# Redtail Shark Fish



## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

Does anyone have these fish? If so what other fish do you have in with a Redtail?


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

Their called a shark for a reason, their aggressive and will kill and eat other fish. I suggest having the alone or with other sharks.


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

Ok thanks. Here is what Petco says. 

Redtail Shark

The term "shark" is applied to many unrelated fish with a similar body shape. These hardy and curious fish add personality and character to an aquarium. The Redtail Shark is primarily a deep black color with a brilliantly contrasted red tail and white tip on the dorsal fin. This particular shark does best as the only shark with similarly sized fish in a planted tank with driftwood and rocks. Will not do well with other Redtail Sharks, or Rainbow Sharks.


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

yeah. My ex got one and put it in his community tank. I told him not to but he didn't listen. Within minutes it ate one of his neons...


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

lvandert said:


> Their called a shark for a reason, their aggressive and will kill and eat other fish. I suggest having the alone or with other sharks.


lol, I dont know where you get this idea. they can be kept with other fish. but shouldnt be kept with other sharks. they are aggressive towwards eachother and some times other fish. Its safer to put fish that are compatible with them than other sharks.;-)


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)




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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

see post above lol. mind you that fish also killed off every other fish in that tank, including the pleco and angle fish :/ I refuse to own them


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

Mo said:


> lol, I dont know where you get this idea. they can be kept with other fish. but shouldnt be kept with other sharks. they are aggressive towwards eachother and some times other fish. Its safer to put fish that are compatible with them than other sharks.;-)


Thanks Mo.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

they probably killed off the fish due to tank size. they should optimally have many ground decorations to establish a territory and a minimum of a 3-4 foot 55 gallon tank


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

They had a 55+ size tank (I don't remember the size but it was huge) it had a mix of live and fake plants, with tons of caves/rocks. It started out with the small fish and worked its way up until it killed everything in the tank. The last time I saw it, it was in the tank by its self and they wanted to get rid of it.


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

usually it can be housed with certain fish in a tank of that size. the tank should be a minimum of 4 feet


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

That chart shows they are compatible with other fish, just not of their own kind. I was reading some reviews and people were keeping them with other fish perfectly fine.


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## Jayy (Dec 23, 2009)

Calypso77 said:


> Ok thanks. Here is what Petco says.
> 
> Redtail Shark
> 
> The term "shark" is applied to many unrelated fish with a similar body shape. These hardy and curious fish add personality and character to an aquarium. The Redtail Shark is primarily a deep black color with a brilliantly contrasted red tail and white tip on the dorsal fin. This particular shark does best as the only shark with similarly sized fish in a planted tank with driftwood and rocks. Will not do well with other Redtail Sharks, or Rainbow Sharks.


This sounds pretty good. Don't mix them with smaller and more delicate fish like neons or Angelfish. They'd do better with robust fish like larger tetra, Barbs, and Danios. Here's the profile Red Tailed Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor )


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

It also says. "the red tailed shark is actually not a shark. The "shark" name came from the dorsal fin this freshwater tropical fish possesses resembling an actual shark."


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

usually, I remember helping them research what he'd need. My ex had saw him at the store and wondered if they could put him in their big tank (only had a pleco, two angel fish and a school of 6 neon tetras). They concluded it could so they went and got one. It grew really fast and once the neons were all gone it started nipping everyone else's fins until it grew big enough to take out the angel fish one by one and then lastly it killed the pleco. Evil little thing. After that it refused to eat flakes. They starved it for two weeks before giving in a buying feeder goldfish :/


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

+1 ^^ jayy


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## lvandert (Feb 23, 2012)

I guess they got the one nut case... scared me from getting them though


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

What about keeping it with guppies?


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

too much of a risk IMO


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## Calypso77 (Jun 17, 2012)

K thanks Mo


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## RandyTheBettaFish (Jul 11, 2012)

dumb question. Are they fresh water or salt water? sorry im new to fish...


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## Mo (Mar 15, 2012)

freshwater


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## RandyTheBettaFish (Jul 11, 2012)

ok thanks!


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## Pilot00 (Jul 24, 2012)

Had one in my 36g. He didnt hurt anybody. But like bettas they have personality. One might be docile one might be a bully but never kill other fish (well never might be stretching it but most of the time wont). They will mostly chase fish away from their territory and then retreat, therefore it is important to ensure the aquarium is large enough to allow the redtail some space to call its territory. I had mine for 7 years and caused no problem and my tank had a lots of fish for its size.

Redtail sharks prefer a PH between 6.8 and 7.5, a temperature between 22°C and 26°C (72°F and 79°F). They can reach a length of 6 inches but in rare cases they can reach 8 or even 9 inches depending on how they are fed. They can live up to eight years, although in some rare cases they have lived to be over 10 years old.

Oh and they jump, more so than bettas, that how i lost mine. Also they dont like other sharktype fish, thats one of the rare cases they kill other fish (including their own kind). They swim usually in the middle but they can also be bottom feeders and might harass others. 

All in all they can be as pacifists as a clown loach or grumpy as a betta. If you love bettas you will love redtail sharks.


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