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I have recently bought a red tail black shark and i am wondering which fish will be safest with it, it is in a 4 foot tank so i don't think the size should be a problem. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Barbs, corys and simi-large cichlids are safe. Loaches can be, but it's often risky... Larger tetras will be ok as well such as black skirts.

my 4 yr old rtbs currently resides in a 125gal community tank. the only fish he bothers are a pair of pictus cats. i have schools of every small fish imaginable, and none are bothered. i added a male betta a few days ago- zero agression.

once you have owned a few rtbs, you will find their nastiness varies from fish to fish. some are extremly docile, others are mean (even the mean ones just chase other fish around. i have yet to see one kill another fish). the exception to this rule is keeping 2 together- regardless of the tank size, resist the temptation.

If you haven't already, I suggest reading over [link=this]http://fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Cyprinid%20Corner/49160.html?200410271425" style="COLOR: #FFFFFF[/link] thread. It includes input from a few members about their personal experiences with RTBS and compatible tankmates.

HTH

<>Dani<><

I recommend that if you're going to use cichlids, make sure they are the most peaceful cichlids that you can find. I've had luck with Angelfish and Blood Parrotfish, so I recommend them...

As for barbs and other cyprinids (other sharks, etc), I would recommend against them greatly. I've kept mine with Ruby Barbs, Gold Barbs, and Rosy Barbs, and in each case, the RTS chased the others mercilessly. The only Cyprinid that I've successfully kept with it is a pair of SAE's (Siamese Algae Eaters)...

Large tetras would be good (e.g. Black Skirt Tetras), and large schools of smaller tetras or other schoolers have been reported to work well, though I've never attempted such a setup. In these schoolers, people have also reported good results with large schools of Tiger Barbs, but make sure it's a school of at least 10 to ensure that their nippy behaviors are kept inside their own group...

Rainbowfish have been reported to be successfully kept with them also, but I've never kept them myself. Most catfish have also been successfully kept with RTS, including most species of Synodontis catfish,Corydoras catfish, and Otocinclus catfish...

Let us know what you like best out of all those that you can get and we can let you know if it would work or not...

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.