New Reedfish (ropefish)

[LuSciOuS_GirL]

I have purchased a reedfish. I am pretty sure its a female.
She is very beautifull. As soon as I saw her i new she had to be mine. I've had her for 2 days now.

My problem is I don't think she is eating. Blood worms go untouched. I am wondering if there is something particular they prefer for food.
I also had to tape back of my fish tank b/c I saw her almost get out of the tank.

Any sugetions or advice will be greatly appretiated.

Thanks

 

[The-Wolf]

these are a gregarious fish and need to be in the company of each other,
so you should be looking to add more soon. a group of 3 at minimum.

they have the potential to reach 3 ft but 2 is more likely in an aquarium.
that leads me to ask; what size is your tank?

although some speciamins have been found in brackish water they are a freshwater fish and really should be kept in that
or very low end brackish.

one of the great escape artist of the fish world and I suggest that duct tape is used wherever a potential escape route is,
especially where electrical leads and filter pipes enter the tank.

HTH

 

[nmonks]

As Wolf says, these are sociable fish. They're easily bullied, and will lose out at feeding time if forced to share with things like loaches and catfish. As with a lot of slow feeding nocturnal fish, loaches and catfish will take the food before the reedfish, causing problems. If you must combine them with other fish, choose midwater or day-active species.

When it comes to food, go for earthworms in the first instance, because these fish love them! Small river shrimp and other such live foods are also enjoyed. Frozen (wet, not freeze dried) bloodworms should be taken without much fuss, but do remember these fish *feed at night*.

My preference when keeping these fish is to only half-fill the aquarium. That minimises their odds on escaping. Alternatively, use of plastic mesh of the sort sold in garden centres will give you a cheap and easy way to make "screens" to cover the top of the aquarium.

Cheers, Neale

 

[simonas]

if you only have one I would certainly get at least one more as they like there own company. I have three which are very active and are first to food when its out. never had a problem feeding them and as Nmonks said they love earthworms. I'm digging my garden up at the moment and they are getting plenty of worms

I wouldn't keep em in brackish and that could be your reason why she ain't eating as in my experience they are one of easiest fish to get feeding striaght away

good luck

 

[LuSciOuS_GirL]

So I placed her in 75g with my BGK fish. I wasn't sure how it would work, but they seem to like each other.

This morning I found reed fish on top of my BGK. both sleeping on the bottom of the tank. Then i see some movement and find my BGK resting his head on the reed fish. and both sleeping again. I could not believe. they share driftwood. and only time i find my BGK pushing her with his head is when he wants her to move over. He doesn't bite or even attemp at biting her. we were joking around saying they must of fell in love. b/c he never had another eel/snake like tank buddy. and since Angel was uthenised BGK was lonely.

So now my BGK eats superworms and mealworms out of my hand. While reed fish comes right up and checks it out. she doesn't take interested in them. I cannot get earthworms. B/c we still have 20in of snow on the ground.
And blood worms well she still ignores them.

How do you feed them earthworms? you just drop them in the tank and check the next day ?

i was thinking of may be buying some ghost shrimp for her. I hope she starts eating soon.

Edit: I cannot buy another one right now. B/c our store had 6 of them i bought last one. And they don't know when and IF they will get more. So may be her and BGK will do fine for now.

 

[simonas]

I'd keep trying with the bloodworm cos she should eat it at some point and go from there. mine eats catfish pe;;ets as well and when worms go in they gulp them straight away

 

[The-Wolf]

if you are trying to get the reedfish, or any other fish for that matter, to eat;
try garlic extract on the food. Seachem do a great one but others are available.
if the expense of an extract is too much for your budget you can use the oil from
a fresh garlic clove, but note it is an oil and will leave a film on the surface of your tank.

take a shrimp.prawn or even a catfish pellet, sprinkle some of the extract on it and put it in the tank,
sit back and watch the frenzy.

 

[katie19]

I found that mine really likes ghost shrimp. I'd buy about 24 of them and they'd be gone the next day. They seem to grow pretty fast when you feed them shrimp too.