Sharks

[Debbie_19]

Is a 2.7ft long tank to small for any type of shark?

 

[lordotterby]

They range from 4 inches to 6 inches, i think. It would also depend on how wide and how tall the tank is, but i should think a 2.7ft long tank would be fine.

 

[~T~]

Is a 2.7ft long tank to small for any type of shark?

Most freshwater sharks grow far too big for this size of tank.The only ones I would say would work would be red tail black shark or rainbow shark as these top out at about 6"

 

[Katchan]

Ditto on that T

bala's can get to over a foot long and a black shark in the right envioro can get upto 2 feet, though thats not common

red tail and rainbow sharks (and all colour varients) should be fine in that size tank, for beginners no more than one shark, also advisable to have a few caves/hollows to make it a-secure b-call its territory

HTH

Andrew

PS forgot to you might want to be carful with your tankmates, I wouldnt choose anything to territorial to start with as it may cause probs

 

[Debbie_19]

Ditto on that T

bala's can get to over a foot long and a black shark in the right envioro can get upto 2 feet, though thats not common

red tail and rainbow sharks (and all colour varients) should be fine in that size tank, for beginners no more than one shark, also advisable to have a few caves/hollows to make it a-secure b-call its territory

HTH

Andrew

PS forgot to you might want to be carful with your tankmates, I wouldnt choose anything to territorial to start with as it may cause probs

The only things that would be with it would be platies i would think.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[james1971]

Is a 2.7ft long tank to small for any type of shark?

I have a 3ft tank and bought 2 bala sharks when I first started out. They were only small at first but within a year the larger one was around 9 inches long. It was a beautiful fish but I knew he needed a larger tank to live in so I sold both of them back to my LFS. I was gutted to let him go but I knew it was the sensible and fair thing to do.

James1971

 

[raptorrex]

i think you willl find even RTS or rainbow shark, will need way more room than you got! they may only get to 6 inches, but they need BIG space 40g minimum, but the bigger the better. I have had a RTS and a rainbow shark for 12 months now, and though the RTS would chase the rainbow the odd time things were ok. they i changed the tank!!!!! , within an hour the RTS had beaten the rainbow to death!!!! i scooped the RTS into a plastic strainer, but the damage had been done!

 

[Garbage]

RTS are definantly not knows for their kindness towards other fish lol

 

[Gatorbait]

Yea, the minimum size tank for a redtail black shark would be a 55g, imo. Maybe a 40g breeder.

 

[Katchan]

Yea, the minimum size tank for a redtail black shark would be a 55g, imo. Maybe a 40g breeder.

I must disagree here, My first tank a 20gallon high I had a very happy 5"+ adult RTBS happily in with an angel, swardtail, 5" bristlenose, neons, 1 khuli loach and an albino cory. The tank was purchased 2nd hand with stock (had been set up that way for a more than a few months) and we left it that way for another month at least, no dramas were had with the red tail in ths tank, which it goes to show the minimum tank size stated on more than site for red tails is right at 20gallon, I think they are definetly happier in a 30 though. And I wont go into multi shark tanks here...

Andrew

 

[raptorrex]

Yea, the minimum size tank for a redtail black shark would be a 55g, imo. Maybe a 40g breeder.

I must disagree here, My first tank a 20gallon high I had a very happy 5"+ adult RTBS happily in with an angel, swardtail, 5" bristlenose, neons, 1 khuli loach and an albino cory. The tank was purchased 2nd hand with stock (had been set up that way for a more than a few months) and we left it that way for another month at least, no dramas were had with the red tail in ths tank, which it goes to show the minimum tank size stated on more than site for red tails is right at 20gallon, I think they are definetly happier in a 30 though. And I wont go into multi shark tanks here...

Andrew

true some sites state as small a 10g for an RTS. the one i looked at also put the temp range for my Redclaw crayfish a 65-74 lol and they are tropical!!!! so perhaps not the best place to go for important information. average recommended min tank size, for an adult, is 120-155L.

 

[Katchan]

not the best place to go for important information. average recommended min tank size, for an adult, is 120-155L

So where IS?

2005/2006 LOTS of research (internet/printed/verbal - fish clubs) on one of my fave fish RTBS

First half last year talking to an owner/operator of a fish shop located other side of the city, about this that etc, came up I was interested in breeding redtails, he told me had article on keeping/breeding red tails at home from a 1960's fish mag (cant remember exact one) would happily make me a copy - this artical more than doubles any information had already found, its very relevent even though its 40 years old (give or take), why because at this time red tails were not mass produced on fish farms but wild caught and some home breeding, something rarley done today.

Up until july last year I was growing up male two red tail (dont try this at home folks) both in a 4'/55gallon (no aggression, often swam as a pair), I had them at both over 4", no white tips on fins, basically on the lower end of sexually mature.

June I introduced one of these fine straping young lads (well I thought they were) to my above mentioned female (she had been going through cycles of getting plumper and thinner, plumper, thinner etc it was kinda obvious what was happening). At the time she was living in my 3'/40gallon discus community so I yanked everybody to different tanks introduced the male to the female tank set up basically as per instructions AND nothing I left them at for three days, she was plump (possible not plump/ready enough, or he wasnt big/ready enough) no chasing, no aggro, no nipping, no damage, no death just sad me, oh well transferred the boy back to his 4' tank

At this point I am sad to say I had an emergency forced relocation (before I had another chance) of three states 2000 odd km (Queensland/Tasmania), to be organised in less than 2 weeks, basically ment selling almost all my aquarium equipment and all my fish, you can bet I was gutted. Some of my stuff is still in storage in Queensland, including the copy of the magazine article.

I am currentley in the process of growing up 3 red tails to try and breed

I have kept red tails since I started fish keeping, I have never lost a single fish to their aggression, I have kept two adult males in 4' community, I have kept an adult female & unsexed juvi in a 3' discus community, I have kept adults in 20gallon communities, all with no loss, if fact the only aggro past their base territorialness (that I've seen) is some dislike bristlenoses (this may transfer to plecos but they are big enough to ignore it). If a RTBS is allocated a hollow log or similar within a tank by and large most of them (fish can have individual personalities, look at cichlids) will call it home, usually they will become VERY aggressive to this home (except to larger fish, and then they may still fight) if a fish come into this home its immediatly chased off, but not usually very far. If this is done they usually end up IME less aggressive that a blue acara for example

Basically, they are much like many american cichlids in way, cater to their needs, thay are a very wonderful rewarding fish, dont cater to their needs and they can be VERY bad.

Do I proclaim to be an expert, No
Do I claim to be omnipitent, No
I do claim to be researched better than most people on TFF with regards to RTBS, and I personally believe that gives me the right to disagree with your opinion. <mod edit>


NB Any information gleaned from this post should be taken as an opinion, a researched opinion, but still an opinion, not a fact
Please all excuse my rant.

Andrew

 

[ennbee]

I currently have one 4.5" RTB in a 30gallon tank. Other occupants are 2x adult female kribs (there was a male but he died a few months ago), 2x 4" Botia Modesta and 1x 4" Crossocheilus Latius. Never kept two RTB's in the same tank myself. Would love to see the aforementioned article Katchan.

 

[Katchan]

Would love to see the aforementioned article Katchan.

I'm waiting for my aunt to get to it together and send it (a whole box of important stuff). May just send the guy some money to pay him for his time etc to send me another copy. (not having it is stopping my fish profile on rtbs from being allowed up cause I cant prove the breeding info )

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

IMHO, i wouldn't put an RTS/RTBS in anything less than a 3ft long 30gal tank. Rainbow and red tail sharks are quite active fish and grow to a pretty large size too (5-6inches long), the more length and width to your tank the better.