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'rainbow' shark?

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Rob Chabot

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Jul 17, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/17/98
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I am looking to add an interesting bottom feeder to my 30 gal. long.
Currently, it's got active fish - barbs (tiger and rosy), silver tip
tetras, kribs and one clown pleco.

I was going to add two or three large cories (e.g. aeneus - sp?) ...
but saw something called a rainbow shark in a LFS. Looks similar to
the red-tailed shark but its dorsal fin is also red (instead of black
on the red-tailed shark).

I also saw something called an orange finned loach but it appears that
this fish might be too peaceful for this semi-aggresive tank.

Question: Are the red-tailed and rainbow sharks similar in
temperament? I think a red-tailed would fit in well with the 30
gallon. Yet I do not know about its effectiveness as a bottom
feeder...

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Rob Chabot

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odys...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca

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Jul 17, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/17/98
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Rainbow Sharks? Vicious, just vicious.


Diablo Cat

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Jul 17, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/17/98
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On Fri, 17 Jul 1998 01:08:56 GMT, chab...@osu.eduNOSPAM (Rob Chabot)
wrote:

>I am looking to add an interesting bottom feeder to my 30 gal. long.
>Currently, it's got active fish - barbs (tiger and rosy), silver tip
>tetras, kribs and one clown pleco.

>Question: Are the red-tailed and rainbow sharks similar in


>temperament? I think a red-tailed would fit in well with the 30
>gallon. Yet I do not know about its effectiveness as a bottom
>feeder...

Hmm, rainbow sharks are agressive and territorial. As far as bottom
feeding, they are fairly good, though I personally don't think they
are great fish. I had one for 7 years, grew to be about 6 inches
long, in a 20 gallon then a 30 gallon tank. he was probably
responsible for the death of my Pleco, by sheer harrasment.

I would only put one in a large tank with lots of places he could
claim as his own, or as the only bottom feeder. I have seen them in
much larger tanks, 50 gallon and more, they seem to do fine.

brian
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"It's the Internet, It's like the Pony Express, with little
tiny ponies running through the wires." Zoe Woodbine
http://alar.scruz.predictive.com

David Wetter

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Jul 18, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/18/98
to odys...@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca
Oh, please!

David Wetter

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Jul 18, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/18/98
to chab...@osu.edunospam
If you would like a bottom feeder that would fit well, assuming the tank
is not overcrowded by the additions, then I have a couple of suggestions
for you. The Clown Loach, Botia macracanth or a pair of Rainbow Botias,
Botia lecontei. What you probably saw was either Labeo bicolor or Labeo
erythrurus, either of which can be expected to not like each other but be
otherwise pretty peacefull. They like to be the boss of the realm but
they are not likely to cause the death of any fish that can't fit in it's
mouth. And tiger barbs and kribs will defiately give a Rainbow shark a
run for it's money especially if the barbs are in a school of 5 or more.
David
P.S. Where did this fish get this nasty reputation?

Rob Chabot wrote:

> I am looking to add an interesting bottom feeder to my 30 gal. long.
> Currently, it's got active fish - barbs (tiger and rosy), silver tip
> tetras, kribs and one clown pleco.
>

> I was going to add two or three large cories (e.g. aeneus - sp?) ...
> but saw something called a rainbow shark in a LFS. Looks similar to
> the red-tailed shark but its dorsal fin is also red (instead of black
> on the red-tailed shark).
>
> I also saw something called an orange finned loach but it appears that
> this fish might be too peaceful for this semi-aggresive tank.
>

> Question: Are the red-tailed and rainbow sharks similar in
> temperament? I think a red-tailed would fit in well with the 30
> gallon. Yet I do not know about its effectiveness as a bottom
> feeder...
>

CichlidFan

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Jul 19, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/19/98
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We have a 55 g (one of a nmber of tanks in this house!) which is home to 5
Labidochromis caeruleus 2 adult m/f, and 3 "almost sub-adult" (not yet vented),
2 Aulonocara "Regal Peacocks (adult), and 1 sub-adult Cynotilapia afra "Orange
Back." We also have a 5" Rainbow shark (purchased at about 1½") with them.
He's so happy to have these "almost" sub-adult Labs. Something he can FINALLY
chase - until one of the adult Labs steps in and puts the poor lil shark back
in his place. Viscious? The shark? Well, ours isn't, although under other
circumstances he might ... and maybe others have theirs in the
"other"circumstances and those are ... never had a problem with him - not even
when there have been fry in the nooks and crannies.

Melissa
Appalachian African Cichlid Club
Visit our site at http://members.aol.com/Cichlidfan/aacc.html

Stuart

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Jul 22, 1998, 3:00:00 AM7/22/98
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I agree that most Botias, would be good bottom feeders, since they love
to eat. The orange-finned loach/botia shouldn't have any trouble
holding his own in the tank. I would suggest that you get 4 or more of
any of the common species to keep them comfortable and also to see their
interaction. Do not expect botias or any fish for that matter to be
scavengers. You will find that comfortable botias will often eat from
your hand as well as the bottom.
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