tank

[maddskillz]

rope fish

 

[maddskillz]

2nd 1

 

[Vip]

thats pretty cool, ive never seen a rope fish before, how big do they get?

 

[maddskillz]

thats pretty cool, ive never seen a rope fish before, how big do they get?

Name: Erpetoichthys calabaricus
Origin: West Africa


Size Tank pH Temp
40 cm 400 L 6.0- 8.0 26°C


Eats frozen bloodworms, shrimp pellets, small fish, worms, beef heart. Peaceful fish suitable to community tanks as long as fish can't fit in its mouth. Likes to be with others of its kind. Tanks must have no holes in the top big enough for them to fit through or they will escape. Can survive for a few hours out of water due to their lung-like swim bladder. Males have 11 to 14 rays in the caudal fin, females have 9.

Contributed by James Foley
I just had to tell two different stories of the Rope fish that I have. One in the past was about 10" and was the sweetest fish in the tank. I never had any problems with him trying to escape. At feeding time or anytime that I put my hands into the tank he would swim to the top and eat from my hand or just be happy swimming around my fingers. I was heartbroke when the tank sprung a leak and I wasn't there to rescue him. For Christmas, my husband bought me a 55 gallon tank and I couldn't wait to get it regulated and find another Rope. I went to the same aquarium shop that I bought the other and was lucky enough to find that they had a small young Rope. Needless to say I am now the proud owner of a 8" escape artist. The second day in the tank he found his way into the filter. Thinking that I had the problem solved I didn't worry to much. The third day came around and missing again, in the filter again. As I removed the top of the filter out he popped and landed in the floor, I was able to save him before the cat got to him. I am proud to say that he has no possible escape routes left and seems happy in his new home. He really likes Neons and Leopard Danio's with blood worms and tubifex worms on the side.

Contributed by Lori Kirkland
There is another way to determine the sexes of reed fish, that I find easier than counting their spines. The males have a clearly broader anal fin, that doesn't 'blend in' with the caudal fin. The females have a pointed anal fin that smoothly joins the caudal fin. They are indeed a great fish, and better escape artists than my shrimp.

Contributed by Dave Crowder
I have 3 Ropes in my tank. They appear to be pretty affectionate. When I had only 1, it would curl up with my Fire Eel. Now they curl up together behind the rocks during the day. They come out for feeding time and are very good eaters. Mine eat frozen blood worms, frozen brine shrimp, and freeze dried tubifex worms. They sometimes go after the algae chips that I put in for my 40 cm pleco. They get along with my two 25 cm Fire Eels, Ghost Knife, Upside Down Cats, Pictus Cats, two 15 cm Green Severum, and Yellow Spiny Eels. I've had mine for about a year now and lost only one escape artist. They can survive up to 4 hours out of the water. I found him in hour five. They are very hardy fish. I would recommend them for a beginner that is willing to do some homework and make sure there are no escape routes.

Contributed by Sam Whittaker
Recently we were moving some of our tanks around and temporaily placed ours in my 200 L Angel tank. This tank was overpopulated with snails (the small ones). After about 15 minutes in the tank he made a meal of about 20 or so snails! So, if you have a problem with small snails, try one of these guys! They have a personality all their own! Watch out for small fish though. Mine has already claimed my little neons. He also really likes frozen bloodworms.

Contributed by Donald Leydig
Ropefish are a very fascinating species. I had (past tense, old age) a fully mature 35 cm male. He was in a cichlid tank (Dempseys, Green Terrors, etc) and did not have any trouble. He would routinely bury himself into the gravel and just leave his head out, gaping like a moray! For the most part he ate small feeder goldfish, tubifex and sometimes freeze dried block. The rope was not really aggressive as such (except while feeding), but more territorial, of the whole tank . It was very fascinating to watch and I HIGHLY recommend this species to anyone.