Think Fish - The Tropical Fish Keeping Resource

Fish Database: Red Tailed Black Shark - Epalzeorhynchos bicolor

Aquarium requirements

Aquarium suitability: 4/5
Sociability rating: 6/10
Area of tank: Bottom, middle
Aquarium water conditions: 6-8.5, s,m,h,vh
Temperature: 22 - 26C
Feeding: Flake, frozen, live, vegetable based foods
Minimum tank size: 120cm
Min / Max number in tank: Max 1

Fish fact file

Family: Cyprinidae (Carps & Minnows)
Synonyms: Epalzeorhynchus bicolor, Labeo bicolor
Other common names: Redtail Shark, Redtail Sharkminnow, Redtail Black Shark, Red Tail Black Shark, Red-Tailed Labeo
Origin: Asia: Thailand
Natural habitat:
Size: 12cm
Behavior: Territorial, aggressive towards its own kind and similar
Breeding:
Natural water conditions: pH 6.5-7.5, medium
Sexing: Males dorsal fin is more pointed. Difficult to sex

Fish code No.2106

Recently Viewed fish: Red Tailed Black Shark

The Red Tailed Black shark is a popular fish and often mistakenly bought for smaller community aquariums where it often becomes an aggressive bully, chasing other fish to the point where they become stressed and ill. Despite this the Red Tailed Black Shark is well suited to a community of larger, robust fish where it should not cause any problems. Avoid mixing with small or timid fish and closely related species. Provide hiding spots amongst rocks, wood or hardy plants. At one point, tens of thousands of these fish were collected from the wild for the aquarium trade, all specimens available are now captive bred and the fish is virtually extinct in the wild. A tough and adaptable fish with plenty of character which is well suited to the aquarium, but not in a 'traditional' community tank.

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