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Red-tailed Labeo, lat. Epalzeorhynchos bicolor


Order: Cypriniformes;
Family: Cyprinidae;
Genus: Epalzeorhynchos;
Species and synonyms: Red-tailed Labeo (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor, Labeo bicolor, Red-tailed Labeo, Red-tailed Shark, Redtail Shark, Firetail Shark).

GBIF: Epalzeorhynchos bicolor (Smith, 1931)

Red-tailed Labeo (lat. Epalzeorhynchos bicolor) is a species of ray-finned fish from the order Cypriniformes, family Cyprinidae, genus Epalzeorhynchos. A popular aquarium fish also known as the Red-tailed Shark.

Distribution. The natural range of the Red-tailed Labeo covers rivers and streams of Thailand, mainly the Meklong River basin. The fish prefer clear, fast-flowing waters with rocky or sandy bottoms. Currently considered extinct in the wild and survives only through the aquarium trade. It has been recorded as an introduced species in some countries.

Care requirements. The Red-tailed Labeo is an active fish that grows up to 10–12 cm in the aquarium. To keep a group, an aquarium of at least 150 liters with a length of 100 cm is recommended. Optimal water parameters: temperature 22–27°C, hardness 5–15 dGH, pH 6.0–7.5. Powerful filtration, good aeration and water flow created by a powerhead are important. Weekly water changes of 20–25% are mandatory. Stones, driftwood and shelters are placed at the bottom, sand or fine gravel is used as substrate. Plants should have large, tough leaves.

Red-tailed Labeos are omnivorous, with plant foods forming the basis of their diet: algae, blanched lettuce leaves, spinach, zucchini. Additionally, they are given live and frozen foods (bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp), as well as high-quality dry flakes and granules. Juvenile fish are effective at eating algae, but with age, interest in plant food decreases.

In the aquarium, Red-tailed Labeos are active in the lower and middle water layers. They are territorial and can show strong aggression towards conspecifics and other fish. It is recommended to keep them singly or in a group consisting of one female and several males, provided the aquarium is large enough. Recommended tankmates include barbs, danios, rasboras, large tetras, loaches and other active fish. It is not recommended to keep them with slow-moving or too small fish, as well as with veiltail forms.

Breeding in home aquariums is difficult due to the specific nature of spawning. In nature, spawning occurs during the rainy season in fast-flowing rivers. Sexual differences are weakly expressed: females become fuller-bodied during the spawning period, males have a brighter red tail. In aquarium keeping, breeding usually uses hormonal stimulation in specialized farms.

The Red-tailed Labeo differs from the closely related species Epalzeorhynchos frenatus (Rainbow Shark) by the absence of red coloration on the dorsal, pelvic and anal fins — in the Red-tailed Labeo, only the caudal fin is red. The body is black and velvety, juveniles may be grayish. Life expectancy is 8–12 years.