Is Rio 125 tank ok for 1 rainbow shark?

Hey all,

I'm currently cycling my Rio 125



It's 125 litres so 39US Gallons.
Currently houses 6 zebra danios.
Has 2 pieces of mopanI wood, a beach rock, live plants and a mixture of silver sand and pea gravel for the substrate.

So basically would my fish tank be able to house 1 rainbow shark, a male as I've heard they're smaller then the females?

I've seen that some sites say they need 50gallons, but people on forums have told me that my tank is ok... So I just want to get a big vote to decide if my tank is ok for one or not.

Thanks
slakey
P.S. Just a suggestion but it would be a good idea to put up a Rainbow Shark Fact Topic in this area of the forum so people know about them, before they post.

 

I think one rainbow shark would work fine in there..with those fish. but as it gets older its agressiveness may be a problem in that size of tank..there nice fish but can be hard to deal with at times....but I think it should work...personally ..but other people would have mixed views

 

I can easily get rid of the zebra danios.

also I'm thinking of maybe replacing the pieces of mopanI wood with some rocks/slate.
Or already soaked wood, as mine is becoming a pain, and just recently done a 3/4 water change, took out some plants and the 2 pieces mopanI wood and refilled.

The pieces of mopanI wood are getting a soaking in boiling hot water... But how long should I leave them in there for?

 

I think the tank would be fine with the shark and I would leave the danios.

 

Well since I have never kept a shark on my own before (my mum and dad had a red tailed black shark when I was little) what else should I add to the tank?

I want 2 more Cabomba plants up the left side where the current cabomba is. But what plant should I have at the right hand side?

Also should I get some soaked wood or get some rocks/slate and put that in the tank?

 

Tetras, barbs...lots of things can be kept with the shark. What do you like?

Rocks/slate and driftwood would all be good additions. Maybe more wood or more stone, depending on your water chemistry (ie general hardness).

 

surely I'm very limited if I do get a rainbow shark.

I want the shark to be the main attraction.
So nothing to fancy for the other fish...
And I don't want to stress the shark out too much, as this tank is abit tight for one to live in.

So maybe some neon or black neon tetra's with it?

 

Sharks like lots of caves and other hiding places, so wood and slate would be good.

As for neons - big fish eat little fish, and your shark can get quite large indeed. They also become aggressive with age and are safest with fish close to their own size. That's impossible in a tank the size of yours, so it's best to keep him alone.

 

What about a Rainbow Shark and some tiger/green barbs? 5-7 of them? Or would that be pushing it?

 

I think you would be fine with that combination. I've found that rainbow sharks are not as aggressive over time as the red-tailed sharks, but anything is possible. I think your tank will house this group just fine.

 

have you had both sharks pistorta?

 

Yes, the red-tailed was definitely the "meaner" of the two. They were not kept in the same tank as each other, but were kept with similar fish (tetras, danios, angels). For his size (grew larger than the red-tailed), the rainbow was actually quite peaceful.

 

ok thanks

do you still have them?

 

Not any more. The rainbow died a few years ago...he must have been atleast 10 years old. The red-tailed shark succumbed to neon-tetra disease within the past year.

 

ahh ok. You ever thought of getting another Rainbow Shark?

 

Actually, yes, but believe it or not, have been unable to find one in my LFS. I have a new tank now almost fully stocked and since I do not have a QT, fear that if I add any more fish, my "luck" may have run out with regard to my purchases of disease-free, healthy fish. Do you know what I mean?

 

ahh unlucky, one of my LFS has 4 Albino Rainbow Sharks at about 1.5-2 Inches so babies

 

What do they want for them?

 

£1.25

 

What about angels?

 

at my closet LFS the angels are

£2.99 for each
or 4 for £10

they're all juveniles
but they're 2 5inch angels

 

I meant, what about angels as a stocking option?

 

yeah I have considered them.

But I'd much rather have a Rainbow Shark.

 

You could easily house them together in that tank.

 

what? a rainbow shark and a angel?

 

Absolutely. Without doubt.

 

hmm I'm not sure?

7inch long and 7inch tall? plus they like to be in a group

 

NO, they do not get that large and can not be kept in a group. They will fight.
The rainbow shark looks like a red-tailed shark with the exception that all of its fins are red. They are similar in temperment and size.

Use this link and tell me if we are discussing the same fish

 

I meant the angels get that size. Or that's what the lady in my LFS told me.

Yes that's a Rainbow Shark.

I would've thought that the Rainbow Shark would also go for the Angels fins?

 

The chances of an angelfish reaching that size in a home aquarium is a rarity at best. It is recommended that angels be kept in aquariums of atleast 30 gallons. I've had them in tanks as small as 20 with a shark and they seemed "happy".

 

hmm ok so how many would you suggest, keeping in mind I hear that the zebra danios will be ok with the Rainbow Shark?

I could keep the 6 danios and get a shark or get rid of the danios, get a shark and how many angels?

 

The danios will be fine. The shark is an omnivore (will graze a lot) and quite frankly, if it wanted to eat the danios, would have a tough time doing so. The mouth of the shark faces down making it difficult to snatch a fish as quick and manuverable as the danio. In my ~15 years experience with them, never saw either type of shark go after them.

In a tank your size, I would keep the danios, with the shark and two angels.

 

cool thanks dude
your boosting up my confidence.

Loads of people on different forums are saying I shouldn't hense why I've looked at loads of other fish, such as, Discus, Angels, Pufferfish, South American Leaf Fish, German Blue Rams, Kribensis.

But if you say it's possible and you've had 15year experience then I'll go with your word.

I mean the ones I saw were about 1.5" so loads of time to grow, and by then hopefully if my dad will let me, I'll have converted one of the sheds into a all brick fish room, with maybe a 4' - 5' tank

 

I don't know why anyone would advise against it... I would recommend keeping them in a community tank setting EVERY time. In fact, they are easier to keep than most of the fish you mentioned above.

Fish I successfully kept with the red-tailed and/or rainbow shark: Angelfish, Corydoras Cats, Snails, Bleeding Heart Tetra, Lemon Tetra, Zebra Danios, Polkadot Cats, Cherry Barbs, Golden Barbs, Black Tetra, Red-eye Tetra, Chinese Algae Eaters, Plecostamus, Serpae Tetra, Rummy-nosed Tetra, Rope fish, Clown loaches, KuhlI loaches, Giant Danios...Just keep them away from their own kind and you'll be fine.

 

thanks great help.

I advise you get another Rainbow Shark, so we can keep eachother upto date with them and also in case I run into any problems

 

If you run into any problems, I'll buy him from you...but you'll have to pay the shipping.

One other thing, provide retreats for him. They like to sleep much like marine fish.

 

I have a plant pot.

and once I've set up the mopanI wood like before there's a lil hiding place behind there, aswell as a archway for him to go.

 

Sounds good. Keep me up to date.

 

will do

no new info yet, still trying to sort out the tank

How hardy are Rainbow Sharks?

 

I think they are very hardy. They eat anything you give them and seem to graze constantly. In addition, no other fish seems to pay them any attention.