Rainbow shark care

Water temperature

72–80°F

A rainbow shark wants water at 72–80°F, pH 6.5–7.5, and a tank of 55 gallons or bigger. Good tank mates include guppies, angelfish, oscars.

Claims the bottom of the tank and chases look-alikes.

Epalzeorhynchos frenatum

Best tank mates

Rainbow shark next to its best tank mates. Overlap is what lets two species share a heater setting.

pH range. Tap water in most US cities sits between 7 and 8.

Adult size to scale.

Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); rainbow sharks need 72–80°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); rainbow sharks need 72–80°F. No temperature suits both.
Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than rainbow sharks.
Cherry shrimp A rainbow shark is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
Red tail shark Two shark minnows in one tank fight over the bottom until one gives up.
Amano shrimp A rainbow shark is big enough to swallow adult amano shrimp.
Ghost shrimp A rainbow shark is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 6 inches rainbow sharks do.