What to feed this little guy?

[Mustangman11224]

Hey guys so I went to the fish store today and bought this little guy. He's a fresh water shark. he said he eats regular tropical flakes... Only he hasn't eaten anything yet is tropical flakes the correct food?
Thanks for the help,
Dan
Btw if I wasn't working 7:00 am to 9:00 pm I would just go back up to the store to get help unfortunately my day off isn't until Tuesday and idt he can last that long w/o food.
Thanks again

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I'd give him sinking shrimp pellets, that's a red tailed shark by the way

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Well you just got the fish today, he's probably a little stressed and needs time to get acclimated and comfortable in his new environment. Give it some time, he'll probably have an appetite by tomorrow. No need to panic, fish can go for days without eating.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Sinking shrimp pellets ok thanks... Red tailed shark... The guy didn't call him that... This fish doesn't get bigger does he? I don't think this guy really knew what he was doing at all because I asked him what the name was and he was like.... Nothing specific there just called fresh water sharks. :/

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yea true he might be a bit stressed, but they prefer shrimp pellets

 

[Cynic]

It's a rainbow shark, it'll eat when it's feeling more acclimatised and if your tank is too small it'll become a destructive machine.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Well you just got the fish today, he's probably a little stressed and needs time to get acclimated and comfortable in his new environment. Give it some time, he'll probably have an appetite by tomorrow. No need to panic, fish can go for days without eating.

Ok thanks this makes me feel a little better lol..

 

[Mustangman11224]

It's a rainbow shark, it'll eat when it's feeling more acclimatised and if your tank is too small it'll become a destructive machine.

My tank is a 36 gal... Destructive machine what does that mean lol...

 

[Cynic]

My tank is a 36 gal... Destructive machine what does that mean lol...

It means it will become territorial and likely wipe out your other fish depending on your stocking.

 

[Mustangman11224]

It means it will become territorial and likely wipe out your other fish depending on your stocking.

Oh.... I have a large pleco.... 5 guppies and 3 tetra.... He has been swimming around with them all day... Should I return him? Will he kill the neon tetra and the guppies?

 

[Cynic]

Oh.... I have a large pleco.... 5 guppies and 3 tetra.... He has been swimming around with them all day... Should I return him? Will he kill the neon tetra and the guppies?

I'd say the neons and guppies are potential targets for him.

Personally I would return him as a 36G is too small for a rainbow shark and thus I would expect the territorial issues to occur.

It's your call, if you're happy to take the risk you can watch and see if he starts chasing them in a few weeks.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Ok thanks... Would he by chance go after my pleco... I have to get a bigger tank for my pleco... I was getting a 150 gal for him because he's getting big... So if I put them in the same tank would they b ok?

 

[Cynic]

Ok thanks... Would he by chance go after my pleco... I have to get a bigger tank for my pleco... I was getting a 150 gal for him because he's getting big... So if I put them in the same tank would they b ok?

In a 150G...plus the fact your pleco will dwarf him...would be fine

 

[Mustangman11224]

Ok thanks !!!!!!

 

[AngelFishGirl]

That's a Red Tailed Shark it's pretty hit and miss with them. They are ALWAYS labeled as highly territorial and destructive. However, many of them are docile. Mine is a sweetheart.

However, minimum tank size for a RTS is 50 gallons. And limited to only one.

Mine eats flakes just fine but I also feed sinking shrimp pellets and that does the trick too.

EDIT: Nevermind there's a red dorsal fin. That's a rainbow shark I believe

 

[bshenanagins]

I'd get some algae wafers, mine LOVED it when I had him. They like to graze on algae anyway so If you have none then he will really go for it

 

[reefdiver]

I have onw at 5" and he us territorial.

 

[Mustangman11224]

It turns out he is very territorial around feeding time... I feed the guppies there flakes on one end of the tank and him his shrimp pellets on the other... It seems the more time hes in the tank the more territorial he is getting he's chasing all the neons and guppies around like crazy... My 75 gal will b here tomarrow!!!! So what's the fastest way to cycle a tank this big.... Should I buy a block of that cycled media from that website... Also what is the name of that site I forgot it... I have amonia drops but that took forever with my 36 gal... Also when I set my tank up with this sand... Should I wait till the sediment settles b4 turning the filter on? Thanks for all the help... Can't wait lol this is the biggest tank I have ever had!!!!