The Rtbs Stocking Thing...

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I've read from numerous sites, that you can technically keep red tailed black sharks together as long as you stock 6 or more to spread the agression. My current understanding of rtbs is that if you put them together, they fight to the death.
Can anyone comment on wether keeping large groups of rtbs would work or not? Many people rehome their rtbs because they become agressive as they mature, i am sure more people would stock them if there were other ways to keep them, like keeping them in large groups in a large tank sort of like a cichlid or tiger barb comunity?

 

[Teelie]

I've seen them kept in large groups at different LFS's and they're almost always pale from stress and constantly nipping at one another. This is in comparison to other shoaling/schooling fish like Clown Loaches in similar settings where while stressed, they are not nearly as pale or sickly looking. Perhaps a big enough aquarium to allow territory and hiding would diminish the aggression but I haven't seen anyone keep a group together without the aggression and stress getting the better of them.

 

[ccg]

I made a similar post before asking the exact same question. I loved these fish so much I wanted to keep as many as possible. Everyone on this forum and another strongly advised that I only keep one per tank. The only way I could see this working is if there was a very large tank you might be able to keep a few of them. But even then, when I had mine he was always scouting out the tank and exploring every little spot. In the end I was covinced not to keep more then 1 per tank.

I also agree with Teelie - every LFS I go to that keep a tank stocked right full of RTBS seem to have very poor looking fish They are not showing there true colours, some are very beat up, and some on are on deaths door.

 

[Torrean]

That doesn't take into account the fact that the ones in stores are juvies. If you have a VERY large (100 Gal+) Heavily planted tank and you make sure that all of the fish get fed well then you may get away with it. I tried 4 in a 55 and one died right off from aggression, One ended up taking over the whole tank and eating all the food, I had to distract Angus (The biggest RFBS) and hand feed the other two to try to get there size up. Eventually I put one of the RFBS' in my GF's 29 Gal and one in a friends 40 GAL. I kept the smallest weakest fish and he's regained his size coloration and health very well. Keep in mind these were RFBS' not RTBS' they are supposed to be LESS aggressive. So if you want to try more than one in a tank go Heavy on the plants and make sure the tank is huge. Also take special notice of eating habits, if one gets behind on eating he will be taken over quickly.

 

[Teelie]

I've seen this done with adults too. One of the LFS' here has mature, adult RTBS and you still see the same kind of aggression and stress, even worse actually.

 

[Torrean]

That's the point I was trying to make. The four RFBS' I had did fine in a 29GAL until one of them reached about 3 inchs then they started fighting and the biggest one chased the smaller ones away from any food that got dropped in. The one in the 29 now is terrorizing the gourami's that are in there but they are big enough to take it I think. I'd like to rehome that one too but they've been such a pain I'd hate to sabotage someone else's tank. They are really awesome looking fish with very odd swimming habits though. If you stock carefully they are a great fish.

 

[andywg]

If you gave them a large enough space then in theory they would be fine. The problem is knowing how large a territroy the sharks want. My ruby shark tries to rule around 70% of the bottom of my 6x2x2 (but fails miserably due to the big pim and the grumpy royal panaque).

I would say that if you could provide a tank a little larger than mine and stacked it in bogwood to block lines of sight and create numerous hidey holes then you might bet away with it. But then most people with tanks that size want something bigger and more impressive than RTBS...

 

[Torrean]

I looked at your profile and maybe I'm blind but I couldn't find a tank size. How big a tank are you talking about?

 

[sylvia]

RTBSs are best kept alone - as has been made pretty clear here I think. Even in large tanks they seek each other out and chase each other around. They may not kill each other but they'll deffinately cause stress to each other under such circumstances. Having said that RTBSs are not the only 'sharks' around and most of the other small-ish ones are less aggressive. Red-finned/rainbow sharks, for example, are very similar to RTBSs in character but I'd expect you to have better luck with the '6 or more to disperse aggression' train of thought if you applied it to them rather than to RTBSs. I still wouldn't reccomend it though. In contrast, flying foxes and other 'algae eaters' (except the SAE which is actualy a schooling fish) can be kept in large groups quite safely as it does work to disperse aggression and they aren't as violent (similar to how tiger barbs are kept - or mbuna cichlids). They still need space though as they are active fish that can turn nasty towards other tankmates if cramped.