Territorial Rainbow Shark

[Maximus19]

Hello,

We have a 33 gallon tank set up. It has 6 tiger barbs, two medium sized plecos, and a rainbow shark.

Everything got along well in the tank for the first few weeks, but now the tiger shark seems to be very aggressive towards the tiger barbs. It keeps herding them to the corner of the tank. If they leave this area he speeds back over and forces them back into the corner.

It seems like he has claimed the entire tank has his territory. Is there a good way around this? There is a rock shelter that he could use as a cave, but he doesn't seem to have interest.

I would like to keep him in the tank but not at the expense of the other fish.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[charliebankston]

Hmmm... interesting, I'm curious to see others input. I haven't owned one in years. But I have lots of cichlids. Maybe try rearranging the tank and give it a couple of options for hiding. They are supposed to be compatible, but supposed to be and reality are sometimes very different.

 

[charliebankston]

The Rainbow Shark is a territorial fish which can cause certain behavioral problems such as aggression and dominance.
This generally happens as they mature. As juveniles they are timid and will spend large periods of their time hiding.
They are active swimmers and tend to spend most of their time dwelling at the bottom of the tank. Due to them being bottom-dwellers, they are known as aquarium cleaners as they will eat the algae growing on the bottom of the tank.
You should make sure your aquarium is long and has plenty of space for your Rainbow Shark to swim on the same level.
Whilst they are peaceful with fish that dwell in higher water, they are known for fighting with bottom dwelling fish, including their own kind.
Such behavior can include biting, chasing and head-and-tail butting.
You can attempt to reduce this behavior by ensuring they are placed in a large aquarium, with a*low fish to water ratio. You should also ensure they have lots of hiding places, such as caves, tunnels and other hollowed décor- from Fishkeepingworld.com