They are well-suited to sand, since that’s what’s also present in their native Southeast Asian rivers. These fish thrive well in soft, well-oxygenated water that mimics their natural habitat. However, it’s best to only keep one rainbow shark in an aquarium. Generally, if you want to keep multiple rainbow sharks, we recommend opting for a 125-gallon 6-foot-long tank. A short aquarium will only encourage the fish to become more aggressive and territorial. Also, make sure the aquarium has sufficient horizontal space. Since rainbow sharks are active swimmers, we don’t recommend keeping adults in aquariums smaller than 50 gallons. Generally, they tend to jump when they’re first placed in the aquarium, so make sure your aquarium has a well-fitted lid so that they don’t jump out. Rainbow sharks aren’t known for jumping, but don’t be surprised if they do. Plants and dense vegetation can also help keep them distracted, which can help reduce conflicts. They might headbutt, chase, bite, and tail-butt other bottom-dwellers, but you can reduce these fights by placing your rainbow sharks in a big aquarium with a low fish-to-water ratio.Īlso, make sure your aquarium has sufficient hiding places, such as tunnels, rocks, treated driftwood, caves, and hollowed decor. These bottom-dwellers are also well-known as aquarium cleaners, as they eat the algae growing at the tank’s bottom.Īnd because they love to stay at the bottom, they tend to fight with other bottom-dwelling fish, including other rainbow sharks, even though they co-exist well with fish that stay towards the top of the tank. Rainbow sharks are also active swimmers and prefer spending most of their time at the bottom of the tank. On the contrary, juvenile rainbow sharks are timid and spend most of their time hiding. ![]() This is especially common in mature rainbow sharks. Since rainbow sharks are territorial, you can expect behavioral problems like dominance and aggression. However, they’re semi-aggressive in captivity. Rainbow sharks are considered passive in their natural habitat, and they don’t prey on other aquatic animals. Some rainbow sharks also have a dark blue body, but this is not too common. The albino rainbow shark might have a yellow or light pink hue in some cases. The albino variant grows almost as long as the traditional rainbow shark, and has nearly the same traits, such as being territorial. Females also have more rounded bellies.Ī common color variety of rainbow sharks is albino rainbow sharks that have a white body, with the standard orange/red fins. Once mature, male rainbow sharks have small black lines on their tail fin and are thinner and more brightly colored than females. It’s impossible to distinguish male rainbow sharks from female ones until they are sexually mature. The body is also round near the head and back, but it tapers off towards the tail. Their eyes are also sunken in on either side of the head. You’ll have a lot of fun with rainbow sharks they can swim slow laps and impose bursts of speed, all within a span of minutes.Īpart from the characteristic “rainbow” colors and an upright dorsal fin with up to 11 branching rays, rainbow sharks have a flat and long stomach with a flat face, a rounded, snout and a forked tail fin. Rainbow sharks are related to carps and goldfish, but fishing, habitat destruction, and damming of rivers have really reduced their population. And to make sure they thrive well in your aquarium, make sure there are a lot of hiding places, as this helps tone down their territorial behavior. These fishes are available throughout the year and cost around $3 per fish. But they also migrate to floodplains during floods or heavy rain. Rainbow sharks prefer plenty of plankton and sandy bottoms. They generally live for 5-8 years and grow as long as 6 inches once they’re fully mature. ![]() Their bright orange/red fins are prominent against their shimmery black/brown/gray body, hence the term rainbow. These freshwater fish got their name because of their upright triangular dorsal fin on the top, which makes them resemble a shark. Rainbow sharks originate from the rivers of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar. But you should know that they’re slightly difficult to keep, so they’re most suitable for those who have some experience taking care of fish already. Rainbow sharks are a great option if you want to add some attitude and color to your aquarium. They are characterized by their red, vibrant fins, and are known for being territorial. They are tropical freshwater fish native to Indochinese rivers, and are particularly popular in Thailand. While their name can be misleading, rainbow sharks, also nicknamed red-fin sharks, ruby sharks, white-tail shark minnows, and rainbow shark minnows, aren’t actually sharks.
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