# ropefish (aka:Erpetoichthys Calabaricus, reedfish, snakefish)



## melonhead (Jan 18, 2005)

_Hi, everyone..._i posted this on the old forum. i really want a ropefish, but i'm still not 100% satisfied with the info i have. i would love some input from anyone who's ever known a ropefish. i would get the youngest one available.

*so, far the advice i've gotten is:*
-- make sure tank is covered completely; he WILL try to escape.
-- ask the lfs to feed him in front of me before i buy him, because sometimes they won't eat, and if they won't eat, don't buy him. (this is strange to me--will they look at me like i'm crazy?)
-- he will eat any fish who will fit in his mouth.

*My options are these: *
*A)* put him in the tank with my 7 baby malawi cichlids (they are about 2 inches each). 
my concerns with this are the high pH that the cichlids like, and the "cichlid sand" substrate that i have that's designed to increase alkilinity (sp?). will this be ok for ropey?? another concern is that i read that they are a peaceful fish, as opposed to the cichlids, who are fairly aggressive. i would hate to have a peaceful fish get picked on my the nasty lil cichlids! but, they are african, too....

*B)* put him in my community tank. i understand that my tetras and cherry barbs will have to be removed or be eaten. but, what about hatchets? will he eat them off the top? my marble ones are pretty small, and i'm not sure if they get much bigger. i don't think the silver ones would get eaten, they're a bit bigger. everyone else should be OK? (cories, botias, sword tails, pleco, bala sharks...) perhaps i could put some feeder guppies in there to keep him happy at night?

*any info or advice you can offer me will be appreciated and taken into consideration.
btw, both are 55 gallon tanks.*
thanks.
LP


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## Mickey (Jan 19, 2005)

No melon... just no



Just kidding i really don't know anything about ropies =x

hehe
Mickey


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## AquaFanatics (Jan 19, 2005)

I've always adore this ropefish, however, with the kind of fishes I'm having in my 10 g tanks now (guppies, platties, neon tetras, danios), I'm pretty sure they'll become his meal. I've ever mix a 6 incher with my cichlids (6in and larger), he seems to be very happy hanging around with them and even enjoying the feeder fishes I feed to my cichlids. I guess the myth is right, anything fit thier mouth size will be eaten. Here's a link and hope this is helpful 
http://www.fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=175


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## patdbunny (Jan 19, 2005)

I've never had ropefish, but I've kept its close relative the bicher:

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/polypter.htm

I've had ornate and senegal bichers in my 60 and 20 gal tanks. None of them have ever tried to climb out. They haven't been actively aggressive towards any tank mates. I've had them in with african ciclids and in very very peaceful community tanks. Only problem is anyone who can "accidentally" fall in their mouth. I don't think they can swallow a full size hatchet right off the bat-even the smaller marble hatchets, unless you get a huge ropefish. As for feeder guppies - they won't make it through the nite. I was doing that at first, but too big of a hassle. I've never actually SEEN my bichers eat their tankmates - but smaller bodies go missing through the nite and no one else in my tanks are likely culprits. They really don't seem that ravenous (unlike the mistake I made once of putting a little shovelnose cat into my community tank). Bodies would go missing one or two every couple of days.

I've heard the same thing about them being finicky eaters. Goes for bichers too. For WEEKS I had not seen my first bicher eat anything. I heard they can't resist little meal worms. It's true. If you want to see them mack out - throw in a couple of little mealworms.

As for keeping them with aggressive africans, I used to have one in with assorted malawi mbunas and everything was fine. 20 gal hex with about five ciclids from 2-4" each. The bicher didn't hassle the ciclids. But when a ciclid went to harrass the bicher, the bicher would turn around, face the ciclid and flare its gills. That pretty much scared the ciclids and they left the bicher alone. Don't know about the alkilinity thing. We have really hard water here. 

Hope that's some help.
roz.


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## flynngriff (Jan 19, 2005)

Hi...

I'm new here, but I have had a couple of ropefish and Bichir... Currently,. my ropefish is about 20 inches long, and I have him in a 125 gallon tank with mostly south american fish. PH 6.6, soft water. He's doing very well so far, and I've had him nearly a year. He's not aggresive at all, but does seem inquisitive. I wouldn't put him in with malawi cichlids, though... I think he'd get pretty beat up. I've never even seen him go after any feeder guppies. I think he would probably be fine in your community tank, especially if he's a baby.

Please take my advice for what it is... One man's experience with one fish. All fish have different temperments, so it really depends on the individual fish. You could try him in the community tank, and if he seems to go after your smaller fish, try him in the cichlid tank. I put fish in my 29 gallon to let them grow large enough to survive with the large fish in the 125. When they're large enough to survive, I move them to the big tank. Something like this might work for you.


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

Hmmm i responded to this before the forums crashed, but cichlids tend to be real "hungry" or "pushy" "me fisrst" kind of fish, and it would be hard to feed a ropefish in the tank. there may be bullying, and that would keep the rope fish timid and shy, the ropefish has tough scales so it can take some beating, but cant really defend itself. and with 2 they'd betwice as hard to feed. cichlids are just a lil too pushy shovey.


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## melonhead (Jan 18, 2005)

thanks so much for all your advice, guys! i really appreciate it.
i think we decided that he's gonna go in the community tank. hopefully, the 55 g will be all set up and the old fish settled within 2 weeks. we have an AGA glass cover that fits like a glove around the filter and everything....i'll miss my tetras....lol
peace.
LP


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