# never get one..



## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

i got a ropesnake the other day, paid 15$ for it, and today i come home to him crusted up on my floor, the thing is insane, i have no clue how he got out because i have a top and everyhting, i have a small hole in the back for the filter to go on, he must have swiggled out from there. i guess no im going to get an eel, i know they wont get out !


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

a rope snake gets too big for a 40g anyway... srry about the snake though...


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

eels will jump out too, it happened to us


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## Courtney (Jan 18, 2005)

Sorry to hear about your rope fish, i forgot to mention they jump..


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

pretty much any elongated fish is gonna try and jump.

ropefish also breath air, so they stay ouyt of water until they dry up.


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## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

great, so spiney eels will jump too ? i thought they just hang out in caves and pipes ?


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

nope theyll jump


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

spiny eels will jump too. I've seen mine a quarter length of their body out of the water trying to crawl into my filter.


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## margo (May 21, 2005)

When they do that, they are trying to find their way back to their natural habitat.


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

"When they do that, they are trying to find their way back to their natural habitat."


are you saying spiny eels are indigenous to my filter?


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## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

haha so are there any kinds of eel-like fish that wont jump, loaches?


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## margo (May 21, 2005)

shev said:


> are you saying spiny eels are indigenous to my filter?


I'm anwering everybody's questions, not just yours. When they try to get out of the tank, like the ropesnake did, they're looking for a way back to their natural habitat. The filter seems to be a way out for them.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Dojo loaches jump too. They're famous for it.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

yep. ive had it happen to a weather loach also


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## Courtney (Jan 18, 2005)

my Dojo loaches jump all the time, luckly just not outta the tank


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## euRasian32 (May 19, 2005)

Rope fish = Polypterus?


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## John (Apr 19, 2005)

No, but it is pretty close. Or at least it looks pretty close to me.

Just to clarify, just because a species usually jumps doesn't mean each individual fish will definitely jump. Although it is a good idea to cover all holes.

Why would you not want to get a rope fish (A.K.A. snake fish or reed fish)? They are great fish - not agressive to fish that won't fit in their mouths, very hardy, very interesting, and awesome to watch in general. I would cover up all the holes in the top and get a new one. They are a great addition to any tank. Just my opinion!


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

euRasian32 said:


> Rope fish = Polypterus?





> No, but it is pretty close. Or at least it looks pretty close to me.


actually, he's right. rope fish are Polypterids


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## euRasian32 (May 19, 2005)

There seem to be 3 different Genus for Polypterids. Common names are sometimes vague, especially when some Pet Stores label fishes incorrectly, it causes nationwide confusion.


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## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

would anyone think a ropefish would be a better fish for my setup than a spiney eel ?
fish list is below..


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

Sorry, I still think 40 gallons is too small.


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## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

why, they shouldnt get any larger than 7-8 "


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

bsmith said:


> why, they shouldnt get any larger than 7-8 "


yeah, in a 40 gallon they will only reach about that size.

but the largest found was 36 inches.


I'm just saying a 40 gallon wont work for life, and will have to be upgraded. but while its small it may work.



> There seem to be 3 different Genus for Polypterids. Common names are sometimes vague, especially when some Pet Stores label fishes incorrectly, it causes nationwide confusion.


I think he's talking about erpetoichthys calabaricus


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## euRasian32 (May 19, 2005)

bsmith said:


> would anyone think a ropefish would be a better fish for my setup than a spiney eel ?
> fish list is below..


It looks like you've already got one... You're rope snake is a rope fish.


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## John (Apr 19, 2005)

Actually, the fish below is the eel most commonly called the Rope Fish, Reed Fish, and Snake Fish - _Erpetoichthys calabaricus_

However, it is part of the same family as that fish, so that fish is probably also known by those names too.

A lot of pet stores label common names wrong, especially since common names aren't official.


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## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

euRasian32 said:


> It looks like you've already got one... You're rope snake is a rope fish.


yea i had one, sorry i thought i said that. but yea he got out and died, so i have nothing now, now im contemplating on getting another or a spiney eel, thats what i was asking.


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## bsmith (May 6, 2005)

shev said:


> I'm just saying a 40 gallon wont work for life, and will have to be upgraded. but while its small it may work.


yea right now i am in college and have an apartment so i cant really have a large tank, but sometime soon i will get at least a 125gallon and be able to have more room.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

john, i was not saying that every fish gets out i was just giving him fair warning!


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## John (Apr 19, 2005)

Yes, I know, I was just saying that they won't always jump (but they usually do). You were definitely right in giving him a warning!

BTW, nice avatar!


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

thank! wouldnt the tiger barbs pick at the spiney eel? you would think so because from my experiences they love to swim. also your pictus cats will get big as mentioned earlier. shev was right you would have to upgrade, so temporary would be ok.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

ok quick question do Black knife ghost fish jump alot? I know someone who's missing a BKGF and thinks it just died and its body's in its cave. I hasn't come out from 3-4 days. It's the only BKGF in the tank and its in with tetras and discus so i don't think it's being bulled. I don't know the tank size.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

shev said:


> "When they do that, they are trying to find their way back to their natural habitat."
> 
> 
> are you saying spiny eels are indigenous to my filter?



LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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