shark

Question
Hi Karen,
My daughter wants to buy her friend a shark  for his ten gallon tank. I know he has  a few fish in there but really wants a shark. I questioned him about the size needed for the fish but he insisted until the fish gets bigger it can live in the 10 gallon tank. If this is possible what type of shark do you recommend? My daughter likes the red tailed black shark.  thanks for any suggestions, Donna

Answer
Hi Donna,
Red-tail black sharks are indeed beautiful fish. They usually get along with most community species and if bought at a small size they can live in a reasonably stocked ten gallon tank provided that partial water changes are at a consistent schedule ( ideally 30% once or twice a week) and there is no overfeeding.

Depending upon the individual fish and the level of care he gets, the shark should be able to live in a ten gallon for many months but I do certainly recommend getting a bigger tank as soon as possible regardless.

Make sure the tank's water conditions are safe to add another fish. You can test your water yourself at home with a simple test kit or take a sample to your petstore. As a rule- ammonia and nitrites should be-0 And nitrates- 20 or less in a healthy environment.

If you are unsure of anything, let me know.

The best thing to do is research any shark species you are considering and know its requirements to have a healthy thriving tank long-term.

I hope this helps!
Karen~