Red Tail Black Shark – 5cm

The Red Tail Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) also known as Red Tail Black Shark, Fire Tail, Red Tailed Labeo and Red Tail Shark Minnow, is a small freshwater fish native to Thailand.  It was found in the clear waters and floodplains in the MeNam Chao Playa basin, however due to excessive poaching it was thought to have become extinct. However, due to the thriving aquarium trade the breed lives on in private collections.  Despite what its name would imply, this fish is in-fact a type of carp, not a shark and belongs to the Cyprinidae family.

The Red Tail Shark is often confused with the Rainbow Shark. Whilst they do both belong to the Cyprinidae family, they are in fact separate breeds. In addition to the red tail, the Rainbow Shark also has red fins.

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 Red Tails 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 120 litres and adults should be placed in at least 220+ 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 caves, driftwood and ensure the tank is well planted.

For the water flow you should try to make sure the water is fast flowing 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 red tails, 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.  If you make sure the Red Tail is the last fish placed in your aquarium, this will prevent it trying to claim the entire aquarium as its own and should reduce territory problems.

They won’t necessarily attack and damage other fish however, they will chase them persistently. Which can cause the bullied fish to simply die of exhaustion and malnutrition.  Even though the Red Tail isn’t exactly the ideal candidate for a community tank, you can still keep it with other fish. You just need to be careful with your selection!

Ideal Tank Mates should be robust, fast, and tend to spend their time in the middle and upper levels of the tank. A few examples include:

Bala Shark
Barbs
Danios
Angelfish
Gouramis
Tetras (emperor, cardinal, neon and glowlight)

As for fish to avoid, the list is extensive!  Other sharks such as Rainbow and Red-finned should be avoided. Fish with significant red coloration can also be bullied. To be safe, avoid all other bottom dwellers including even Plecos and Cichlids.  Finally, it goes without saying any peaceful/docile fish should also be avoided.

Feeding

The Red Tail Shark is an omnivore and in the wild its diet will consist of plants, crustaceans and other small insects.  They are also known for being a scavenger 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.

They are also known as an algae eater, and you will see them scraping algae from stones in your tank.  Hence, they should have more vegetables and plants than meat, and you should switch up their diet regularly to provide them with some variety.

Care

When Red Tails are stressed you will notice their red tail starts to fade in color.

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