I would like an Elephant nose...but

[redwhiptailplec]

I have fallen in love with Elephant Noses, they are gorgeous and I love the idea of placing a tinfoil ball in for them to play with! Which I read you can do, its electric properties make it attractive to their weak electric organ...

But I would be placing it in a 55 gallon with, 1 Angel, 2 ParrotS, 1 Pleco, 11 Neons, 6 Flame Tetras, 1 Upside down Catfish, 5 Albino Cories, 1 Rubber Lipped Pleco and 4 Ottocinclus Cats.....The Pleco is about 6", the rubber lipped 1 1/2" the Angel full grown, the Parrots about 3" each, everyone gets along great.

All my nitrate etc. levels are perfect, the tank is heavily planted.....can I have an Elephnat Nose in there? I am inclined to think I ought not to....but I want one!

I suppose I am looking to be talked out of it here.....

Oh and sadly there is absolutely no way I can buy a new tank. Though I do plan on upgrading from the 55 gallon to say a 90 in about three years, if just for my plecos sake.

 

[tropicfishman]

I was talking to the owner of my local fish shop yesterday actually about elephant noses, I thought they were fasinating myself considering it was the first time i had actually seen one in person, I was asking him questions about what they eat, what kinda water settings they need and what not and he mentioned they have a tendacy to root around in the substrate and pull up plants, I'm not sure if they do it all the time or what, but thats what i was told, hope it helps

 

[toddnbecka]

http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Oddball, Elephant Nose..htm
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile42.html

Here's a couple of links you may find helpful.

 

[redwhiptailplec]

Thanks for the input guys! The links were great, I do worry that feeding any fish just blood worms would be insufficient, I have read some take flake....Hmmm, very tempting...

What does everyone think about my stocking level though? I do not want to overstock even for such a cool fishy.

 

[toddnbecka]

I have a couple of Tanganykian spiny eels that eat frozen bloodworms, and occaisonally frozen brine shrimp. The female has laid eggs twice, so it must be a good enough diet for them.
As for the stocking, personally I'd lose the parrots. They will grow much larger over time. I'm surprised a full grown angel hasn't eaten the neons.