TankMatesTankMates
Sign in
Encyclopedia / Loaches / Chinese high-fin banded shark
★New · no ratings yetIllustration

Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Chinese high-fin banded shark

Myxocyprinus asiaticus · Chinese sucker, Chinese hi-fin banded shark, Hi-fin banded shark, Chinese sailfin sucker

Peaceful but grows very large; needs a big, cool tank or pond.

Local price coming soon
· real AED shop prices, never conversions
60 cmAdult size
10–24 °CTemperature
6.5–8pH
1000 LSmallest tank
Add to my tankCompare
Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Chinese high-fin banded shark needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Cardinal tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
Not recommended
  • Chinese high-fin banded shark needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Serpae tetra is tropical.
Not recommended
  • Chinese high-fin banded shark needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while X-ray tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
With conditions
  • Chinese high-fin banded shark will eat baby cherry shrimp. Add lots of moss and plants so some survive.
With conditions
  • Chinese high-fin banded shark will eat baby amano shrimp. Add lots of moss and plants so some survive.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

196 species in our list are a good match.

Starter facts, waiting for expert review. Sources are added as each fact is checked.

Care and water

Hardness Unknown
Group size 3 or more
Temperament Peaceful
Swims at Bottom
Care level Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan 20–25 years
Size in shops 5–10 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Peaceful but grows very large; needs a big, cool tank or pond. Suits coldwater and large peaceful fish.

  • cool

Food

Sinking pellets, algae wafers, blanched vegetables and frozen foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleSlimmer, with brighter breeding colours
FemaleLarger and plumper
TipAdult males show tubercles in spring
How hard to tellHard

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Pond spawner ·

Farmed in China; unlikely to be bred in the home.

Pairing

Group in a large pond.

Setup

Large outdoor pond with gravel and flow.

What starts it

Seasonal temperature rise.

Eggs

Thousands of eggs.

Raising the fry

Fry feed on plankton.

Common mistakes
  • Tank too small
  • Heat
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionChina – Yangtze and Min river basins
Rivers and lakesYangtze River and Min River
HabitatLarge rivers, often in deeper water
Native rangeAbout 1,200 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the chinese high-fin banded shark

A large Yangtze sucker with a tall sail-like dorsal fin when young. It is not a true shark or loach but is sold as a hi-fin banded shark and can reach 60 cm.

Pieter Bleeker described this fish in 1864. It is the only Asian member of the suckers (Catostomidae), a family otherwise found in North America. Juveniles have a tall fin and bold bands, but adults change to a long, reddish body.

First described by Pieter Bleeker in 1864.

  • It is the only Asian member of the sucker family Catostomidae.
  • Adults can exceed one metre in length.
  • Juveniles look very different from the long-bodied adults.