Red Tail Sharks Size Differences

Hi! I have been on the hobby for about 3 years now and I have lots of fish, two of which are red tail sharks. I know lots about all the fish I keep and I know that red tail sharks are catfish, and they get 8 inches, and need a big tank, and are semI aggressive, so don't think I don't know what i'm doing. Just one question. So I have mine in a 32 gallon aquarium (I will upgrade them to my 55 when they get bigger), and their are two of them. One of them has grown to be almost 2-3 inches while the other one is only staying like 1-2 inches. I got them at the same size. They have been with me the same amount of time. They are getting the same food. So why do they have such a size gap. Also the red in the smaller ones tail is very dull and not as bright as the other one. Could this just be genetics or is the big one bullying the smaller one. I could move the smaller one into a 10 gallon but I feel this is to small of a tank for him to grow. He doesn't appear to be stressed and he is eating. He also doesn't appear to have a physical damage. I have a feeling it is just poor genetics or he simply isn't growing as fast but he is also hiding all the time. He only really comes out for food. The bigger one is out and about all the time though. I'm not super worried but I figured I would post this anyway. Thanks. (Other tank mates are 3 mollies, a blue goramie, 1 sword tail, 1 cory dora, 2 silver dollars, 2 farrowella catfish)

 

Yeah the problem is with keeping two of them together.... they're very aggressive towards their own species, especially when they mature. The person who I bought my 75 gallon from had 2 fully grown ones and I ended up taking them over. It was fine for a while but then I noticed how beat up the one looked and the dull colour and always hiding (even to the point of it wedging itself half out the water on a decoration) I got rid of the bully and the other is very happy now

 

Hi! I have been on the hobby for about 3 years now and I have lots of fish, two of which are red tail sharks. I know lots about all the fish I keep and I know that red tail sharks are catfish, and they get 8 inches, and need a big tank, and are semI aggressive, so don't think I don't know what i'm doing. Just one question. So I have mine in a 32 gallon aquarium (I will upgrade them to my 55 when they get bigger), and their are two of them. One of them has grown to be almost 2-3 inches while the other one is only staying like 1-2 inches. I got them at the same size. They have been with me the same amount of time. They are getting the same food. So why do they have such a size gap. Also the red in the smaller ones tail is very dull and not as bright as the other one. Could this just be genetics or is the big one bullying the smaller one. I could move the smaller one into a 10 gallon but I feel this is to small of a tank for him to grow. He doesn't appear to be stressed and he is eating. He also doesn't appear to have a physical damage. I have a feeling it is just poor genetics or he simply isn't growing as fast but he is also hiding all the time. He only really comes out for food. The bigger one is out and about all the time though. I'm not super worried but I figured I would post this anyway. Thanks. (Other tank mates are 3 mollies, a blue goramie, 1 sword tail, 1 cory dora, 2 silver dollars, 2 farrowella catfish)

Unfortunately even a 55 gallon will be too small for 2 red-tailed sharks in the long run. It sounds like the smaller one is stressed and not in the best of health, and it might be better to rehome it, and not into a 10 gallon but to a fish store or another hobbyist with a much larger setup :/

 

I have a african cichlid tank I could put the big one in. The African cichlids are full grown though and I don't wan't the red tail to be eaten, he is only 3 inches. I also have a 20 gallon with an oranda goldfish I could put the little red tail in, but I'm worried the red tail would nip his fins. I don't wan't to give him away though. (Also soon i'm getting a 100 gallon for my oscars which are in the 55 currently, so I could put the red tails with the oscars if need be).

 

Every thing I ever read on the Red Tail Shark is they are related to Carp in the Cyprinidae family. A lone on in a 55 with other fish it's size would be fine. Depending on how big the Oscar's are the shark may become dinner.

 

Can It go with african cichlids (Kenyi, Electric yellow, and electric blue).

 

No idea, I don't keep cichlids of any type at the present time.

 

I don't think it would nip your goldfish.... what temp is that tank at? I've never found them to be aggressive towards other fish, just their own species...