# Rainbow Sharks



## PSmithAZ (Aug 12, 2007)

I currently have 1 albino rainbow shark and 1 rainbow shark in the same tank. It is 55 gallons. I noticed that the older of the two has establised territories throughout the tank, leaving the albino with just the corner. Every time the albino comes out from the corner the other chases it back into the corner. I plan to put one of them in a 125 gal cichlid tank once I can aquire everything. Will the sharks be ok in the mean time? And, will a rainbow shark be able to co-exist with S. African Cichlids?


----------



## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

I think the sharks would be okay with cichlids, but what do you mean by S. African? What lake?


----------



## PSmithAZ (Aug 12, 2007)

The plan is for a Malawian Cichlid tank.


----------



## bscman (Mar 23, 2007)

The problem you will run into is stress.
I've kept two rainbow sharks in the same tank for short lengths of time in the past, and they're always faired well--i.e. healthy, no nipped fins, etc....but you will find they tend to be a little stressed. 
Typically, they won't reach that vibrant black and red color of a healthy happy rainbow shark--instead, the stresses will cause them to be more of a gray and pink (then again, one of yours is albino!)

The best bet is to move around some of the territory from time to time. When things change, the dominant fish will have to take time to re-establish his territory...in the mean time, it may give a chance to the weaker fish to claim some of his own.

Another thing to do is make sure you have plenty of "caves" or other hiding places for these fish. My experiences are that if they see another rainbow shark, they chase it. If they don't SEE it, they just don't care.

They also tend to be a fish that stays near the bottom of the tank...so building a non-transparent divider that is 6-8" tall between the two sides the fish normally stay on might also help keep the aggression to a minimum--another one of those "I can't see you so I don't care" kind of things.

How large are the "sharks?"
The larger they are the more aggressive they seem to be.


----------



## davedudeman (Jun 25, 2007)

You might wanna try throwing some ornaments in so the smaller one can roam around a little more.


----------



## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

And if you, like me, despire plastic ornaments, just use lots of rocks and even driftwood to keep the bottom half of the tank broken up and covered


----------



## DancingBetta (Jun 28, 2007)

2 Rainbow sharks shouldn't really be kept together but you probably won't want to get rid of them. Make a THICK (as in, 6'' plus) divider or fake plants and rocks, or do a glass divider.

I'm just testing a theory.


----------



## Laura Ann (May 3, 2006)

The two rainbow sharks will do well in the tank if there is enough cover. You won't have to do as much as 6" thick (as stated in the post above), however you do want your tank to have lots of hiding places and rocky territories for the fish, not only the sharks, but the Malawians too.

Good luck!


----------

