Head to head
Rainbow Shark vs Redtail Shark
The rainbow shark and the redtail shark are close relatives from the same Thai river basin, both shark-shaped minnows popular in aquariums, but the redtail shark's wild population has suffered a far more dramatic decline than its rainbow-finned cousin.
| Rainbow Shark | Redtail Shark | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Epalzeorhynchos frenatum | Epalzeorhynchos bicolor |
| Colouring | Red or orange fins across a dark body | Black body with a red tail only |
| Wild extinction history | Not thought extinct in the wild | Believed extinct in the wild for decades, later rediscovered |
| Native range | Chao Phraya basin, Thailand | Chao Phraya basin, Thailand |
| Temperament | Territorial toward its own kind | Territorial toward its own kind |
| Diet | Omnivore | Omnivore |
| True identity | A freshwater minnow, not a true shark | A freshwater minnow, not a true shark |
| Conservation status | Endangered | Critically Endangered |
Rainbow Shark vs Redtail Shark: common questions
Which is more endangered, the rainbow shark or the redtail shark?
The redtail shark, which is Critically Endangered and was believed extinct in the wild for decades before a small population was rediscovered, a more severe outlook than the rainbow shark's Endangered status.
How do the colours of the rainbow shark and redtail shark differ?
The rainbow shark shows red or orange colouring across multiple fins against a dark body, while the redtail shark has a solid black body with colour concentrated only in a bright red tail fin.
Are the rainbow shark and redtail shark actually sharks?
No, both are freshwater minnows named for their shark-like fin shape and body outline, with no real evolutionary connection to true sharks.