Rx.               

Main Ecosystem: Inhabits fast-flowing hill streams

Temperment: Harmless Community Fish

Diet: They'll eat almost any high-quality prepared food, but wouldn't mind a serving (or more) of live

food or even a nibble of your soft-leaved plants.

Care: The roselines prefer a tank with a decent current, which will highly oxygenate the water. They

also prefer a highly planted tank as well. As for food, they eat just about anything - from flake food to

frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, beef heart, etc., as well as live foods. Some say they also like to nibble on softer plants, but I personally have not seen this yet. They also like a tank where they have a lot of open swimming space as well, and thick plants to play tag in. They also seem to know

how to play hide and seek as well - where one would take off, and the others would search him out.

They don't seem to make much out of my rock caves, but as for the driftwood, they so like to chase

each other around the larger driftwood, as well as through the branches of the smaller, preying

mantis-looking driftwood with branched legs.

ph: 6.5-7.5

Temperature: 18-25C; 64-77F

Hardness: KH 4-10

Potential size: Maximum 6 inches

Water Region: Fast-flowing streams and rivers - these are apparently full of vegetation and are

highly oxygenated.

Activity: Diurnal (day)

Lifespan: Unknown; some say 5-7 years

Color: As for the coloration, this fish is spectacular. The fish is a shiny silver, with a solid black line

running down the middle of its body. Then above that line, there is a shorter bright red line, not going all the way back to the tail. There is also a hint of yellow between the two lines. As for the tail,

it's quite striking, with black towards the tips and yellow just inside the black. As for the red line, it

also runs into the head and through the upper half of the eyes. They also have a red streak in their

dorsal fin. Overall, this fish is quite colorful, and beautifully shaped, with its long, slender body.

Mouth: Normal

Sexing: Unknown

Acclimation: Here's my way of acclimating. I take the bag of fish, and empty them into a small

bucket. Then with a cup, I will slowly add tank water until the bucket is half full. Then I will empty half

of the water in the sink and do this again. Generally this will take 20 minutes or so. And I've never

suffered any losses, even with some of the more delicate fish like my German Blue Rams. Once

acclimated, I will empty the bucket into a fish net over a 5 gallon bucket, and place the fish into the

tank.

Breeding: Not reported in captivity.

Comments: Since the roseline sharks are part of the barb family, they school fairly well. They don't

always school, but for a good part of the time, they like to hang out with each other, swimming

around the tank.

I've seen on sites where they say the minimum tank size is as low as 30G, but I don't recommend

that. Mine would be cramped in a 30G at nearly four inches each. I think the smallest is three

inches. The rest are much bigger than that one. My minimum tank size would be 55G, preferably

larger. In my 75G, it does give some room to swim around, but the schooling effect would probably

be more apparent in a much larger tank. And being a barb, three or more is the preferred group

size. But a larger number is better.

The roseline sharks are very mild-tempered and calm. They love to be fed. They feed both in the

water column and at the surface, sometimes with a big splash. They are also starting to get used to

me already.

The roseline sharks get along great with the rams. Nobody bothers the sharks, and they don't bother

the rams. And with all the color, it's just astounding -- the colors of the rams, the colors of the tetras,

and now the colors of the roseline sharks. It's just very impressive.

With the tetras, the roseline sharks are just impressive. I currently have rummynose tetras and

serpae tetras in with them, and all get along so well. And the colors are just phenomenal.

Now as for me, they just love me to death, lol. I sit here watching TV, and when I turn my head, all 6

of them are going up and down this side of the tank, saying feed me, feed me, lol. And with those

eyes looking at me, guess who wins? 

 Symbols
Legend:

Maximum
Temperature:

77°F

Minimum
Temperature:

64°F

pH Range:
(If known)

6.5 - 7.5

dKH Range:
(If known)

4 - 10

dGH Range:
(If known)

5 - 8

Swimming
Level:

Water
Movement:

Community tank.
Generally peaceful.

Predator.
Generally aggressive.

Moderate to
bright light. 

Low
Light.

Moderate to heavily planted tank.

Rock, or
bogwood.

Open sand or gravel. 

Active or
surface swimmer.

Likes hideaways and cover.

Live foods,
only.

Live or
prepared foods.