Red-Tailed Black Shark

Jet-black body with a fire-red caudal fin, one of the most striking community fish you can buy. Strictly one per tank: they don't tolerate their own kind or anything else with a similar silhouette (rainbow shark, SAE, bottom-dwelling barbs). Wild populations are functionally extinct; every fish you see is commercially bred in Thailand.

Red-Tailed Black Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) reaches 12–15 cm as an adult and needs a minimum tank of 200 L. Native to Thailand (Chao Phraya basin), critically endangered in the wild, it lives in the bottom to mid water column with a territorial temperament. Aim for 22–26 °C, pH 6.5–7.5, and 5–15 dGH hardness. Lifespan is 6–8 years with good care. Red-Tailed Black Shark can be kept singly or in a small group. Diet: omnivore (heavy on algae and plant matter), Sinking wafers, blanched veg, algae sheets. Will also take pellets and frozen foods. Plant-safe: Yes (mostly). Shrimp-safe: No (will hunt).