While there’s always an element of randomness to this, there are some things you can do to ensure that they live as long as possible.Īmong them are buying your fish from a reputable seller, keeping them in a great habitat, and reducing stress by keeping them with the proper tank mates. The average Red Tail Shark lifespan is between 5 and 8 years. While that should always be your approach no matter what fish you keep, we recommend taking the time to be 110% sure before getting a species that’s endangered.

This means we only recommend getting one if you’re absolutely sure you’re going to be committed enough to take care of it. Because of this, it can seem like everything is fine and dandy (when it definitely isn’t).Īuthor Note: Although there hasn’t been any hard data that shows the aquarium industry is to blame for the drop in population, we like to treat this species with an extra amount of respect. You see these freshwater aquarium sharks quite a bit in tanks all over the world and are talked about in forums often as well. This is something that a lot of people in the aquarium scene don’t realize. Even though it has been verified that this fish is still around in the wild, their numbers are a fraction of what they once were. As a matter of fact, the Red Tail Shark was assumed to be extinct as recently as 2011. The reason we say “could find” is because this species is now considered to be Critically Endangered. There are a number of streams that trickle out from this body of water where you could find this species as well. There was a highly condensed population of Red Tail Sharks in Bueng Boraphet, which is the largest freshwater lake and swamp area in the middle portion of Thailand. The majority of their body is black except for their caudal fin, which is red. The origin of these names are rather obvious when you see one.

It is often referred to by other names like the Red-Tailed Shark, Red-Tailed Black Shark, Fire Tail Shark, and Red Rail Shark Minnow. The Red Tail Shark ( Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) is a freshwater fish that is found in Thailand.

Red freshwater fish