Rope fish doing great!

Other than the danged thing getting into the pump chamber a little bit ago the beastie is doing great! One problem with 'mail order' fish is you don't know what they are used to eating. For a rope, and some cichlids, I rely on meal worms for the main protein source... I'd rather feed something live over pellets. At first the Rope Fish (Clyde) ignored meal worms. Now I toss in four in the evenong and he is right away out of the cave system chowing on a couple. After the tank lights are off he finds the others. I have yet to see a meal worm come morning.

I have started an experiment with the meal worms. I'm trying to propagate the things. I took a Tupperware type container and punched holes in the cover for air. Added a little bit of moisture to the saw dust looking stuff they came with and will add some rolled oats. If I start getting too many worms I will toss the container in my fridge which will cause the worms, while still alive, to stop breeding.

jaylach said:

Other than the danged thing getting into the pump chamber a little bit ago the beastie is doing great! One problem with 'mail order' fish is you don't know what they are used to eating. For a rope, and some cichlids, I rely on meal worms for the main protein source... I'd rather feed something live over pellets. At first the Rope Fish (Clyde) ignored meal worms. Now I toss in four in the evenong and he is right away out of the cave system chowing on a couple. After the tank lights are off he finds the others. I have yet to see a meal worm come morning.

I have started an experiment with the meal worms. I'm trying to propagate the things. I took a Tupperware type container and punched holes in the cover for air. Added a little bit of moisture to the saw dust looking stuff they came with and will add some rolled oats. If I start getting too many worms I will toss the container in my fridge which will cause the worms, while still alive, to stop breeding.

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Where do you get your worms from

Mb7640 said:

Where do you get your worms from

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So far I have gritted my teeth and have gotten the worms at Petco. Another reason why I hope I can breed them. I don't like getting anything live from Petco.

LOL! I think my rope MAY be a bit afraid of my Panda Garras. I don't really think this but it looks like he is. It took a few days but he is now quite happy with the meal worms I prefer to feed a rope as a staple. The thing is that my Panda Garras also seem to like the meal worms. The Pandas don't really do much to the worms but they will swarm. While the Pandas are on the worms the rope, Clyde, will be partially out of his favorite cave area. He knows the worms are there but won't compete with the Pandas. Once the Pandas are gone he will come out of the cave and scarf down some worms.

Ropes are definite predators but a bit passive in this. This is part of what makes them a good community fish as long as there is nothing in the tank that will fully fit their mouth. When the rope is out and about it is often that a Panda will swim with the beastie. Clyde just ignores as the Pandas are about 1.5 inches and too large for the rope to see as a good food source.

All in all things are turning out quite well. Clyde and the Pandas are getting along very well and my drift wood to finish the tank should show up Monday. My live plants are doing well and thriving which surprises me as I have a black thumb when it comes to land plants. Now if I can ever just find the cichlids I want... The tank started out as the tank from hell but after finding a good plant source and re-doing everything is going as well as I could possibly want.

Oh, there IS one issue with Clyde. He just will not leave my Tiger Lotus bulb alone. I try partially burying the bulb and Clyde just digs it up and continues to play soccer with the thing. Still, the lotus bulb seems OK and is sprouting pretty well. Actually, as odd as it may seem, the bulb seems to be sprouting more since Clyde started knocking it all around the tank.

Stage one done with the rope fish feeding as he is quite happy eating meal and earth worms. Stage two will be putting a worm on a wood skewer and holding in front of him to feed. This will continue while bringing the worm closer and closer to the surface. Once he is eating at the surface I will replace the skewer with my fingers and he will be eating out of my hand. I have done this several times in the past and it works.

As progress goes it is already to where he knows when I tap my finger on the water surface there is food coming and comes out of his caves. Ropes have really poor eyesight and rely mostly on smell and vibrations from movement to hunt. He relates my tapping the water surface as a now known vibration pastern that means munchies.

Sigh, these are my all time favorite fish in the world. I know that some think it is wrong for me to have a rope in a 20 gallon cube due to their potential size of 18 inches or larger but that is in the wild. I have never seen one get larger than 10 inches in an aquarium... Even in a friend's 175 gallon tank. I will admit that the 20 gallon cube is a bit borderline but is OK for the beastie. The main thing with this fish is to satisfy their curiosity. They like a cave system and to explore. With a fake tree trunk and the tank being heavily planted all is fine.

Going back to the feeding of worms I wish I could just pick up earth worms off the concrete patio at my apartments as, when it rains, they are all over the place. Won't do it though as I can't know what is coming along with the worms.

You could farm earthworms too you know Go out into the woods and dig up some that won't have been near pesticides, start an earthworm farm.

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

You could farm earthworms too you know Go out into the woods and dig up some that won't have been near pesticides, start an earthworm farm.

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Very true and I just took the earth worm container out of the fridge earlier today to see what happens. I need to do a bit of research as to what to feed the earth worms. Ya, I know, ... dirt. However they will eventually pull all the needed nutrients out of the dirt. I need to research and find what to add. I have a hunch that the poop from my cockatiel just may be a good start.

jaylach said:

Very true and I just took the earth worm container out of the fridge earlier today to see what happens. I need to do a bit of research as to what to feed the earth worms. Ya, I know, ... dirt. However they will eventually pull all the needed nutrients out of the dirt. I need to research and find what to add. I have a hunch that the poop from my cockatiel just may be a good start.

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Grab a load of autumn leaves too, to leave on the surface. As they break down, the worms will help churn them though the soil.

AdoraBelle Dearheart said:

Grab a load of autumn leaves too, to leave on the surface. As they break down, the worms will help churn them though the soil.

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Thanks! GREAT idea.

Awwww, good for you!

FishandBirdLover said:

Awwww, good for you!

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Thanks. One has to remember something about ropes... They are like black lab puppies but just happen to live in water. They are VERY curious and happy with human interaction. If you are not willing to put in the time to interact with this fish don't get one. If you ARE willing to put in the time they are absolutely wonderful beasties. While it takes time how many fish do you know that like to have their chin scratched?

And how can one not love a mini sea serpent? Especially when they smile (second image)? Actually, if you are willing to put in the time, it becomes a question as to whether you or the beastie is the actual pet.

jaylach said:

Thanks. One has to remember something about ropes... They are like black lab puppies but just happen to live in water. They are VERY curious and happy with human interaction. If you are not willing to put in the time to interact with this fish don't get one. If you ARE willing to put in the time they are absolutely wonderful beasties. While it takes time how many fish do you know that like to have their chin scratched?

And how can one not love a mini sea serpent? Especially when they smile (second image)?
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Maybe, When I'm older and don't have a boyfriend.

FishandBirdLover said:

Maybe, When I'm older and don't have a boyfriend.

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Why can't you have a boyfriend if you have this fish?

jaylach said:

Thanks. One has to remember something about ropes... They are like black lab puppies but just happen to live in water. They are VERY curious and happy with human interaction. If you are not willing to put in the time to interact with this fish don't get one. If you ARE willing to put in the time they are absolutely wonderful beasties. While it takes time how many fish do you know that like to have their chin scratched?

And how can one not love a mini sea serpent? Especially when they smile (second image)? Actually, if you are willing to put in the time, it becomes a question as to whether you or the beastie is the actual pet.
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That's adorable! What size is he and what is the tank size? I should read the first post you probably said already... Thats awesome he lets you scratch his chin!

Rocky998 said:

Why can't you have a boyfriend if you have this fish?

That's adorable! What size is he and what is the tank size? I should read the first post you probably said already... Thats awesome he lets you scratch his chin!

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Oh, we are not at the chin scratching stage yet. That will be a ways down the road. I was speaking from past experience with the critters. Actually the touching comes fairly easy once hand feeding.

The rope, Clyde, is about 8 inches long. The tank is 20 gallons.