Once again, we meet a freshwater fish labeled a ‘shark,’ who isn’t a member of the shark family. The Red Tail Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) is actually a member of the carp family.
With striking good looks, these fish have been coveted for many years, but in the wild, in their native Thailand, they were thought to be extinct between 1996 – 2011. Thankfully they are not; nevertheless, they are on the critically endangered list and very rare to see in the wild due to poaching.
Rare to find in the wild, these fish have been bred in captivity and are readily available in pet stores. You may also find them in stores as Red Tail Black Sharks, Red Tail Shark Minnows, Fire Tails, and Red-Tailed Labeos.
Not for beginner hobbyists, these fish, while easy to care for, have some personality quirks that make them more suitable for more experienced aquarists. They are not the easiest fish to get along with, even amongst their own kind.
Active and intelligent, they look rather similar to Rainbow Sharks, another fish with a misnomer, but there are some obvious distinctions in their coloring we’ll discuss later.
Because this species is known to be critically endangered, and despite the fact that they are widely available in pet stores, it’s worth saying that you should be certain you want one before acquiring one. Their rarity in the wild may be because of poaching, of course, but there was likely another large component of the pet supply industry at one point.
Let’s look at all of the aspects of these exciting freshwater fish in all areas of their care and maintenance.
Red Tail Shark Behavior
We alluded earlier to their personality being somewhat of an issue in tank setups.
These fish are extremely territorial and will be aggressive to any transgressions by any other tank member into their turf.
Unless you plan on having an enormous tank, plan on having only a single one as otherwise there will be trouble afoot.
They are very active and will spend the majority of their time on the bottom strata of your tank, swimming up and down the length in an almost patrol-like fashion. This would be due to their territorial nature.
While they are noted for aggression towards other fish in the tank, they will rarely bite, nip or actively harm them. However, the stress they can and will provide towards interlopers is real. They will chase them incessantly to the point of exhaustion, and no fish would enjoy that on a day-to-day basis.
This chasing method is very effective but should be considered a bullying tactic. They may even deploy this behavior when it comes to feeding time, so you need to ensure that all of your tank inhabitants are getting their required nutrition and not being driven away by the Red Tail.
Their aggression is not limited to other species, and having other Red Tails in the tank will mean double trouble for the rest of your fish without ample space.
Powerful swimming action makes them a joy to observe as they swim almost nonstop, with the exception of some lively darting moves to investigate anything of interest.
As juveniles, they are rather more timid and require plenty of hiding places. As they mature, they are most certainly a more aggressive kettle of… well, you know!
Red Tail Shark Lifespan
Red Tail Sharks typically live for around 6 years in your tank, impressive for their size.
This is another reason to be sure you want an aggressive fish in your tank because they are a moderate commitment and will impact what else you can add to your aquarium for some time.
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Red Tail Shark Appearance
Quite simply, they are an elongated shape of the typical fish body and have a dark black body with a vibrant red caudal fin. The join of the colors is sudden and linear. There is a vertical demarcation where the black segues to brilliant with is what makes them look so arresting. It almost looks like someone just glued on the red tail of another fish onto a black one!
A raised, pointed dorsal fin contributes to their name much like the Rainbow Shark. A way to tell these two apart is that the Red Tail is just that, all black with only the red tail. Rainbows have a black body, and all of their fins are red, so some people get confused.
The combination of red and black look amazing in hobbyist tanks and will always provoke conversation from visitors who will want to know more. They have dark black eyes that also contribute to their intimidating look.
They reach about 6 inches in length at full maturity. Females are generally rounder, but other than that, there is not a lot to distinguish between the sexes.
Like other carp and catfish, they have barbs on either side of the mouth that help them find food.
If the red caudal fin ever looks dull, it can be an indicator of stress for your fish.
Red Tail Shark Habitat And Tank Requirements
Once found in prolific proportions in the largest freshwater lake along with the runoff rivers and swampy areas in Thailand, it’s virtually unheard of to spot these fish in the wild these days.
They remain in the pet industry due to commercial breeding practices alone.
Let’s look at some specifics that are needed.
Tank Conditions
When setting up for Red Tail Sharks, consider a tank with a secure, ventilated lid. These guys have been known to get jumpy when startled.
These fish are really quite hardy and can tolerate quite a bit of variation in their water conditions. But for optimal health, you’ll want to keep them steady. No fish likes fluctuations unnecessarily.
Red Tails like rocks, wood, and vegetation like their native habitat. If you don’t stock enough things of interest, your shark will get bored more easily, and this can escalate aggression.
Great plants to include might be Hornwort and Water Wisteria, where your shark may make his home.
On the flip side, you don’t want to overload the tank, as this bottom-dwelling fish needs plenty of room to swim. You can see why such a large, lengthy surface area is required.
In terms of substrate, gravel that isn’t too fine is ideal. An alternative would be smaller pebbles. You want the substrate to be right because they are bottom dwellers, and if they aren’t happy with your provisions, you’ll have a stressed fish.
Fast flowing water is ideal for these guys. Power filters work well, and additional bubble filters will support the flow. Feel free to incorporate air stones or air curtains as well.
Water changes must be regular and regular use of nitrate absorbing pads will also keep conditions great for these fish.
Water conditions should be noted as below, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 6.5 – 7.5
- Water hardness 10-15 dKH
- Temperature between 72 – 79ºF (22 – 26ºC)
- Lighting should be low; they are nocturnal, and moodier lighting will keep them active by day
Tank Size
The minimum tank size needed is 55 gallons for a single Red Tail Shark.
For any additional fish you decide to add, you should increase the volume by 55 gallons.
It’s not only a case of volume but tank length.
Each shark should have at least a meter in the length of the tank they can call their own, and this is another reason why it’s rarely advisable to have more than one for that space issue alone.
A tank divider will also help keep things less stressful for other fish if this would work in your setup.
Choosing Tank Mates For Red Tail Sharks
As we have discussed at length, these fish do not like company in general, not even their own kind unless breeding was involved.
You will need other similarly aggressive fish who can hold their own with the Red Tail. They will need to be sturdy, good healers in the event of a fish brawl, and compact in the fin department to avoid fin damage.
The bottom line is that there will be squabbles in your tank if you have one, so a thoughtful selection of tank mates is a must.
Here are your best bets if you wish to add more company to your tank with your Red Tail Shark:
- Buenos Aires Tetras
- Tinfoil Barbs
- Cichlids
- Bala Sharks
- Danios
- Barbs
- Angelfish (with caution, their fins can easily get damaged)
- Gouramis
You’ll need to avoid anything small and passive. Even aggressive smaller fish or fish who are aggressive but don’t bite won’t cut the mustard here. We would even suggest you avoid other bottom dwellers who would be viewed as competition like Corys and Plecos.
How To Feed Red Tail Sharks
These fish are omnivores and will eat other invertebrates, plant life, and even insects.
They will not be too fussy when it comes to the type of food, be it pellets, frozen, live, or flakes.
Adding blanched veggies like cucumber, peas, zucchini, and even fruit will keep them happy on top of meats like brine shrimp, bloodworms, and daphnia.
Be sure to remove uneaten fruit and veg to avoid rot and water fouling.
You’ll ideally want them to eat more plant matter than meat and ensure a varied diet for optimum health.
Red Tail Shark Common Health Issues
Red Tail Sharks do not have any inherent disease that affects them as an individual species, but they can be affected by all of the usual culprits that affect all freshwater fish.
Ich and Fin Rot are the most common afflictions for Red Tails.
Regular observation and taking notes of their behavior will help you notice subtle changes. Like we mentioned earlier, keep an eye on the red coloration of the caudal fin, which can be indicative of stress.
White spots on the fish may be symptomatic of Ich, a parasite that invades the body and gills that are difficult to treat if not dealt with early.
Fin Rot is exactly like it sounds and will present as fins that look frayed, have holes, or have thinned.
Treatment with antibiotics is suitable for these fish as they possess normal scale thickness.
How To Breed Red Tail Sharks
When it comes to breeding Red Tail Sharks, it’s a quest best left to the professional and virtually unheard of in the home hobbyist’s tank.
We’re pretty sure we’ve covered the reasons why but to recap:
- It’s difficult to sex these fish
- It’s nearly impossible to keep more than one in a home tank set up due to space and territorial aggression, regardless of the gender ratio
- Even in commercial breeding operations, they are difficult fish to get to tolerate the presence of another even when breeding is on the cards
For the sake of information, we’ll discuss what does happen when it manages to happen.
These fish are egg layers, and the female will normally spawn in cave formations. Once the male fertilizes the eggs, the fry will hatch 40 – 60 hours later. The red tail will begin to appear at around 10 weeks of age and get progressively brighter.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever fancied having a striking-looking fish that is rare in the wild, the Red Tail Shark will do nicely. Knowing that you are buying a commercially reared specimen as they are so rare in the wild means, you will also know that you are not contributing to their extinction.
It’s almost a double-edged sword, though. Did their popularity result in poaching and overfishing in the first place? We can’t answer that here. But we do know that the commercial breeding operations mean they are still here and in multitudes.
If you want to try your hand at an aggressive species, are willing to choose the right mates, and are prepared for some inter-species aggression and fighting without losing your sanity, this might be the right fish for you!
