Red Tailed Sharks

[john5748]

On a recent trip to my local pet shop I seen some Red Tailed Sharks in one of the tanks and the pet shop advised me to buy two as it was a community fish, but over the past two weeks one has become much more dominant and is chasing the other all the time are these fish really compatibile with each other?
Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Torrean]

Edit: sorry I got confused I am talking about red-finned sharks in my posts. Luckily they are very similair fish. one major correction is that they grow to 5 inches not six (I think) I don't own red-tailed sharks so I haven't researched them so take my advise with a grain of salt.

I have a post about this in this forum. look for "how many rainbow sharks in a tank" Basically what has happened to you is that the pet store has conned you into either taking back one of your red-finned sharks or buying a huge tank as well as four more of the little guys. You need atleast six in a tank to keep aggression down. You can have just one though which is what is recommended.

btw they grow to six inches the guy at the pet store might not have told you that

edit: go to the bottom of the list of questions page and type in rainbow in the search bar that should make it easier to find

 

[BigC]

Epalzeorhynchus bicolor (RTB shark) tends to be very aggressive against members of it's own kind and rainbow/red finned sharks.(Epalzeorhynchus frenatum) so these are to be kept as a solitary specimen. As already hs been said above they grow to 6 inches anyway.

 

[loafybones]

I've got one RTBS and he's the best fish in my tank!! Take one of yours back and get a flying fox instead, My RTBS loves to chase the Flying fox and it's really fun to watch. I don't mean that in a nasty way or anything, they don't hurt each other!!

 

[Torrean]

If you happen to have a VERY large tank you could go buy four more. I say this knowing that I am going to get bashed for it. Most of the people on here are adament about keeping only one. (edit) I happen to agree with them. But they have albino rainbow sharks(red-finned sharks) so you could have three rainbows and three albino rainbows. That might be an interesting tank set up. Research the fish a great deal before you take my advise however because I am far from an expert. Even if i were an expert research any fish a GREAT deal before you purchase it. Make sure that all the fish in your tank are compatible or you could end up with a big mess on your hands. Just because the guy at the fish store says it's true doesn't make it so. Just because the guy in the fish forums says it's true doesn't make it so.

edit: also even if you find websites that say that you can have six in a tank there will still be aggression. If you want a peacefull tank stick with one plz. because you could end up with six fish you don't want and that you can't get rid of

 

[Katchan]

Torrean (not having ago again mate ) but the Rainbow aka red finned shark can get to 6 inches red tails get to 4-5 inches, but there basic attitude etc is the same. If you get lucky (I did thank goodness during an emergency) you can keep just 2 in a tank but yeah as stated either just 1 or 5-6 if you have the room.

John it may help if you give them some property/real estate etc as the main reason for aggression in these guys is territoralty. Give a little cave or whatever to hide in or under at each end of the tank, it should help if you want to try keeping both

Katchan

PS I'm gonna get another RTBS or a Rainbow sometime this week for my big tank (since I know my large RTBS will tolerate another)

 

[Torrean]

oops i misread the post. I thought it said red-finned. yeah they do only get to 4-5 but your right about the aggression i think. (sorry no longer speaking from experience) Katchan I'm really sorry if I made it seem like I was mad or something. I didn't take any offense. I know you weren't trying to hurt my feelings or anything. Anyway I've gotten MUCH worse from other people on here, but I knew they were just trying to help me.

edit: BTW I don't know if this is true about red-tailed sharks but my rainbows weren't aggressive when there was just three in there. but when i added a fourth they started scrappin. I think that it may have something to do with odd numbers. Just a thought don't take it to heart unless you see it in a few more places.

BTW I don't know if they have albino red tail sharks so scratch that part of my post

edit2: they should really think about renaming one of these species it's too easy to get them mixed up. Then again a new name might just make it worse. There are no easy answers

 

[john5748]

Thanks for all the advice and although my tank is 400 litres I have decided not to buy anymore of these fish although they are lovely to watch.

I did try to take one of the sharks back to the pet shop where I bought it from but they refused to accept it back as it had been so long since I bought it, regardless of the advice I was initially given!!

So now I am between a rock and a hard place, do I put the shark back in until it has been nipped or stressed to death by the other or keep it in isolation as I don't know anyone else who has tropical fish??

I may have to travel an extra 30 miles for my tropical supplies/fish but I will not be going back to that shop again.

 

[Torrean]

i wish i could help you bud but i'm stuck inbetween that same rock and hardplace. Just be more carefull next time I know I will be. hopefully they won't kill each other if you give them enough places to hide. preferrably a cave on each side of your tank, with plants in between so they don't see each other too much if they don't want too. Another thing you could do is buy a divider for your tank that should help and after a while once the fish get used to being seperated you may not need it any more. Best of luck

 

[DJYates]

I have had a bad experience with red tailed sharks
i recently gave mine to the pet shop because he was harrasing my other fish
the red tailed sharks can be vey aggressive and teritorial...like mine.

 

[digital_run]

PS I'm gonna get another RTBS or a Rainbow sometime this week for my big tank (since I know my large RTBS will tolerate another)

With age and size RTB's/Rainbows aggression grows aswell...Unless you can provide a large tank and alot of luck i wouldnt go with two. Even 5-6 of them is a risky buisness and can lead to disaster...They are best kept as a solitary species..JMO

DR

 

[Destany]

I have two rfs (one black, one albino) in a 55g. The bigger (black) did chase the little one around alot at first, but the littler one learned to hide and now the black one tolerates him. Just as long as the albino stays out of his territory (peice of driftwood in the middle of the tank - he shares with the ropefish) he doesn't mind the little guy. If the albino swims into his territory the black rfs will chase him off. But otherwise, the two get along just fine and the black rfs will often swim into the albino's territory and leave him completely alone. The albino shows no aggression towards the bigger one, but as there's considerable size difference, that may change later on. I've read in many different sources that these fish can be raised separately and placed together as adults. I imagine this must be how breeding is done.
Since you do have two and they are showing aggression, you may consider a tank divider until they are both fully grown. Go to a glass/hardware store and have them cut you a peice of glass that's the inside width and height of your tank, use a bit of aquarium silicon and just dot on the cracks to anchor it. This way the fish can see eachother but not harm one another. This may condition eachother to be more tolerant.
I did do this experiment on 2 male 3 spot gouramis (in a 10g tank!) and where before they would have murdered eachother on sight, they get along quite well, even passing food back and forth and peacefully eating out of eachother's mouths. In the least, the glass will help you out of the tight spot you're in until you can either get another tank or find someone to take one of the sharks.