Beginner help!!

[Rach1410]

I am looking for some advice on red tailed sharks. We bought 4 of them along with 4 Bala sharks about 3 weeks ago. They all settled into the tank great and all seem to be doing great except one red tailed shark. It has always been a lot slower and timid than the rest but today it started to stay at the top of the tank, nose up and seemed to be just floating and only swam around when another went near it. The tank is well cycled and ammonia is fine. There are just a few neons and rasboras in there with them. And two little fish that the shop guys caught with the sharks wen we bought them so left them in the box with them. At the moment he is just still, hiding in a plant.

 

[Fel]

Red tails should be kept one to a tank unless you're putting them in a very large tank. They can be very aggressive especially towards each other.

Give us some specifics (tank size, filtration etc) and we can provide more information.

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[Rach1410]

The tank is an Aqua One 850. Its 160 litre and has the overhead filtration system with two lots of the ceramic noodles, filter mesh and the cartridge with charcoal and wool on. All the rest seem to be getting along great except one that chases them all around! And one little fish i have no idea what it is, it came with the sharks as a freebie. Nitrite and ammonia both 0.

 

[lexiesboots]

Do you have any plants or hiding places for the other fish?

 

[Rach1410]

Yea there is 3 big bushy silk plants and 4 smaller plants. Also have a shipwreck ornament that is in 2 pieces and 3 other smaller ornaments. My partner bought more sharks today! We are getting another bigger tank soon so will have two tanks. They are all small for now. The guy at the aquarium store said they would all be fine together until they start getting bigger in the next 12 months. By about 3 months time we will have the bigger tank up and ready to move some into.

 

[Autumnsky]

The RTS - When they are younger - maybe like now, similar to kids in elementary school and they will get more aggressive as they reach what I would call their teen years and into early adulthood.

Below is some info. Mine was in a 72G and it seemed like a decent amount of room for 1 RTS. She patrolled all over the tank. Swimming figure 8's on the bottom and lower 1/4 to 1/3rd mostly but would go around the 1/2 way up from the substrate mark. Leave the outer edges free of blockages so the RTS can swim the perimeter as well as make some things in the middle so it can do a race track figure 8 to patrol the tank.

The pic in the link below is a male. The female is broader and a lighter grey.
Tropical Fish for Freshwater Aquariums: Redtail Shark

The other Bala Sharks are fish which get huge you would need a 5-6 foot long and 2-2.5' deep tank to properly house them. You need to know they grow fast. Also really need a big tank space - before they outgrow the old one. Say 150-180 Gallons size ~ 640L

 

[Fresh2o]

I know you were asking about help with an RTS, however, here is some info on the bala sharks and their requirements:
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile21.html
Sounds like the second tank needs to be twice the size of your current tank just to house half of the bala sharks you currently have.


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[HookedOnFishh]

I've had this happen in many of my tanks it's because fish act on a ladder system and the one being slow and timid is probably being aggressively picked on. RTS are aggressive 1 per tank and Balas are peaceful so they won't be a problem. The RTS keep an eye out for they will be aggressive and could hurt your Balas.


"My Corals do Better Than Fish."