Red tailed black shark help?

Question

my shark is a hunter.

it lurks in the plants and waits for a fish to innocently swim by and it goes for it

ive lost

10 barbs

8 neons

2 gouramis

to this beast :(

i know thats horrible but its not my fault.

please tell me whats wrong with it

i can't move into my other tank because theirs a pictus cat in it and they always fight for dominence.

some advice would be brilliant

Answer 1

The black shark is attacking fish that invade its territory, which is where it lurks in the plants. RTBS are always listed as semi-aggressive, but they are more a Jeckle and Hyde fish. Some are totally benign to tank mates, some are just like yours. Your best bet would be to take him back to the pet store. You may just have to donate it to them, or they may offer you store credit. Good luck.

Dave

Answer 2

I would guess your Shark doesn't have enough room (about 30 gallons), in which case, yes, it is your fault.  These are territorial fish, and when it feels invaded upon, it will attack and kill.  The Neons weren't a good choice of tankmates to begin with, but in a sufficiently large tank, the Barbs should be fine.  The Gouramis will be questionable, but if they are a larger species (Blue, Pearl, Paradise, etc.), should be okay.