Red Tail Shark

The Tragedy of Nature:

A painful paradox: while millions of Red Tail Sharks swim in aquariums around the world, the species was officially declared "Extinct in the Wild" in 1996 due to the construction of dams and the draining of swamps in Thailand. Only in 2011, miraculously, was a tiny and vulnerable residual population discovered in the Chao Phraya river basin, reclassifying it as 'Critically Endangered' (CR).

The Solitary Rule (There Can Be Only One):

The most common and fatal mistake with this species is buying two or three believing them to be schooling fish. As juveniles in the store they tolerate each other, but upon reaching sexual maturity, the territorial instinct ignites furiously. A *Labeo bicolor* in an aquarium will NEVER tolerate the presence of another *Labeo* (bicolor or frenatus). The alpha specimen will chase the subordinate relentlessly, preventing it from eating, confining it to a high corner until it kills it from stress and exhaustion. Always and strictly insert **only one specimen** in the entire aquarium.

Decor and Bottom Conflict:

This fish will elect a large cave (often a hollow piece of wood) as its fortress and will claim the surroundings. It is not recommended to pair it with schools of defenseless *Corydoras* or small catfish: the Labeo would see them as intruders in its algae meadow and would brutally chase them all day. Opt for tankmates that live in the open, upper water (e.g., Tiger Barbs, Congo Tetras), fast enough to ignore its mock attacks.

The Sucker Mouth:

Their mouth, pointing downwards, is a precision instrument for scraping "aufwuchs" (the microfilm of algae and microorganisms on stones). To maintain the deep black of the livery (which fades if stressed or malnourished), provide them with blanched zucchini and cucumber slices wedged on the bottom, in addition to Spirulina tablets.