Species Profile
Red Tail Shark
Epalzeorhynchos bicolor
Sharkssemi-aggressive
Adult size
5″
Minimum tank
55 gal
Temperature
72–79°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Diet
Sinking pellets, algae wafers, frozen
Notes
Jet-black body with a bright red tail, iconic ever since 1950s tropical aquarium books. Critically endangered in the wild; nearly all in the hobby are captive-bred. Highly territorial, strictly one per tank.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Red Tail Shark
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Red Tail Sharkin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Zebra Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bolivian Ram
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bronze Corydoras
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Caveman99 / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0