Red-tail shark care guide

Plan a tank with red-tail sharksSee all tank mates

Red-tail shark quick facts

• Known jumper: keep a tight-fitting lid.

Tank setup

One red-tail needs a tank at least 4 ft (120 cm) long and 18 in (45 cm) front to back, such as a standard 75-gallon (284 L). Most 55-gallon tanks are too narrow for an adult. Build caves, rock piles, wood and planted areas so it can claim a spot and other fish can get out of sight. Sand or smooth gravel suits its bottom grazing. Keep a tight lid, as it can jump.

How many red-tail sharks in a tank?

The smallest common tank that suits red-tail sharks is a 75 gallon. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.

Numbers are bioload limits only. Keep only one per tank.

Water parameters

Keep it at 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6.5–7.5 and soft to moderately hard water. It likes clean, well-oxygenated water with some current. Weekly partial water changes keep it healthy and help keep it calmer.

Best tank mates for red-tail sharks

These popular species share red-tail sharks' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 44 good matches.

• Betta fish

  6.5 cm (2.6 in) · 24–28°C (75–82°F)

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Dwarf gourami

  7.5 cm (3 in) · 24–28°C (75–82°F)

• Angelfish

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 24–29°C (75–84°F)

• Tiger barb

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Assassin snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Ramshorn snail

  2 cm (0.8 in) · 21–27°C (70–81°F)

• Malaysian trumpet snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 20–27°C (68–81°F)

Avoid keeping red-tail sharks with

• Cherry shrimp: Red-tail shark eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
• Discus: They need different temperatures: Red-tail shark 22–26°C (72–79°F), discus 28–30°C (82–86°F).
• Electric yellow cichlid: Electric yellow cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Red-tail sharks don't belong in that setup.
• German blue ram: They need different temperatures: Red-tail shark 22–26°C (72–79°F), german blue ram 27–30°C (81–86°F).
• Pea puffer: Pea puffer is best kept in a species-only tank.
• Peacock cichlid: Peacock cichlid is a Lake Malawi cichlid. It needs a Lake Malawi tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 7.5–8.5), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Red-tail sharks don't belong in that setup.

Feeding

An omnivore that grazes algae and biofilm but can't live on algae alone. Feed sinking pellets or algae wafers daily, plus frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp or daphnia a few times a week. Add blanched vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, peas or spinach.

Behavior

Young fish look shy, but adults turn territorial and chase anything near their spot, especially bottom-dwellers and similar-shaped fish. Keep only one, and never mix it with rainbow sharks. Fast mid- and top-water fish such as danios, larger rasboras, barbs, rainbowfish and robust tetras are the best tankmates. Most cichlids and catfish are best avoided.

Breeding

Not bred in home aquariums. Every fish in the trade comes from farms in Southeast Asia, which are thought to spawn them with hormone treatments. The species is critically endangered in the wild, so farm-bred fish are the only responsible choice.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Keep one red-tail per tank. Two will fight constantly in all but huge aquariums.
• Don't house it with rainbow sharks, flying foxes, Siamese or Chinese algae eaters, or other similar-shaped fish.
• Give it a cave of its own, ideally at one end of the tank.
• Add it as the last fish, so it can't claim the whole tank before others settle in.
• A faded gray body usually means stress or poor water. Good care keeps it jet black.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• fishbase.se
• aquariumsource.com