Red tail shark care

Water temperature

72–79°F

Red tail sharks do best at 72–79°F and pH 6.5–7.5. Plan on 55 gallons or more. Good tank mates include guppies, angelfish, tiger barbs.

Pushier than the rainbow shark toward bottom fish and look-alikes. One per tank.

Epalzeorhynchos bicolor

pH

6.5–7.5

Minimum tank

55 gal

Adult size

5.0 in

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Group

One per tank

Lifespan

5–8 years

Swims at

Bottom

Diet

Omnivore

Best tank mates

• GuppyYes
• AngelfishYes
• Tiger barbYes
• Blue gouramiYes
• Neon tetraYes
• Bala sharkYes
• Paradise fishYes
• Electric blue acaraYes
• Sparkling gouramiYes
• Black skirt tetraYes
• Odessa barbYes
• Congo tetraYes

Full red tail shark tank mate chart: 44 yes, 38 with care, 16 no

Red tail shark water compared

Fish to keep away from red tail sharks

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. No temperature suits both.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); red tail sharks need 72–79°F. They overlap only at 72–74°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Oscar An adult oscar eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.
• Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than red tail sharks.
• Rainbow shark Two shark minnows in one tank fight over the bottom until one gives up.
• Cherry shrimp A red tail shark is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
• Amano shrimp A red tail shark is big enough to swallow adult amano shrimp.
• Bichir An adult bichir eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 5 inches red tail sharks do.

More barbs, danios, rasboras and sharks

• Goldfish60–74°F
• Koi59–77°F
• Tiger barb72–81°F
• Rainbow shark72–80°F
• Bala shark72–82°F
• Celestial pearl danio72–79°F
• Zebra danio65–77°F
• Fancy goldfish65–74°F