that. Most fish that will turn and fight would be too aggressive to be housed with say cardinal tetras. If you can find a fish that will turn and fight but will not instigate (eat smaller fish) then that should work. Hopefully someone else with more experience than I have can help you with this. The tank that I know the RFBS works in is a SA cichlid tank. Cardinal tetras would be a quick meal in there

 

[Spaul302]

My rtbs is docile most of the time. He even 'protects' the GBRs. The only time he gets testy is just after feeding, then he chases the danios and the gouramis around for about ten minutes. He leaves the angels alone, and they leave him alone too. He has his little corner of the tank, and protects it. He has never bitten any other fish.

Angels will keep him in line, as long as they are bigger than him.

 

[TheGodfather]

My rtbs is docile most of the time. He even 'protects' the GBRs. The only time he gets testy is just after feeding, then he chases the danios and the gouramis around for about ten minutes. He leaves the angels alone, and they leave him alone too. He has his little corner of the tank, and protects it. He has never bitten any other fish.

Angels will keep him in line, as long as they are bigger than him.

Would you mind telling me what other fish are in your tank

 

[Avinitlarge]

If your worried about aggression from the rtbs you might want to go with a rfbs...otherwise known as a rainbow shark. They look and act very similair but the rfbs is a bit more mild. I have found from my experience that rfbs (and probably rtbs too) will bully other fish if there aren't atleast a few fish in the tank that are willing to turn around and fight....

We have 2 rainbow sharks and never had any problems at all, The only fish the bother is our big sail fin plec, They sort of nibble it, The sharks are about 2" the plec is 15" so I doubt thy would so it any damage

 

[SamUK]

My rtbs is docile most of the time. He even 'protects' the GBRs. The only time he gets testy is just after feeding, then he chases the danios and the gouramis around for about ten minutes. He leaves the angels alone, and they leave him alone too. He has his little corner of the tank, and protects it. He has never bitten any other fish.

Angels will keep him in line, as long as they are bigger than him.

how old is the shark tho?


i see so many people say there shark is fine but they have only had him 6 months.


there lovely fish till after atleast a year when there aggressive side seems to of developed so unless youve had a RTBS for a good 18 months i dont think you can say if its aggressive or not.



and as for a fish to control a shark. theres nothing that will go in a normal community tank. RTBS are better suited to tanks with fish larger than them and even then you have to be careful as i found out with my cons who were chased.