Can I still add a ropefish/african butterflyfish

[IKeepAngels]

Hi! I currently have a 50 gallon with a canister filter that has 800 LPH. I have 36 silvertip tetras with a flame tetra and a green fire tetra as hitchhikers, 4 kuhli loaches, 3 panda cories (used to be 6) and a high fin peppered cory (used to be 3), a juvenile royal whiptail catfish (sturisoma panamense), and a "teenage" angelfish. Can i still add a ropefish/african butterflyfish? will it eat some of my other fishes? thanks in advanced!

 

[Colin_T]

I would not keep birchirs (ropefish) with any narrow fish like tetras because they eat them at night.

African butterfly fish have big mouths and might try to eat small tetras but silvertips should be big enough to not get eaten. However flame tetras might get eaten.

African butterfly fish jump and need good covers and a variety of floating foods. They don't normally take flake but will take pellets, freeze dried, frozen and live food. Do not feed them crickets or grasshoppers unless they are small and have just moulted.

 

[IKeepAngels]

I would not keep birchirs (ropefish) with any narrow fish like tetras because they eat them at night.

African butterfly fish have big mouths and might try to eat small tetras but silvertips should be big enough to not get eaten. However flame tetras might get eaten.

African butterfly fish jump and need good covers and a variety of floating foods. They don't normally take flake but will take pellets, freeze dried, frozen and live food. Do not feed them crickets or grasshoppers unless they are small and have just moulted.

thanks colin! I was just kind of curious if i should buy one of the 2 if ever my LFS will have them in stock

 

[Colin_T]

Most pet shops can get unusual fish in but don't carry them on a regular basis because they require special conditions or don't sell quickly. Most pet shops have a customer order book and you can put your name and contact details in that, and when the fish become available to the shop, they will order them in for you.

As a general rule, Birchirs should be kept with fish that are peaceful and big enough not to look like food, and African butterfly fish need a quiet tank with peaceful fish that don't live near the surface.

African butterfly fish are really interesting tho and the males have a few long fin filaments on the bottom of their anal fin, whereas the females have a straight edge to their anal fin with no filaments.

 

[NickAu]

canister filter that has 800 LPH.

Please dont take this the wrong way, but 800LPH means that under optimal conditions the pump turns over 800 LPH of water and nothing else. What is important is how much and what type of media is in the canister filter, Filtration and flow rate are 2 different things, in fact too much current in the filter can be detrimental.

Canister filters need to be set up the right way to work correctly, In the video bellow Pondguru explains how to set up a canister filter, You don't have to use Bio Home Media, Aqua One Advance Sub - Ceramic Substrate is also good.

PS
I use Bio Home Media, the stuff is as good as he claims.

 

[IKeepAngels]

Please dont take this the wrong way, but 800LPH means that under optimal conditions the pump turns over 800 LPH of water and nothing else. What is important is how much and what type of media is in the canister filter, Filtration and flow rate are 2 different things, in fact too much current in the filter can be detrimental.

Canister filters need to be set up the right way to work correctly, In the video bellow Pondguru explains how to set up a canister filter, You don't have to use Bio Home Media, Aqua One Advance Sub - Ceramic Substrate is also good.

.
PS
I use Bio Home Media, the stuff is as good as he claims.

i love that video!!! i know i love it but i violate it since i have SUPER LOW FLOW. I am very much aware of that and thank you anyway for reminding me. Living in the philippines limits me to buy only somewhat cheap but not worth the price trash chinese canister filters (no offense to any chinese guy here). i was expecting at least a good sunsun filter but we do not have that ANYWHERE here. I was on a really, really tight budget and my parents wanted me to buy the even cheaper but more worthless top filter. i was really desperate to get a canister an that was the only one that was a canister filter and fits on my budget. we do have the eheim canister filters, but they are super small and REALLY expensive for my budget. i am not that worried any way since next year or in a few months, i will replace it with a better filter. thank you for all your help. both of you and whoever else answers my questions make me happier to open and check out this forum