Black Shark

The Black Shark (Labeo chrysophekadion) is not like many of the other freshwater “sharks”.  They are in the same family as minnows and carp. The black shark originates from Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Sumatra, Borneo, and Thailand. It resides mostly in river basins that feature moderate to low currents.  The black shark will typically grow to around 60cm in length, making it a sizable fish. In terms of their appearance, they have more of a goldfish-like body, as they are quite plump.

Warning: mature black sharks are not peaceful and will grow to about 60 cm as adults. As they mature, black sharks become increasingly aggressive and territorial. In no way are they suited for community aquariums.

Behavior

Due to its territorial nature they should be kept in large aquariums. It is an omnivore and not a fussy eater, eating most things placed into the aquarium.  As juveniles you will find your Black Sharks to be fairly timid. For this reason you should provide them with plenty of spaces to hide.  As they mature into adults they will become territorial and can be aggressive to fish which stray into their territory. While they won’t physically bite or harass other fish they will chase them to the point of exhaustion.

Day to day you will find this fish swimming back and to in the bottom section of the tank. During feeding time you will notice them bullying other fish if you feed them too closely together.  It is a very active fish that will spend the majority of its time busy in your thank.

Tank Conditions

As they are known for being territorial ensure that juveniles have a tank sized at least 200 litres and adults should be placed in at least 500+ litres.  You should also try to split the tank up to limit the amount of territorial behavior and help protect more timid tank mates. To split the tank up you can use plenty of large caves, driftwood and ensure the tank is well planted.  They do like their privacy.  Although the middle and top of the water column should be relatively open for swimming.

For the water flow you should try to make sure the water flow is slow to moderate to replicate their natural environment. For the substrate you should be using gravel and pebbles.

WARNING: they can be jumpers so a weighted lid should be used.

Compatibility

In a very large tank (280+ litres) with a large number of hiding places it’s possible to keep several Blacks, however each fish will require at least 1 meter of tank length.  They have a reputation for being a somewhat aggressive and precarious fish. This reputation is rightly deserved as it a territorial fish that will become hostile should other fish enter its territory or interrupt its feeding sessions.

In terms of tank mates, there are not many that are suitable for black sharks, as they are extremely territorial and aggressive. The only viable options are large fish that stick to the top of the water column. Any other tank mates should be avoided.

Feeding

The Black Shark is an omnivore and in the wild its diet will consist of crustaceans and other small insects.  They are also known for being a scavenger and grazer and as a result will eat most things you put into the aquarium including flakes, pellets, live and frozen foods.  The cornerstone of their diet should be comprised of a high quality pellet or flake. You can add some variety to this by treating them with meats and plant/vegetables.  As for meat you can feed them: Brine shrimp, Krill, Bloodworms, Daphnia etc.  As they mature Large Fish Pellets are recommended.

They also need fresh plant material in their diet such as blanched cucumber, spinach, shelled peas, etc.  Click for Algae Fish Food at Rebel Pets.

Because they are grazers, they should be fed several times a day rather than a single feeding.  Feed them no more than they can eat in about 3 minutes per session. These are omnivores, so you can also give them feeder fish to let them put their hunting instinct to use.

Care

Aside from providing an extremely large tank, if you plan on keeping a Black Shark in an aquarium environment; a large mature filtration system, a rigorous maintenance regime comprised of weekly 50-70% water changes, and highly oxygenated water with some degree of water movement is considered mandatory maintenance for the species.

See Fish Disease Diagnosis and Treatment at Rebel Pets for help with diagnosing and treating diseases.