Elephant nose fish?

[Ljk09]

Does anyone have any experience with these fish? I know they get fairly large and are somewhat 'peaceful' I'd really like to own one but want to do my research. I have mollies and platys in my tank so I just want to make sure they're compatible. I also have black kuhli loaches. I'd hate for them to mistaken as a long wiggly worm!

 

[abstract373]

there sensitive fish no scales need hiding places strict diet do to there small mouth might be bullied easy and have electric impulse orgin above there nose that is how they find there food they have poor eye sight cause there more nocturnal....baby whales are very close to these guy the only thing missing is the extended nose

 

[Ljk09]

there sensitive fish no scales need hiding places strict diet do to there small mouth might be bullied easy and have electric impulse orgin above there nose that is how they find there food they have poor eye sight cause there more nocturnal....baby whales are very close to these guy the only thing missing is the extended nose

I read all that good stuff. I was more concerned on them possibly eating the eyes out of my smaller fish (like the BGK)

 

[abstract373]

there more the peaceful fish but every now and then there is a crazy 1 out there if there is caves or tubes its going to spend alot of its time there
do you add salt for your mollies? if so the elephant nose might not take the salt all that well

 

[HN1]

You should never keep a single elephant nose IMO. They should be kept in a minimum group of 6-8 and preferably in a species tank with a large water volume and pristine water conditions. Live foods will be appreciated. Most elephant noses sold tend to waste away in unprepared community tanks.

 

[Ljk09]

You should never keep a single elephant nose IMO. They should be kept in a minimum group of 6-8 and preferably in a species tank with a large water volume and pristine water conditions. Live foods will be appreciated. Most elephant noses sold tend to waste away in unprepared community tanks.

I appreciate your opinion but housing 6-8 of them is out of the question. That tank would have to be huge and I don't have the room for that at the moment. Don't take it the wrong way but where have you seen/heard/read that they waste away in community tanks? I don't understand how they would besides the fact of not being with others of their own species.

 

[Thilligoss73]

I've heard the same thing, that they need to live in a group, and they don't fair well alone. They get a sense of security from groups, and will be very stressed alone. Also my local fish expert says they should be given live foods like worm varieties and brine shrimp. It's hard to get them to eat any flake, dry or frozen foods.

 

[shellyx]

I have one & had him for 8mths he does great on his own, but he bullies anyone that gets in his way especially at the bottom of the tank. He eats live bait ( bloodworm, brine, mosquito larvae) frozen bait too. He has his own cave & is very possessive of it no ones allowed near it! I feed him when the lights are out morning & evening he's hand fed. He's out day & night since he's become more comfortable. He's a joy too have

 

[HN1]

I appreciate your opinion but housing 6-8 of them is out of the question. That tank would have to be huge and I don't have the room for that at the moment. Don't take it the wrong way but where have you seen/heard/read that they waste away in community tanks? I don't understand how they would besides the fact of not being with others of their own species.

I learned most of what I know about them in chats with the lead FW biologist at the Ga. aquarium and watching them there while volunteering. They stress easily, need exceptionally clean water, and can be finicky eaters that don't derive enough nutrition out of prepared foods. In the wild, they are found in very large groups and find their food in the substrate through electro-sensory organs.