TankBud

Chinese high-fin banded shark

Myxocyprinus asiaticus

Also known as Hi-fin banded shark, Chinese sucker, Batfish

FreshwaterFish

Chinese high-fin banded shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
57–75°F
14–24°C
pH
6.8–7.8
Adult size
26.8 in
68 cm
Minimum tank
528 gal
2,000 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Catostomidae
Origin
Yangtze basin, China

Overview

The Chinese high-fin banded shark is the most misleading fish in the trade, a coldwater fish that belongs in a large pond. It is for experienced keepers who can give it that much room.

Did you know

The Chinese high-fin banded shark is the only Asian member of the Catostomidae. The rest of its family lives in North America, leaving this one fish marooned in the Yangtze.

Caring for the Chinese high-fin banded shark

A Chinese high-fin banded shark belongs in a large pond, not an aquarium. The juvenile grows to 26.8 in (68 cm), so plan for at least 528 gal (2,000 L). It spends most of its time near the bottom.

It is genuinely a temperate, coldwater fish. Keep it at 57 to 75°F (14 to 24°C) with a pH of 6.8 to 7.8. Do not buy it for a heated tropical tank, since tropical temperatures shorten its life considerably.

Feed sinking foods and vegetable matter. It is a schooling species that needs company, so keep it in a group. It is mostly peaceful and safe with community tank mates.

Good to know

Myxocyprinus asiaticus is sold as a striking banded juvenile with a towering dorsal fin. As it grows it loses the pattern and the fin, and it turns a plain brown. It is endangered in the wild, largely because dam construction on the Yangtze blocks its spawning migrations. Aquarium stock is commercially bred.

In the wild

The Chinese high-fin banded shark comes from the Yangtze basin in China. It lives in cool, flowing river water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Chinese high-fin banded shark is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Chinese high-fin banded shark need?

A Chinese high-fin banded shark needs at least 528 gal (2,000 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Chinese high-fin banded shark need?

A Chinese high-fin banded shark is comfortable at 57–75°F (14–24°C) with a pH of 6.8–7.8.

What does a Chinese high-fin banded shark eat?

A Chinese high-fin banded shark eats sinking foods, along with vegetable matter.

How big does a Chinese high-fin banded shark get?

An adult Chinese high-fin banded shark reaches about 26.8 in (68 cm).

Does a Chinese high-fin banded shark need a group?

Yes. A Chinese high-fin banded shark is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species