Ropefish care
Erpetoichthys calabaricus · Fresh and brackish waters of West and Central Africa
Ropefish (reedfish) are slender, eel-like relatives of the bichirs that breathe air and explore every corner at night.
- Tank size
- 55 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 82 °F (24 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 15 in (the largest museum specimen; wild fish have measured up to 16.3 in, and claims of 3 ft are wrong)
- pH
- 6.5 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 15 dGH
- Lifespan
- 15 to 20 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 55 gallon
48¼ × 12¾ × 21 in outsideHow to keep ropefish
Ropefish (reedfish) are slender, eel-like relatives of the bichirs that breathe air and explore every corner at night. Keep one or more in a 55 gallon or larger tank at 75 to 82 °F with a tight lid and every gap covered: they are famous escape artists.
Diet: Carnivore: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, earthworms. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Ropefish tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Kissing gourami
12 in · 75+ gal · 72–82 °F
Uaru
9.8 in · 75+ gal · 79–86 °F
Blood parrot cichlid
8 in · 55+ gal · 76–80 °F
Severum
8 in · 55+ gal · 75–84 °F
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
Cardinal tetra: Adult ropefish eat fish under about 1.5 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult ropefish eat fish under about 1.5 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult ropefish eat fish under about 1.5 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Chili rasbora: Adult ropefish eat fish under about 1.5 in; chili rasboras grow to 0.8 in.
Celestial pearl danio: Adult ropefish eat fish under about 1.5 in; celestial pearl danios grow to 1 in.
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: ropefish need 75 to 82 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
What a ropefish tank needs
A tank of 55 US gallons or more (such as the 55 gallon) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon ropefish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Seachem Tidal 55
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon ropefish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 150
Ropefish need 75 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding ropefish.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 55 gallon tank · Heaters for a 55 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common ropefish problems
- They squeeze out through tiny gaps and into filter intakes; cover every opening.
- They feed slowly, and pushy fish take the food first.
- Small fish and shrimp may be eaten.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Erpetoichthys calabaricus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Ropefish Michał Zalewski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kissing gourami 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Uaru Brent Tibbats, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blood parrot cichlid Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Severum Trisha M Shears, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black ghost knifefish Vassil, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Senegal bichir Zhyla at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Elephantnose fish Jutta234, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African butterflyfish Toniher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
