Hi, everyone...i posted this on the old forum. i really want a ropefish, but i'm still not 100% satisfied with the info i have. i would love some input from anyone who's ever known a ropefish. i would get the youngest one available.
so, far the advice i've gotten is:
-- make sure tank is covered completely; he WILL try to escape.
-- ask the lfs to feed him in front of me before i buy him, because sometimes they won't eat, and if they won't eat, don't buy him. (this is strange to me--will they look at me like i'm crazy?)
-- he will eat any fish who will fit in his mouth.
My options are these:
A) put him in the tank with my 7 baby malawi cichlids (they are about 2 inches each).
my concerns with this are the high pH that the cichlids like, and the "cichlid sand" substrate that i have that's designed to increase alkilinity (sp?). will this be ok for ropey?? another concern is that i read that they are a peaceful fish, as opposed to the cichlids, who are fairly aggressive. i would hate to have a peaceful fish get picked on my the nasty lil cichlids! but, they are african, too....
B) put him in my community tank. i understand that my tetras and cherry barbs will have to be removed or be eaten. but, what about hatchets? will he eat them off the top? my marble ones are pretty small, and i'm not sure if they get much bigger. i don't think the silver ones would get eaten, they're a bit bigger. everyone else should be OK? (cories, botias, sword tails, pleco, bala sharks...) perhaps i could put some feeder guppies in there to keep him happy at night?
any info or advice you can offer me will be appreciated and taken into consideration.
btw, both are 55 gallon tanks.
thanks.
LP
so, far the advice i've gotten is:
-- make sure tank is covered completely; he WILL try to escape.
-- ask the lfs to feed him in front of me before i buy him, because sometimes they won't eat, and if they won't eat, don't buy him. (this is strange to me--will they look at me like i'm crazy?)
-- he will eat any fish who will fit in his mouth.
My options are these:
A) put him in the tank with my 7 baby malawi cichlids (they are about 2 inches each).
my concerns with this are the high pH that the cichlids like, and the "cichlid sand" substrate that i have that's designed to increase alkilinity (sp?). will this be ok for ropey?? another concern is that i read that they are a peaceful fish, as opposed to the cichlids, who are fairly aggressive. i would hate to have a peaceful fish get picked on my the nasty lil cichlids! but, they are african, too....
B) put him in my community tank. i understand that my tetras and cherry barbs will have to be removed or be eaten. but, what about hatchets? will he eat them off the top? my marble ones are pretty small, and i'm not sure if they get much bigger. i don't think the silver ones would get eaten, they're a bit bigger. everyone else should be OK? (cories, botias, sword tails, pleco, bala sharks...) perhaps i could put some feeder guppies in there to keep him happy at night?
any info or advice you can offer me will be appreciated and taken into consideration.
btw, both are 55 gallon tanks.
thanks.
LP