Red tailed shark!!!

[Chris1987notts]

I have a red tailed shark. It has been fine for about a month now. But it has stated to harass other fish. It has plenty of hiding spot. What can I do to calm him down. Any help would be great. Thanks

 

[jcolon]

I have a red tailed shark. It has been fine for about a month now. But it has stated to harass other fish. It has plenty of hiding spot. What can I do to calm him down.

Pray. Unfortunately, it's the nature of the beast with RTS's. They're fine as juveniles, but as they mature, their territorial aggression can get really nasty, regardless if they other fish resemble them or not.

How large is your tank? I recommend no FEWER than 75gal for an RTS. You can try to re-arrange the decor, create some new territories with more plants, DW and caves if possible. However that is no guarantee.

 

[Chris1987notts]

My tank is a 60L community tank. (think thats about 15US gallons). I have a small RTS that's about 6cm in length and it's skinny. With no bother. And a bigger RTS that is about 13 cm in length. That harasses my other fish. Mainly my colourful ram cichlids

 

[Nomadu571]

IMO the only way is to remove the shark to a bigger tank or sell it to someone. The rams stress easy and will have a diminished health because of it.

 

[adadkins1]

Wow, that tank is too small for that shark. They are very aggressive, and they really need a much larger tank as previously stated. The only remedy is to remove the shark.

 

[absolutangel04]

Wow, that tank is too small for that shark. They are very aggressive, and they really need a much larger tank as previously stated. The only remedy is to remove the shark.

I agree.
Do you have any plans for a bigger tank? RTS especially do not get along with each other, and they bully other fish as well. IMO, your smaller one will turn into a bully too as soon as it gets bigger. Sorry.

 

[siva]

Pray.

LOL

There are some things you can do, such as re-arranging decor/adding new decor and avoiding certain fish that seem to get the shark going, but not in that tank. A red tailed shark needs an absolute minimum of 55 gals, maybe more since some grow larger than others, and you only want one shark per tank. The shark absolutely needs rehomed if you cannot go out and get atleast a 55 right away. It will be stunted and suffer internal damage if you keep it in a tank that short. Not too mention the stress on your other fish.

Also the tank is too small for rams. You can keep one, maybe two in a 20 gal at absolute minimum IMO.

 

[absolutangel04]

It would help people to hear all the other fish you have in the tank too.

 

[Chris1987notts]

I have a 60 uk litre community tank. ( 18 US gallons) With 2 platy, 4 guppy. (1 male. 3 female) 2 ram cichlids, to dwarf bumble bee goby's, 2 RTS, 1 male betta, 1 female better, 1 clown loach, 1 pleco, 1 glass catfish. And 4 shrimp and two clams!! Wow that's sounds a lot there. But they work well together.

 

[Gboy66]

I have a 60 uk litre community tank. ( 18 US gallons) With 2 platy, 4 guppy. (1 male. 3 female) 2 ram cichlids, to dwarf bumble bee goby's, 2 RTS, 1 male betta, 1 female better, 1 clown loach, 1 pleco, 1 glass catfish. And 4 shrimp and two clams!! Wow that's sounds a lot there. But they work well together.

Holy crap no. The gobys are brackish, is the pleco a common? The clown loach is going to get much too big. Did you research and of these fiah before you bought them?

 

[Chris1987notts]

Am i over stocked??

I have a 60 uk litre community tank. (18 US gallons) With 2 platy, 4 guppy. (1 male. 3 female) 2 ram cichlids, to dwarf bumble bee goby's, 2 RTS, 1 male betta, 1 female better, 1 clown loach, 1 pleco, 1 glass catfish. And 4 shrimp and two clams. But they work well together.
and have done for over 2 months??

 

[siva]

I have a 60 uk litre community tank. ( 18 US gallons) With 2 platy, 4 guppy. (1 male. 3 female) 2 ram cichlids, to dwarf bumble bee goby's, 2 RTS, 1 male betta, 1 female better, 1 clown loach, 1 pleco, 1 glass catfish. And 4 shrimp and two clams!! Wow that's sounds a lot there. But they work well together.

What kind of pleco?

Clown loaches get huge and need stocked in groups of atleast 5. I'm not sure on minimum tank size for them but it's definitely 55 or more gallons.

A male and female betta absolutely should not be kept together during any time other than breeding IMO. It may be working well now, but that doesn't mean it's going to be that way long term.

Glass cats need minimum of 29 gals, I prefer 40 or more, and are schoolers that need stocked in groups of 6 or more.

BB gobies are brackish water fish so they shouldn't be in there either.

The platties, guppies, rams, shrimp, and clams stock your tank, if not overstock it. Everything else should be removed.

 

[Mrc8858]

The aggression in that tank will be too Much and start killing fish..{mod edit}what kind of pleco too {mod edit} because most {mod edit} are way to {mod edit}large for a tank that size along with a few other of those fish

 

[absolutangel04]

What kind of pleco and what kind of loach?

A male and female betta absolutely should not be kept together during any time other than breeding IMO. It may be working well now, but that doesn't mean it's going to be that way long term.

Glass cats need minimum of 29 gals, I prefer 40 or more, and are schoolers that need stocked in groups of 6 or more.

BB gobies are brackish water fish so they shouldn't be in there either.

The platties, guppies, rams, shrimp, and clams stock your tank, if not overstock it. Everything else should be removed.

I agree. BTW, he said clown loach (maybe its on another thread).

 

[Chris1987notts]

The goby's are fresh water. They have all been in the tank for over two months now. And Iv had no problem. They are all happy healthy and disease free. And the water is tip top.

 

[Chris1987notts]

Its about 10cm

 

[davePM]

The goby's are fresh water. They have all been in the tank for over two months now. And Iv had no problem. They are all happy healthy and disease free. And the water is tip top.

I can assure you they won't be "happy". Not a chance! That tank is way too small for most of that! You really need to listen to the replies you are getting from experienced fish keepers on the forum.

 

[Gboy66]

The goby's are fresh water. They have all been in the tank for over two months now. And Iv had no problem. They are all happy healthy and disease free. And the water is tip top.

No. Bumble bee gobys are brackish. They can SURVIVE in fresh water, but dont thrive in it. They are sold as freshwater fish but arent. Theres a thing called reaearch.

 

[Mrc8858]

Maybe now but depending on which kind it could grow well over 30 cm

 

[absolutangel04]

No. Bumble bee gobys are brackish. They can SURVIVE in fresh water, but dont thrive in it. They are sold as freshwater fish but arent. Theres a thing called reaearch.

I have read research indicating BBG are ok in fw. Traditionally, they were thought of as brackish, yet some stores sell them as fw. However, I have read research and legit stories about people keeping them in fw for their lives. I do not know for sure because I do not own BBG, I am just saying that there is evidence that a fw life is ok for them if you research it.