Black shark
Labeo chrysophekadion
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 68–79°F
- 20–26°C
- pH
- 6.0–8.0
- Adult size
- 23.6 in
- 60 cm
- Minimum tank
- 660 gal
- 2,500 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Own kind
- One per tank
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Family
- Cyprinidae
- Origin
- Southeast Asia
Overview
The black shark is a large, territorial cyprinid that needs a huge tank. It is not a true community fish, and it is for experienced keepers.
Did you know
Black sharks are sold as small, glossy juveniles only a few centimeters long. That hides the fact that they can grow to the length of a house cat and live for many years. The mismatch between shop size and adult size makes them one of the more commonly rehomed fish in the hobby.
Caring for the black shark
The black shark needs a very large aquarium of at least 660 gal (2,500 L), or a heated pond, to house it long term. Build the setup around open swimming space, with a sand or smooth gravel bed. Add large water-worn boulders and driftwood to define territory.
Give it strong, well-oxygenated flow. It is adaptable across a broad chemistry, at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 8.0. Sturdy plants can work, but expect it to graze and uproot softer species.
It patrols the middle and lower water, rasping algae and biofilm from surfaces. Feed a mostly vegetable diet of algae wafers, blanched greens and spirulina. Round it out with sinking pellets and the occasional frozen food.
Keep a single black shark, since it does not tolerate its own kind and grows more aggressive with age. In a big enough system it can share space with fast, sizable tank mates that use other levels. It will chase and bully anything it sees as a rival grazer. There is no established record of it breeding in home aquariums, and commercial stock is farmed, often with hormone induction.
Good to know
Labeo chrysophekadion is a member of the family Cyprinidae and one of the giants of the group kept by aquarists. Despite the common name, it is not a shark at all but a heavy-bodied, velvety black carp relative. Its downturned, rasping mouth is suited to scraping algae from hard surfaces. Juveniles often show fine golden speckling that fades with age.
In the wild
The black shark ranges widely through the fresh waters of Southeast Asia, from the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins into Indonesia. It lives in large rivers, flooded forests and canals that shift with the seasons.
Common questions
What size tank does a black shark need?
A black shark needs at least 660 gal (2,500 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a black shark need?
A black shark is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–8.0.
What does a black shark eat?
A black shark eats mostly vegetable foods, such as algae wafers, blanched greens and spirulina. Sinking pellets and the occasional frozen food round out its diet.
How big does a black shark get?
An adult black shark reaches about 23.6 in (60 cm).
How does a black shark breed?
Black sharks have no established breeding record in home aquariums. Commercial stock comes from farms, often with the help of hormone induction.
Related species
6.3 in (16 cm)66 gal (250 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Harlequin sharkminnow
Labeo cyclorhynchus
6.3 in (16 cm) · 66 gal (250 L)
11.8 in (30 cm)106 gal (400 L)68–81°F (20–27°C)Boga labeo
Labeo boga
11.8 in (30 cm) · 106 gal (400 L)
19.7 in (50 cm)238 gal (900 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Hampala barb
Hampala macrolepidota
19.7 in (50 cm) · 238 gal (900 L)
23.6 in (60 cm)396 gal (1,500 L)61–77°F (16–25°C)Emperor round-face barb
Cyprinion semiplotum
23.6 in (60 cm) · 396 gal (1,500 L)
23.6 in (60 cm)317 gal (1,200 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Mad barb
Leptobarbus hoevenii
23.6 in (60 cm) · 317 gal (1,200 L)
23.6 in (60 cm)238 gal (900 L)64–79°F (18–26°C)Stracheyi mahseer
Neolissochilus stracheyi
23.6 in (60 cm) · 238 gal (900 L)