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Red-Tailed Black Shark; Red-Tailed Labeo
Elongated fish with slight lateral compression. The mouth faces
downward and two pairs of barbels are present. The main body color is
black which provides an impressive contrast with the striking bright red
tail. Specimens kept in unsuitable conditions are paler. These fish grow
to 6" (15 cm) and are found in clear and muddy rivers with wood and
stones of Southeast Asia, from the Me Nam Chao Playa basin to the
Paknampo region in Central Thailand. They inhabit the bottom and
middle of the tank. A tank with a capacity of 35 gallons (132 L) is
sufficient. Provide multiple hiding places with caves, wood, roots, and
rocks. Use a fine gravel or sand substrate for this species will burrow.
The tank should be well-planted with robust plants and have dim
lighting. The water parameters should be in the ranges of pH 6-7.7
(7.2); 5-18 dH (10); with water temperatures of 73-82°F (23-28°C).
These fish can be kept in a community tank. Keep only one specimen to
a tank, because this species is very aggressive to their own and other
similar looking species. Keep more than one individual in large tanks
(i.e. tanks over 50 gallons). The Red-tailed Shark establishes a territory
to defend aggressively. Older fish may become aggressive towards all
other fish. Recommended tank mates include Gouramis, Barbs, Danios,
Bala Shark, Loaches, Acaras, Eartheaters, Angelfish, hatchetfish, Characins.
This fish should be fed a diet of Algae; flakes; tablets; vegetables;
lettuce, spinach; live; insect larvae, Tubifex, crustaceans, aquatic insects.
When sexing, the female is less colorful and larger while the male is
slimmer and has an elongated dorsal fin.
Breeding is difficult because of their aggressive behavior towards their
own species. They are not bred often, although it has been in
accomplished in peat filtered water with a pH of 6.8. Use dim light or no
light. They spawn in rocky caves and fry hatch after 30 to 60 hours. The
fry are free swimming after four days. Start feeding with small live
foods. Their colors change from silvery to silvery brown, to brown and
finally to black. The red tail develops after 7 to 10 weeks.
