Moderate
Albino Rainbow Shark (Epalzeorhynchos frenatum)
22–28°C · pH 6.5–7.5 · 200L
£5.99
Albino Rainbow Shark / Albino Ruby Shark with pale body, red fins and territorial bottom-level behaviour. Best as one feature fish in a long 200L+ aquarium.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Epalzeorhynchos frenatum
Albino Rainbow Shark / Red-Finned Shark are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour.
Albino Rainbow Shark / Albino Ruby Shark with pale body, red fins and territorial bottom-level behaviour. Best as one feature fish in a long 200L+ aquarium.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
The Albino Rainbow Shark, also sold as the Albino Ruby Shark or Albino Red-Finned Shark, is the pale-bodied colour form of Epalzeorhynchos frenatum. Older trade and supplier names include Labeo frenatus and Epalzeorhynchos frenatus, so those names are kept here for clarity, but the accepted name used for care is Epalzeorhynchos frenatum. It is a freshwater cyprinid, not a true shark, with a cream to peach body, red fins and a confident lower-tank swimming style.
This listing covers the current 3-4 cm, 4-5 cm, 5.5-7 cm and 7-8 cm size options when live stock is available. It is a bold fish for a spacious, well-planned community aquarium. The right home gives it room to graze, hold a territory and move without harassing quieter fish. In a cramped tank, or with similar-shaped rivals, it can become pushy as it matures.
The albino form is popular because the colours are easy to read at a glance. The body is pale cream, peach or pinkish white, the eyes are red or pink, and the dorsal, tail and lower fins show strong red to orange colour. Young fish are slender and active. Adults become deeper-bodied, more territorial and more deliberate about the part of the aquarium they patrol. Healthy fish should look alert, with clear eyes, smooth body lines, intact fins and steady grazing behaviour.
Wild Rainbow Sharks are associated with river systems in mainland Southeast Asia, including the Mekong, Chao Phraya, Xe Bangfai and Maeklong basins. FishBase describes the species as a freshwater fish using stream and river habitats, with a natural diet that includes algae, periphyton, phytoplankton and small zooplankton. That tells us how to keep the albino aquarium form: clean water, oxygen, surface grazing, wood or stone structure and enough floor space to prevent constant boundary disputes.
This is usually a lower-level fish, but it is not a shy bottom dweller. It cruises, grazes, investigates caves and wood, and may drive other fish away from its chosen area. Young specimens can look fairly peaceful. The adult plan matters more than the juvenile mood.
Use a long aquarium with open swimming lanes and broken sight lines. A 120 cm footprint and around 200 litres is a sensible adult starting point for one fish; very large aquariums are needed if you want to attempt a group. Do not keep a pair in a small tank, because one fish normally becomes dominant and the other has nowhere to escape.
Sand or smooth fine gravel works well. Add driftwood, rounded stones, caves and robust plants to create territories and shaded retreats, but leave open lanes along the front and middle. Good biological filtration, steady oxygen exchange and regular water changes are more important than decorative clutter. A secure lid is sensible because active cyprinids can jump if startled, chased or stressed after transport.
The Albino Rainbow Shark is an omnivore with a strong grazing habit. Offer sinking granules, quality omnivore pellets, algae wafers and spirulina foods as staples. Add blanched courgette, spinach or cucumber when accepted, then rotate small frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia or brine shrimp as a supplement. Feed so food reaches the lower levels without overloading the filter. A fish that spends time rasping wood, stones and plant leaves is behaving naturally.
Choose active, robust tank mates that use different parts of the aquarium. Suitable companions can include medium barbs, danios, rainbowfish, larger rasboras, sturdy tetras, peaceful gouramis and some non-territorial catfish in a large layout. Avoid other shark-shaped cyprinids, other labeos, red-tail sharks, very small fish, tiny shrimp, slow long-finned fish, delicate bottom dwellers and any fish that cannot feed confidently in a busy aquarium.
If aggression appears, the first fixes are usually more space, more cover, clearer territories and fewer direct rivals on the bottom. This species is best chosen because you want one strong lower-level feature fish, not because you want a harmless algae cleaner for a small community tank.
The 3-4 cm and 4-5 cm sizes settle best when the tank is already mature and peaceful. The 5.5-7 cm and 7-8 cm sizes show more colour and confidence, but they also need the adult plan sooner. Match the size to your current community: a tiny juvenile should not be dropped into a tank of much larger pushy fish, and a larger specimen should not be used to control algae in a small setup.
For the first week, keep lights gentle, offer sinking food in more than one place and watch how the fish claims territory. Normal behaviour is alert cruising and grazing. Warning signs include repeated glass dashing, hiding all day, torn fins, or one fish being pinned into a corner.
Keep water stable at 24-27 C with pH around 6.0-7.5 where possible. FishBase gives a wider pH tolerance up to 8.0, but stable, clean water is more important than chasing numbers. Aim for soft to moderately hard water, strong filtration, controlled nitrate and no sudden changes. Quarantine any new tank mates where possible, because territorial fish are harder to treat once stress and disease overlap.
Your fish are packed for a specialist overnight livestock courier service and covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee. Acclimate slowly in a dim room, keep the aquarium covered, and release the fish into a quiet, mature tank with lights low. First-time customers can use WELCOME10 for 10% off eligible first orders.
No. It is a freshwater cyprinid with a shark-like outline, not a marine shark.
Plan for an adult size of around 15 cm, with enough length and territory for an active bottom-level fish.
One is normally the safest choice for most home aquariums. A group is only for very large, well-structured tanks where weaker fish can avoid constant pressure. Avoid keeping just a pair in a small aquarium.
It grazes algae and biofilm, but it should not be treated as a cleaning tool. Provide proper sinking foods, algae wafers and varied supplements.
It can work in the right community, but tank mates should be robust, active and not competing for the same bottom territory.
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