What size tank would a red tail shark need? My friend wants to get into fish keeping and found out about smaller sharks like the red tail. I told him his first tank should be around 10g and he wanted neon tetras and a couple guppies. I dont know what size tank he wants to get for this shark he wants though. He did do a bit of research on their size. He says about 6in as an adult. Is that true? also the petco care sheet says that they only need 20+ gallons. I would have thought 29 when young then into a 55 or 75 when it gets to its full size. Are they too active for a 20 or 29? I would think so, but I dont know much about them yet.
red tail shark
- Thread starter nerdyrcdriver
- Start date
My neighbor has one and its a bit bigger than 6 inches... petsmart cards are almost always wrong but I would say around a 29 gal could handle one as an adult. My neighbors literally just sits inside a piece of decor and chases every fish away/ out of the piece. IMO kinda a boring fish and if you keep it with anything smaller it will harass and kill it.
I'd say a 4ft tank, they grow pretty fast & the shark shape is built for speed. They tend to jump without enough room. We lost an adult rainbow shark (very similar to RTBS) when we temporarily housed it in a 29g. They can be aggressive toward corys & slow swimmers like guppies. They need a cave for a home territory & more for other bottom dwellers.
I wouldnt call my guppies slow swimmers, but ok. a 4tf tank? Could I get that in perspective of gallons? Thanks for the reply!
a 4ft tank is a 55 gallon minimum. 55, 75, and 90 gallons generally follow the same 48" long floorplan. The difference between 55 and 75 is a 75 is much wider (18" vs the 55's 12") and the 90 gallon is the same as a 75 but taller (25" vs 21")
29gal upwards would be no problems for a RTS. I have an adult and its around 6inches. Mine behaves no differently in smaller tanks to larger tanks. Was in a 29gal (2.5ft) for a while, never attempted to do a houdini. Cruised around nicely, only timed it zoomed a bit was when when food was added, and it does that regardless of tank size. Never harrassed any of the tank mates. Currently its in a 4ft (75gal) and is living with rummynose (more small types to be added) & cories and keeps pretty much to itself, cruises the tank. Mine has also lived with guppies and not bothered them. Gorgeous fish.
You do need to be mindful of adding fish that resemble its own kind or it will harrass it. Do not add another RTS or it also will harrass it.
You do need to be mindful of adding fish that resemble its own kind or it will harrass it. Do not add another RTS or it also will harrass it.
Thats what I thought because of their activity and stuff. Well, if I start him out with a 29g and he gets it then fine. Because by the time it is larger, hopefully I will have a 40, 55, OR 75. (not all of them, just one)
Sharks are neat fish in the right setting. I have kept several RTBS & RS over the (30+) years & while there is some difference in individuals, I would call them semi-aggressive. More than 1 killed or maimed corys by body-slamming them into the substrate, corys just don't seem to understand the "home turf" concept. Took a while for us to catch onto that issue. Guppies flowy fins are tempting to even mild mannered fish, that's 1 reason I don't keep them any more.
I would not call a 30 x 12 inch tank "no problem" for any 6 inch fish, especially torpedo shaped fish. A 55g is the minimum I would keep them in long term & long term is what you should be shooting for. That & incompatible tankmates are why so many of us have multiple tanks :grinyes:. 55g can be cheap on CL, lol.
I would not call a 30 x 12 inch tank "no problem" for any 6 inch fish, especially torpedo shaped fish. A 55g is the minimum I would keep them in long term & long term is what you should be shooting for. That & incompatible tankmates are why so many of us have multiple tanks :grinyes:. 55g can be cheap on CL, lol.
RTS needs a long tank. I use to keep one in a 75 gallons and it did fine. I would not put one in a 29 gallons because it is to small of a tank. Don't forget, only one per tank or they will fight.
