Red Tail Shark
Scientific Name : Epalzeorhynchus bicolor
Common Names : Red Tailed Shark, Red Tail Black Shark, Red Tailed Labeo, Fire Tail, Labeo bicolor
Care Level : Easy, good for freshwater beginners
Size : Up to 6 inches (15 cm)
pH : 6.5 – 7.5
Temperature : 73°F – 79°F (23°C – 26°C)
Water Hardness : 10° to 16° dH,
Lifespan : 5 – 8 years
Origin / Habitat : Thailand
Temperament / Behavior : These fish can be hostile and are not recommended for community fish tanks with smaller tropical fish. They seem to behave when kept with larger fish.
Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : Very difficult to breed in the home fish tank.
Tank Size : 10 gallon or larger.
Compatible Tank Mates : Larger tropical fish given their aggressive nature but none large enough to eat them. It is not recommended to keep them with the Rainbow Shark unless your tank is sufficiently larger.
Fish Disease : Freshwater Fish Disease – Diagnose, Symptoms and Treatment
Diet / Fish Food : Omnivore and primarily a scavenger. They will go after most of what you put in the tank including flakes, live and freeze dried foods.
Tank Region : Middle and bottom
Gender : Hard to determine, but the female may have a grayer stomach whereas the males are solid black.
Gallery Photos : Red Tail Shark Photos
The Red Tailed Shark has a black body with a red tail (hence the name). It is best to keep one of this species in your tank because they will become very aggressive and territorial towards each other. Avoid the temptation to keep them with a Rainbow Shark or other Red Tailed Sharks.
Many hobbyists mistakenly add multiples to a small tank only to find out that one of them will soon become the dominant “shark”. The dominant one will chase and pester the others relentlessly. Any time the submissive sharks try to get to food the dominant one will chase it away. They really can become quite obnoxious which is why we recommend keeping only one unless you have a much larger tank.
Provide them with many hiding places to help make them feel secure and have a tight fitting hood because they are also known to be excellent jumpers.
They love to scavenge all over the tank looking for food and will accept most fish foods including flakes, frozen, freeze dried and live foods.
