Albino Rainbow Shark

[Grimtastic]

Hello everyone!

First post here on Fishlore.com, so if I mess up, sqaure me away please.

So, I just started a small 10 gallon tank, it is a little over 2 weeks old (about 16 days) I have 6 fish, one bubbler under sediment, flourite clay sediment, 4 plants and one small bridge for decor, and 4 apple apples. All of the fish seem to be doing very well and seem to enjoy their environment.

My Albino Rainbow Shark is worrying me. He seems to be fine behavior wise, but he doesn't seem to be growing. (I should mention he is 1.5 inches long from tail to nose, and that I have a normal Rainbow Shark that has had slight growth)

I feed them flakes, and the small slow granules sinking, I've seen my Albino eat the food and spit it out, I think it all may just be too big for it. But I do notice that it is foraging all day off of the plants, walls, and floor. But like I said compared to the 2 weeks of growth of similar sized fish he seems to be stunted. He swims fine, often likes to lay in the current of the tank and socializes with his tank mates.

Should I be worried that it is not getting enough to eat, hense the seemingly lack of growth? Or do sharks take longer to grow compared to an algea eater, or flying fox?

4 apple apples, should have said,
4 apple snails.... Sorry for the mix-up

 

[MrBryan723]

Tank size might have a lot to do with it. They start small but get to around 6" and being in such a small space with another rainbow shark it might be getting bullied a bit too. Stress levels could be high so it isn't eating well.

 

[Coptapia]

Probably eating less so that it stays smaller than the other shark, so it doesn’t get beaten up or killed. They’re solitary and territorial fish really, one per tank.
Plus the tank is way too small, far smaller than the territory of the larger shark.

 

[Grimtastic]

Tank size might have a lot to do with it. They start small but get to around 6" and being in such a small space with another rainbow shark it might be getting bullied a bit too. Stress levels could be high so it isn't eating well.

I understand that rainbow sharks can be a bit more aggressive than most other sharks, but honestly the two seem to get along very, swimmingly ... They often swim together and lay together under the foliage. I've gotten some destress fluid to help with stress levels and calm fish if they looked like they were stressing out I've used it once when adding the fish into the tank. And I almost never see anything else mess with him, only ever seen the algea eater mess with him, but he seems to be territorial only when he's found a morsal to enjoy. I've have tanks before, it's been a while since I've had one so I'm a bit Rusty on habbits and things.

Any suggestions?

Probably eating less so that it stays smaller than the other shark, so it doesn’t get beaten up or killed. They’re solitary and territorial fish really, one per tank.

Yeah, I did read something to that effect before posting, when I was researching, but like I told Mybryan723, they are pretty civilized, so to speak, with one another.

 

[MrBryan723]

A larger tank would be your best bet. If you get something like a 29 gallon you could even do a fish in cycle with the single shark without any troubles. But again, as they grow up and mature they will become more aggressive with eachother even in a 29 gallon.

 

[Grimtastic]

Also, when I got the fish I asked the person there if I should get 1 or the other and they said they would do fine...so I'm guessing I should take their "expertise" with a grain of salt. I feel bad because I used to have a 55gallon, 20gallon and 10gallon and used to know this stuff like the back of my hand.

 

[Coptapia]

Yeah, I did read something to that effect before posting, when I was researching, but like I told Mybryan723, they are pretty civilized, so to speak, with one another.

For now. They’re only young, the aggression will come...

 

[MrBryan723]

Also, when I got the fish I asked the person there if I should get 1 or the other and they said they would do fine...so I'm guessing I should take their "expertise" with a grain of salt. I feel bad because I used to have a 55gallon, 20gallon and 10gallon and used to know this stuff like the back of my hand.

If they were ok adding a rainbow shark to a 10 gallon in the 1st place I wouldnt trust anything at all they said. Especially adding a pleco if that's what you have as an algae eater.

 

[Grimtastic]

If they were ok adding a rainbow shark to a 10 gallon in the 1st place I wouldnt trust anything at all they said. Especially adding a pleco if that's what you have as an algae eater.

I remembered enough to not get a pleco, it's just a simple Chinese golden sucker. It keeps to itself and only makes a fuss if it's eating something and another fish encroaches on it's foodstuffs

 

[MrBryan723]

They also get too big for a 10 gallon. Otto cats are a good choice for a tank that small as they only get to about 2" instead of 5" and they also get more aggresive as they mature

 

[Coptapia]

I remembered enough to not get a pleco, it's just a simple Chinese golden sucker. It keeps to itself and only makes a fuss if it's eating something and another fish encroaches on it's foodstuffs

A Sucking Loach, aka ‘Chinese’ Algae Eater? That will get even bigger any even more aggressive than the sharks.

I remembered enough to not get a pleco, it's just a simple Chinese golden sucker. It keeps to itself and only makes a fuss if it's eating something and another fish encroaches on it's foodstuffs

A Sucking Loach, aka ‘Chinese’ Algae Eater? That will get even bigger and even more aggressive than the sharks.

You really should do your own research and not rely on a shop that doesn’t know what it’s talking about.

 

[Grimtastic]

Thank you everyone for your help and replies! I do see the Albino eating algea and morsals off the floor so I'm certain it's eating some, I'll keep the thread updated on it's progress and hope that all goes well, I may have to upgrade the tank based off of the information provided. I did have my reservations about a 10 gallon tank with these types of fish, but it was a free tank. I'll upload a pic later so you can all see what I'm dealing with.

A Sucking Loach, aka ‘Chinese’ Algae Eater? That will get even bigger and even more aggressive than the sharks.

You really should do your own research and not rely on a shop that doesn’t know what it’s talking about.

I was honestly going off of my setups in the past that I've had success with, it's been about 10 years since I've had tanks but I figured fish behaviors hadn't changed, just the tech behind aquariums. So that's why I didn't pay too much attention to what the store associate was saying.

I will be upgrading the tank to a larger one soon. I think this will help a lot.

A Sucking Loach, aka ‘Chinese’ Algae Eater? That will get even bigger and even more aggressive than the sharks.

You really should do your own research and not rely on a shop that doesn’t know what it’s talking about.

Thank for the advice btw!