# Red Tailed Black Shark



## Aaron4321 (Jul 28, 2009)

I have just bought two tiny RTBS, should of got one to be honest. Anyway, i was wondering what they ate? They don't seen to eat any of the flake food that the pet shop said they would. 

Would they eat brine shrimp?


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

Tbh with you , any half decent LFS (Local Fish Shop) wouldn't have sold you two as they are territorial little buggers and will take on all comers . You need to keep an eye on them as they grow and be prepared to seperate them should fighting/bullying become an issue . Food wise flake , frozen live food , live food , algae from the tank glass will all go down well  .


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## Aaron4321 (Jul 28, 2009)

Ye, i have already noticed that one of them has perfect fins and the others are in like pieces... and think the other is aggressive towards the smaller one.


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## lionfish (Jul 15, 2009)

I would ask the shop to swap one of them for something a little less aggressive  They don't confine themselves to fighting with other sharks and will chase off other fish , they tend to claim ownership of an area / rock / bogwood of the tank and woe betide any fish that strays into that area .


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## Aaron4321 (Jul 28, 2009)

I will see, the aggressive shark doesn't seem to go anywhere near my Pleco, ill try and get some live food for it to eat.


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## Trillian (Jul 14, 2008)

Oh not good. RTBS should be kept singly in a four foot tank as they get VERY territorial as they age and will cause havoc for the other fish. All may be rosy in the tank atm but it won't last. :whistling2:


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## atkinsww (Jul 13, 2008)

agreed

replace one at the shop, keep the healthier specimin tbh

If you dont want the aggressiveness, then I suggest you take both back and get a rainbow shark. I have an albino one and it is as docile as the harlequins it is in the tank with :2thumb:


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## quailpower (Jul 30, 2009)

ive got a red tailed shark and hes a little s***

my boyfriend bought him because he loves them, but even in a huge tank with bigger fish than him he still manages to be a bully.

Loaches dont give a toss and just ignore him, the mollies are too fast for him. And my mountain shrimp just hits him with his antenne. but apart from that hes really agressive. 

On the plus side if you have small fish such as neons and guppies, the sharks will usually leave them alone


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## Aaron4321 (Jul 28, 2009)

Just wondering if about 3 clown loaches, 2 pictus catfish and tiger barbs will be ok in a tank with a RTBS?


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## jakies13 (Aug 30, 2009)

Aaron4321 said:


> Just wondering if about 3 clown loaches, 2 pictus catfish and tiger barbs will be ok in a tank with a RTBS?


Yes, but that would have to be one hell of a big tank lol, ideally the clowns need 5 or more to be happy and less shy, the barbs need to be in bigish shoals to even out aggression and the pictus as all the others prefer a very large tank not to mention the clowns can get huge and basically all the fish are very active.

Mark


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Aaron4321 said:


> Just wondering if about 3 clown loaches, 2 pictus catfish and tiger barbs will be ok in a tank with a RTBS?


yep - the tank would have to be about 6ft though!


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## Aaron4321 (Jul 28, 2009)

How big will the clowns get?


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Aaron4321 said:


> How big will the clowns get?


About 14" and very deep bodied.


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## jakies13 (Aug 30, 2009)

Aaron4321 said:


> How big will the clowns get?


Can get to 15 inches, 12 is probably more realistic though.

Mark


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

This big lol.


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## Frase (Jul 13, 2009)

wow they get huge! but u have to admit, stunning beauties arent they!


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## Aaron4321 (Jul 28, 2009)

Well how fast will they grow? I have a 3ft tank now but have turtles in it and will be getting a much bigger tank in the near future and the turts are growing...


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## jakies13 (Aug 30, 2009)

Aaron4321 said:


> Well how fast will they grow? I have a 3ft tank now but have turtles in it and will be getting a much bigger tank in the near future and the turts are growing...


Fortunately they are quite slow growing, 3 foot will be ok for a while but, it will soon be apparent they will need an upgrade 

Mark


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## Trillian (Jul 14, 2008)

Esfa said:


> This big lol.


The famous Marge. She's a legend among Clown Loach owners...:2thumb:


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

Trillian said:


> The famous Marge. She's a legend among Clown Loach owners...:2thumb:


GO MARGE! :no1:


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## gizmossister (May 13, 2009)

eat everything and anything except flake food really nt keen on it even in the shop i work in loll they prefer the sinking algae wafers meatier foods and sinking pelets.
they are agressive should really only have one 
mine liked to attack all my rainbow fish so i put my rainbows in a different tank.


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## Paul B (Apr 16, 2008)

if they are given somewhere to call home they can be Ok. A flower pot or cave of some sort in the corner of the tank.
Ruby sharks are ok though and similar.

they are primarily bottom feeders so sinking food or the flake that sinks to the bottom will suffice.

OMG I have seen 7-8 inch Clowns but never specimens like that in the above picture. Awesome.

It must take many years for them to grow that big.

P


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