Rope Fish Tank Size  9/15/06
Hello,
<Hi Ren, Pufferpunk here>
Just wondering, I have a rope fish (around 4 inches long, male) with two African clawed frogs (pretty small themselves at the moment, maybe 1 and a half inches) in a 20 gallon tank. I know the tank is gonna be small in the long run but they seem to be doing fine for the time being. I was just wondering, what size tank should I save up for?
<Since these are social animals, they are best displayed in multiple numbers together. I would keep at least two to a tank. That being said, I'd save for at least a 40 gallon tank.  I'd keep the frogs in the 20g.  They get large (around the size of your fist) & will eat anything they can fit into their huge mouths!  ~PP>
Thanks a lot, Ren.
(P.S. He has dens/caves too)

Polypterus 
Dear Mr. Fenner:
I'm very interested to acquire some Polypterus but I don't know where can I found some photos of them biotope, because I love the "biotopical aquariums". I have a 450 Liter aquarium, a 2500 liter/hour external filter. How many Polypterus can I breed in ??
Thank you for advanced:
Xavi 
Well... if really interested... would encourage you to do something in the way of a scientific literature search. You're welcome to the input about such searches posted on the site: Home Page ...
Otherwise, an old, but still valuable source is Gunther Sterba's works on freshwater fishes. Do a look-see through the "used" book sources on the net for these.
Bob Fenner

Polypterus
I have a few questions on the ornate Bichir. What kinds of foods do you recommend feeding them? 
How long is there lifespan? How large do they grow? What the water temperature should be and the PH? 
Thanks, 
MIKE >
Meaty foods of appropriate (mouth) size. The Polypterus I used to keep I mainly fed larval beetles (meal worms etc.), earthworms (oligochaete), and cut meat like cubes of beef heart. 
This species (and others) live several years... the biggest ornatissimus I've seen is about eighteen inches. Some other Polypterids grow to more than two feet in length. Low seventies to low eighties F. is about right temperature. pH about neutral is best in my opinion as their water tends to go acid (which it is in the wild) with aging.
Bob Fenner

Ropefish setup question
Hi Bob,
<Hello Bryan>
I somewhat impulsively purchased a Ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus, ID'd thanks to your excellent page on Polypterids).  The folks at the pet store told me that he ate regular tropical flake food (which I was skeptical of but I guess I really wanted to fish) I've had mixed success raising fish that require live food in the past.
<Yes... I'd like to see the people who told you this live on flake food for a while>
Anyway, not knowing what to do, I bought some cubed freeze-dried Tubifex.  He doesn't seem terribly interested in these, even when I hold them in front of his face.  I wedged them under some rocks and they stayed put for about 20 minutes before floating.  I don't want to just leave them in there if he's not going to eat them.
<Not likely to accept... You might try some earthworms if you can dig them up, buy them from a "fishing store", or mealworms... or chunks of cut up beef...>
So my question is, can you describe a setup for feeding these guys?  Are we talking live worms in a feeding cone?
<Larger worms, cut meats (once accustomed to the latter they take same with gusto>
  Is it best to feed them at night or in the morning?
<Toward dark is best>
  Do they prefer their food near the surface or at the bottom?
<The bottom>
  Is there anything I can put in the tank in the way of habitat (pipe, whatever) that might make him happy and ease the feeding situation?
<Like plants, driftwood, perhaps a bit, length of plastic pipe>
Any help you can render will be greatly appreciated by me and, I presume, my Ropefish ;)
Happy holidays!
<You as well my friend. Do try the live worms, mealworms (larval beetles) for now... training the Rope on to cut meats. Bob Fenner>
Bryan

Bichirs
Hi
I recently just found your site.  I had a few questions about Bichirs before I go out and buy them.  I currently own a 20 gallon freshwater tank.  The only current resident in that tank is a freshwater moray.  I have added some aquarium salt to the tank to alleviate any problems he's had with breathing.  I'm currently interested in turning this tank into a brackish water tank and was wondering if Bichirs can cope with brackish water.  Also, what is the most active Bichir you can recommend as I've heard the ornate Bichirs are very very shy.  Are there any other fish that would do well with these two species?  Oh and do you recommend any equipment for a brackish water tank?  Thanks for your time and I think your website is great. Peter Kim
<Hi Peter, Thank You for your comments on the site! I would encourage you to keep fish in conditions that they are evolved to.
Bichirs are freshwater tropical African fish.  FW Morays are a Freshwater/brackish/marine species.  I would also be concerned with keeping any of these species in a 20 gallon tank.  Please type in "freshwater moray" into the google search at WetWebMedia.com and also see: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm to read about Bichirs.  Take note of the water chemistry warning!  Craig>  

My new Clown Knife & Ropefish
I just purchased a Clown Knife (about 6"). I put him in a 25 gallon hex with a Rope fish and they seem to be doing fine. I've been told that both can grow quite large. Do you think they'll be ok or should I return them.
<Return them....  
My clown knife grew to a length of 25 inches long! It is now living quite comfortably in a 650 gallon tank...  It was originally living in a 150 gallon tank but outgrew that!  The clown knife will reach 18 inches long in about a year and a half, this fish will NOT be able to live in a 25 gallon tank.  
As for the Ropefish (Erpetoichthys calabaricus) These fish will get over 36 inches long as adults... and require a 90 gallon tank.  So, that to will not be able to live in a 25 gallon tank.
I suggest you do some research before purchasing fish, there are many fish that will do quite nicely in a little 25 gallon tank.  Many of them are just as interesting as these fish.  Trust me it's no fun having a fish that is in a tank to small for it.  These fish are sick all the time, and you have to constantly be changing the water to keep up with the waste output.  Good luck. -Magnus>

Senegal Bichirs problems
Hi all, I have / had 2 Polypterus senegalus 1 may have committed suicide.  
<Senegal Bichirs usually are survivors given the proper living conditions. Though they are known for jumping out of a poorly sealed tank. They need quite a large tank to keep them happy.>
I know they go after anything they can fit in their mouth but, would that also include one of their own if it is smaller then the remaining 1 thanks.
<Senegal Bichirs are carnivorous critters.  They feed on live foods and dead meaty foods such as earthworms, mussels and silversides.  They do show aggression to their own species, especially if you don't give each fish a cave or something they can hide in and call their own.  It's not out of the question for one of them to attack and kill a competitor... Though, none of the ones I have worked with in the past had killed and eaten another Senegal Bichir.>
Dave
<Hope that helped.-Magnus>

Ropefish
I live at college and all we're allowed to have is fish, so I decided to bring my tank with my Ropefish and a few others.  Recently, my Ropefish escaped during the middle of the night.
<Very common... aquatic Houdini's...>
I'm not entirely sure how, because I felt that I had covered the tank very well, but needless to say, I've now closed practically every square centimeter of the tank.  
Anyway, when I awoke in the morning, the janitor came by and said "Hey, did anyone lose a lizard?"  I followed him to a closet where he had it sitting inside an empty Gatorade bottle (Poor thing).  He was sitting in a circle, so I had to cut open the bottle to let him out.  I immediately put him back in the tank, where he struggled for a while to remove some
whitish residue that had been building up around his head and part of his body.  Now though, he just sits at the top of the tank in a half circle, with his head and tail end pointing downward, and his midsection partially out of the water.  Though it has only been a little under a day since I found out about this, it would like to err on the side of caution, particularly because I can't stand to see an animal die, especially on what it most likely my error.  If you have any recommendations that you could give me, I would greatly appreciate it.
<I have seen many Ropefish incidents as you cite... among them my own. I would leave the animal as it is for now, and hope that it recovers (many do). If yours develops red sores and/or obvious fungal (white, mycelious) patches, I would elevate the system temperature (to about mid 80's F.) and prescribe an anti-microbial (likely a Furan compound). Bob Fenner>

Packin' In The Polypterids - 08/24/2005
Hi
<Hello.>
I've just acquired the two fish above,
<Polypterus ornatapinnis and P. lapradei>
both are approximately 9" and healthy looking specimens. They are in a 48 x 15 x 18 tank
<I assume this is in inches?  This is FAR too small a tank for multiple Polypterus, even small, without severe territoriality/aggression....>
with a few catfish and a school of 8 convict cichlids as well as 2 small (4-5") senegalus.
<Four Polypterids....  in 55 gallons....  Not a great plan.
All the fish are healthy, greedy eaters, apart from the two new Polys. I've not seen them eat yet after being in the tank for almost a week,
<Were these two quarantined prior to introduction?>
the senegalus are greedy eaters, constantly looking like a bag of marbles and I was assured the ornate and lap where greedy too.
<Likely they are being prevented food by the existing P. senegalus, despite the difference in size....  Possibly fighting/getting stressed after dark....>
I've tried offering lance fish, live earth worms, blood worm, prawns and catfish pellets, I've offered food in the day and at night when the lights are out as they are nocturnal fish, but I've still not seen them eat.
<There is serious conflict here; these animals very likely will not coexist with any semblance of peace....  One or all may end up killed as they age/grow.>
Any suggestions on what to do?
<Remove the two newcomers, and when the two P. senegalus (still quite small) begin to grow and show aggression toward each other, remove one.  The only Polypterus species I've heard regular accounts of peaceful groups is P. palmas....  and even still, ALL Polypterids get too large in the long run for a 55g tank.  Much to think about, here, I fear....  I do hate being the bearer of bad news.  Please read here for more:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/polypterids.htm .>
Kind regards,  Ashley Etchell
<Wishing you and your fishes well,  -Sabrina>

Ravenous Ropefish, or Sick Cichlid? - 06/01/2006
I sent you the picture of the ropefish last week, and I was wondering if they are aggressive towards their tankmates.  
<Mm, no, not typically....  Though they will be capable of consuming slow, small, or bottom-dwelling critters that are not too big to consider as food.>
I had two African Cichlids in a 40 Gal, and I introduced the ropefish about a week ago.  I woke up this morning and one of the Cichlids (about 2"), was dead, and the ropefish was chewing on him.  I was just trying to figure out if he could have killed him, or if something else caused the death of the cichlid.  
<Likely something else, unless this ropefish is quite large.>
The cichlid seemed a little listless for a couple of days, then seemed to be a lot more energetic, was eating more, and then suddenly he was dead.  He had started staying in the same area as the ropefish for the last day or so.  Just trying to figure out what is going on, as if there is something wrong with the water, I want to fix it before I subject others to it.
<Definitely test for pH, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.  Also remember that African cichlids are territorial and can be aggressive to one another.  One last thing to keep in mind, African (Malawi/Tanganyikan) cichlids and Polypterids have quite different requirements for water.  I would not consider keeping this mix; Polypterids tend to prefer water with a pH of 7.0 or below, whereas Malawi and Tanganyikan cichlids require a pH closer to 8.3 or so, which is just too high for Polypterids.>
Thanks you so much!  Nick
<I hope all goes well!  -Sabrina>