Rainbow shark

Taxobox
name = Rainbow shark
status = LC

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image_width = 250px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Cypriniformes
familia = Cyprinidae
subfamilia = Bilateria
genus = "Epalzeorhynchos "
species = "E. frenatum"
binomial = "Epalzeorhynchos frenatum "
binomial_authority = (Fowler, 1934)
synonyms =
*"Labeo frenatus"
*"Epalzeorhynchus frenatus"
*"Epalzeorhynchos frenatus"
*"Labeo munensis"
*"Labeo erythrurus"
*"Epalzeorhynchos munense"Fowler , 1934 and Smith, 1934

The rainbow shark ("Epalzeorhynchos frenatum") is a popular freshwater community-tank aquarium fish of the Cyprinidae family. It is also variously known as the ruby shark, red-fin shark, red-finned shark, rainbow sharkminnow, green fringelip labeo, whitefin shark and whitetail sharkminnow. [http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Epalzeorhynchus_frenatus.html Red-fin Shark, Rainbow Shark, Ruby Shark (Epalzeorhynchus frenatus), Mongabay.com, 2006] , retrieved on August 17, 2007] [http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0596&view_records=1 Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum, Fowler, 1934), AquariaCentral.com (undated)] , retrieved on August 17, 2007] [http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/cyprinids/rainbow-shark/100090.asp Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum), AquariumLife.net (undated)] , retrieved on August 17, 2007] Unlike true sharks, which belong to the cartilaginous fishes, the rainbow shark is a bony fish.

Physical description

Rainbow sharks have elongated, dark-black and greenish bodies. The snout is pointed. The abdominal area is flat. The fins possess red to orange-red coloration. The linear area from the gill cover, the eye, and the mouth has a characteristic brief stripe. Compared to females, male rainbow sharks have thinner bodies with black lines along the tailfins. Males also have brighter coloration. They can grow up to 6 inches (15 cm) long with an average life span ranging from 4 to 6 years.

Distribution and habitat

Rainbow sharks are species native to the basins of Mekong, Chao Phraya, Xe Bangfai and Maeklong in Thailand in Southeast Asia. They are also found in Indonesia. They live in water with sandy bottoms.

In the aquarium

Behavior

Rainbow sharks are tank-bottom and aquarium-surface cleaners. Being bottom-level and mid-level dwellers, they consume leftover fishfood. They are known to be territorial, and aggressive to their own species. If kept with their own kind or relatives, harmless play-fighting occurs. This fighting behavior involves head-and-tail butting. Provision of hiding places and hollowed decors such as plants or artificial cave-like and tunnel-like aquatic ornaments minimize this typical behavior. Due to this behavioral characteristic among its own kind, rainbow sharks are not recommendable to the new aquarist. Keeping them with relatives such as red-tailed sharks, and black sharks are avoided.

Tank requirements

An adult rainbow shark thrives in a 55-gallon sized tank with water at the neutral pH range (6.5 to 7.0 pH), with temperature kept between 22 to 26°C (72 to 82°F), and water hardness maintained at 2 to 15 dH. A single rainbow shark is normally mixed with other community fish of similar size.

Compatibility

Rainbow sharks are compatible with barbs and rainbow fish, which are upper-tank and middle-tank dwellers. They can also live with danios, loaches, plecos and gouramis. Also they can live with bala sharks. [http://www.timstropicals.com/FreshwaterFish/Shark/RainbowShark.asp Rainbow Shark Information, TimsTropicals.com, 2007] , retrieved on August 17, 2007]

Diet

Rainbow sharks are non-picky herbivorous and omnivorous eaters but are primarily consumers of algae in the form of tablets, wafers and flakes. They also eat livefood such as insect larvae, Tubifex worms, periphyton, crustaceans, phytoplankton, zooplankton and aquatic insects. Diet also include lettuce and spinach.

Breeding

Although known to be egg-layers, reproducing rainbow sharks are difficult in an aquarium setting. [http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0004915/abernathy_m.pdf Abernathy, Michael Andrews. Effects of Water Hardness on the Survival of Rainbow Sharkminnow ("Epalzeorhynchos frenatum") Eggs and Larvae, University of Florida, FCLA.edu, 2004] , retrieved on August 17, 2007]

Variants

The albino red-fin shark ("Epalzeorhynchos munense") or albino rainbow sharkminnow, is a variety of rainbow sharks with a white body and red fins. [http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/redfinsharks.htm Fenner, Bob. The Rainbow, Redfin and Albino Minnow Sharks, Epalzeorhynchos munense and E. frenatum, The Conscientious Aquarist, WetWebMedia.com (undated)] , retrieved on August 17, 2007] The "Epalzeorhynchos munense" closely resemble "Epalzeorhynchos frenatum" in temperament and appearance, thus they share the same common names in the aquarium industry. [http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/epal-fre.htm Evans, Sean. The Tropical Tank: Red Finned Shark, TheTropicalTank.co.uk, 2007] , retrieved on August 17, 2007]

References

pecific

General

* [http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/E/Epalzeorhynchos_frenatum.asp Epalzeorhynchos frenatum (Green Fringelip Labeo, Rainbow Shark, Rainbow Sharkminnow, Redfin Shark, Whitefin Shark, Whitetail Sharkminnow)] , retrieved on August 17, 2007
* [http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=639151 Epalzeorhynchos, Bleeker, 1855, Taxonomic Serial No. 639151, Taxonomy, Nomenclature and Taxonomic Hierarchy, ITIS.gov, 2007] , retrieved on August 20, 2007