Ropefish

[GouramiFanatic]

If all goes well and as planned with the selling of our home and purchase of our new home, I'll be able to add fish to my 75 gallon tank by the end of May. While this has been hard waiting to add fish, it's given me plenty of time to work on my stocking list. One of the fish that I really really really want to try is the Ropefish. Growing up my father had one and he was one of my favorite fish ever. I just love these guys! I've done quite a bit of research on them and I think they would work compatibility wise, but I have a couple concerns.

1- They get big! Will a 75 gallon be big enough to keep one in when it's full grown? From what I've read they have the potential to get about 35" long. A 4' tank doesn't sound like it'll be large enough especially since it's recommended to keep more than 1, but a lot of the reading I've done so far suggests 55 gallons or larger.

2- I know that they'll eat smaller fish that can fit into their mouths, but I don't know what size that would be as it gets bigger. The smallest fish that I'm currently considering would be about 2-3" in length. I'm planning on keeping some larger Gouramis (Gold and Opaline), Bolivian Rams (was considering GBR, but haven't decided), YoYo Loaches, Tiger Barbs, and my Sailfin Pleco at work will be coming home eventually. Would any of these guys be in danger or are uncompatible with the RF?

I know that these guys can be escape artists so I'll definitely plan for that. Does anyone else have any experience in dealing with these guys? Any input is welcome!

[CompMage]

75G may be a little small for full grown. You may want to look into a 125 if you're really interested in keeping him happy.

I've seen one at about 2 feet long in a LFS, it was not for sale but a display fish. And it could easily catch a tiger-barb if it was cough off guard while it was resting at night.

I don't have any experience with "ropefish" past was I saw at the LFS, but I do with snakes. Here are a few of my suggestions.

1. Filters are a way out and a nice hiding place for a snake like fish. You may want to screw the uplift tube / intake tube's screen on instead of just letting ti rest on there. I've seen my pleco pull mine off before when it got scared and ran into it.

2. SCREENS, most HOB filters will have little problem pouring over a screen if you set it up right for the back, if you use a canister filter just make sure the back of everything is secure. I would keep a weight on the hood at all times with a fish like this. I had to with my snake.

I wish I could help you more then that. Take it easy and keep us posted. Oh yea good luck with the new home. I'm tiring to buy my first right now I know the stress of it.

[physicsdude]

ropes are a pretty cool fish. one of the best thinsg about them is that they are ick resistant...the theory as to why they are so is that tehy are soooo ancient, that they have become immune to it, but that is just one of many ides on that subject. i kept a rope for 6 months, till he got too big for my tank, and i gave him to a friend for her 55. heres some stuff i noticed:
feeding- likes just about everything, particularly brine shrimp and bloodworms. i dont recommend feeding live food, like guppies, as they tend to become aggressive towards other fish this way. that was told to me by my co-worker.
habitat- they are usually pretty shy, but every so often they'll come out, crusing the water in their fashion. just give him soem rocks and driftwood to hid under or awayf form view and light.
size- they ghet big, meaning very long... so just plan on that when buying them. plus, they are not a fighter type of fish. when you think about it, they are really quite defensel;ess towards other fish, so just keep other fish in there that are of good size, like keyholes, barbs, loaches, not neons, guppies, or even the soldierly platys.
heres some websites that might help you get some info on them:

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/10ropefish.htm
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/greed.html

hope this helps! good luck too!