Care of Red Tail Black Sharks

The Red-Tailed Black Shark is originally from sunny Thailand. Although the fish are common in aquariums, they are no longer found in the wild. They have a black body and a bright red tail and get as big as 5- to 6-inches, with a lifespan of around 4 to 10 years. These fish are aggressive toward each other. They live at the bottom of their habitat and create territories in the plants. If you decide to keep other fish with your red tailed black shark, make sure the others are at least the same size, if not bigger. It is not recommended to keep more than one of these fish in the same tank.

Things You'll Need

  • 35-gallon tank for one fish
  • 50-gallon tank or larger for a community tank
  • Fine gravel or sand
  • Caves, wood, roots, and rocks for hiding
  • Plants
  • Water
  • Thermostat
  • Fish food
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Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a 35-gallon tank, if you have just one fish. Buy a 50-gallon tank or bigger, if you plan on keeping other kinds of fish with your red tailed black shark.

    • 2

      Put enough fine gravel or sand on the bottom of the tank for the fish to burrow in.

    • 3

      Give the fish different places to hide like caves, wood, roots and rocks. Plant some aquatic plants for the fish to hide in as well.

    • 4

      Make sure the tank is dimly lit. Keep the temperature at 73 to 82 degrees. This may require a thermostat.

    • 5

      Feed the fish algae, flakes, tablets, vegetables like lettuce or spinach, insect larvae, Tubiflex, or aquatic insects once per day. Feed the fish live food at least once each week, as it is necessary in their diet.