Freshwater Fish
Rainbow Shark.
A dark-bodied shark with fiery red-orange fins — sleek, fast, and territorial. Striking as a single specimen with semi-aggressive tankmates and plenty of caves in a 55-gallon-plus tank. Best as the only shark in the tank.
In-store purchase only. Live fish, coral, and invertebrates are sold at our Erie store only. They cannot be bought online, and we do not ship live animals under any circumstances.
Live fish are priced per supplier batch — prices may vary. Call to confirm current pricing.
- Condition
- new
- Fulfillment
- Local pickup — Erie, PA
Live animals are sold in store only — we do not ship fish, coral, or invertebrates. Every animal is acclimated and health-checked in-house before it reaches the sales floor. This is a species we carry — it's most likely in the tanks around delivery days, but live stock changes daily. Please call (814) 456-9445 to confirm availability before you drive in.
Care at a glance
What to know before you take one home.
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Temperament
- Semi aggressive
- Community
- Semi community
- Adult size
- 6"
- Min tank size
- 55 gallons
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Scientific name
- Epalzeorhynchos frenatus
Good tank mates
The rainbow shark is semi-aggressive and territorial, so it needs similarly-sized, not-timid tankmates and is not a fit for a peaceful nano community. Keep just one rainbow shark per tank, since they fight their own kind and other sharks. Good company is sturdy mid- and upper-water fish like larger barbs, danios, and rainbowfish that stay out of its space near the bottom. Avoid other bottom-dwellers it will claim territory against, plus small timid fish and long-finned fish it may chase. Give it plenty of caves to break up sightlines.
Good to know
The rainbow shark isn't a true shark at all but a member of the carp and minnow family, named for its shark-like body shape and high dorsal fin.
Stock and individual temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 for pairing advice before you buy.
Good tankmates
Plays well with.
Species we’d keep in the same tank, with why each pairing works. Stock and individual temperament vary — call (814) 456-9445 to confirm before you buy.
New to stocking a tank? Read our guide on which fish live together.
Tiger Barb
Active, robust mid-level schoolers that don't compete for bottom territory and are large and fast enough to avoid sustained harassment from the shark. Tiger Barbs' notorious fin-nipping behavior is primarily directed at slow-moving, long-finned fish — not a Rainbow Shark's standard finnage. Must be kept in schools of 6+ to keep intraspecies nipping dominant over outward aggression.
Zebra Danio
Fast upper-to-mid water column swimmers that stay well out of the shark's bottom territory and are too quick to be successfully harassed. Temperature ranges overlap fully (Danio 64–82°F, Rainbow Shark 72–79°F), and multiple authoritative sources confirm this as a well-documented compatible pairing.
Harlequin Rasbora
Tight-schooling mid-to-upper level fish completely uninterested in the bottom zone. Water parameters align well (pH 6.0–7.5, temp 72–81°F). Widely confirmed across multiple reputable sources as one of the cleanest Rainbow Shark tankmate choices.
- B
Boesemani Rainbowfish
Active, fast mid-level schooling fish that occupy the middle-to-upper water column, well clear of the shark's bottom territory. Their robust size (4–5 inches) means the shark cannot predate on them, and their speed prevents sustained harassment. Water parameters overlap at neutral pH.
Visit the store
660 East 14th Street,
Erie, PA.
Mon–Fri 12–6 · Sat 11–4 · Sun closed. Call ahead on livestock — what's on the floor rotates.