MarkLB Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Hi all. I've had a Redtailed Black Shark for about 6 months. He was only a youngster when I got him. At the same time I got a school -10 - baby Tiger Barbs. All was well until about a month ago. The Shark started hassling the Barbs relentlessly. He killed one two days ago. :evil: Is this normal behaviour for a Black Shark to attack Tigers or is he just a stroppy individual? I have to get him out of the tank before he hurts anything else but I don't want to pass on a nasty fish. Would he be OK in a tank without Barbs?? The tank has Neons , Serpaes , Corys , Guppys , BNs , Danios. He bothers the Corys a little but they aren't too bothered by him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Angl Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Red Tail Sharks tend to get very territorial with other fish which look the same colour / size / Shape, as (apparently they aren't the brightest of fish...) they think its a rival Red Tail.... Mine harasses my clown loaches until all 5 gang up on it and show it whose in charge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 I've had trouble with my RTB aswell (till all the other fish died ) I'm seting up a bigger tank for him in the hope that the other fish wont go into his cave. my danios used to have real trouble with him, in a small tank with only one structure end result he is only fish left, tank got struck with disease due to the stressed out neons and danios. hope this dosent happen to you. I have heard others having RTB's and barbs together, I think they had quite a large tank though. I hope someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I think space and position of his home will have a large effect on how often he chases your other fish. also having a few fish that like to fight back instead of just running away might help put him in his place and keep his territory smaller. of course this is all an assumption, but its what i'm planning my new setup around so thought I would put it out there for critic. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 My RTB (named Smine, a shortened version of thats mine) was doing the same until I added more hidey holes and caves. He has now learnt to share The clown loaches give him a run for his money though which can be rather funny to watch He was almost named Osama due to the unneccessary terrorism in the tank but is back to being affectionatly called smine as he still likes to think all the hidey holes belong solely to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTam22 Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Hi, I'm glad I just found this as I have had the exact same problem. A couple weeks ago I have a mystery death of one of my healthy female kribs, I was really shocked to find her dead and there was not really any explanation I did a 50% water change and just carried on as usual, since then no other deaths except…… I noticed that my red tail shark would hassle every fish including a 20cm pleco and a red finned shark (they were meant to be friends) then I came home last Friday and there was the red tailed shark DEAD he was sitting head up in the water vertically with his tail touching the stones and missing a few scales??? I figure that the pleco had enough of him as there isn't really any fish in his tank to beat him up????? :-? :-? :-? :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 :bounce: :bounce: Yee-hah This looks like an excuse for a new tank. I WISH. I think I'll be looking for a home for the Shark. I'll try a few more flowerpots and if that fails....he's packing his bags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTam22 Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Good idea!! otherwise your not going to have happy campers (other fish :lol: ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 MarkLB what size is your tank? just wondering how much room he has to himself. I've read that RTB's dont feal at home unless they can put their bodies against something solid, maybe a long piece of terracotta pipe instead of a pot would work better, make it harder for him to see the barbs. I'm also wondering if having a midwater cave for the barbs would keep them out of the sharks way as he prob spends most of his time on or near the bottom. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmchick Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 you could always put him in a tank of cichlids then I bet he would back down............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 red tails are known for eating guppies, danios etc etc. i have mine in a tank with an oscar, sev and pleco and he does great. my oscar is placid but will give him a chase every now and again if he gets cheeky at feeding time but because all the other fish are so large he cant hurt anyone, i also dont have to feed him specifically that often as the oscar makes a large mess when eating and it ends up that his gill particles are just the right size for the RTBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 arent red tails herbivorous? I know they chase them, but eat? Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 my friend told me she had a heap of guppies go missing, didnt know who did it until she saw the RTS with one hanging out of his mouth. perhaps they normally just kill them and not eat them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 I had a RTS when I was a kid (~10-12yrs ago), and I remember it being a problem harrassing other fish, I dont remember the specifics but I have this automatic 'NO WAY' reaction to buying one now. I remember him being fine younger, but a huge problem when he got older. Also remember when my tinfoil barbs had a swordtail lollipop :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 MarkLB what size is your tank? Its a 3 footer. 165 litres. The Shark is still fairly small......75mm excl' tail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 you could always put him in a tank of cichlids then I bet he would back down............ I have an tank of African Cichlids.....they'd sort him out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 FYI this is what I've done so far..... I've put in a few more plants to give the Tigers more cover and I've got a terracota pipe for the Shark. Things seem to be calmer. Thanks all for any advice given. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Posted July 31, 2006 Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 good to hear he has calmed down, out of interest did he have a hiddie hole before you added the terracota pipe? planning of puting one of these in my larger tank aswell as a few other caves n such Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted July 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2006 good to hear he has calmed down, out of interest did he have a hiddie hole before you added the terracota pipe? He did have a hidey hole under a hunk of wood but he could see out of it and swam out every time a Tiger went past....which is always. With the terracota pipe he can get in and not see anyone swimming past so he'll just settle in there....thats the idea anyway :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.