Thinking About Ropefish

[shadowspar]

im thinking of getting 1-2 ropefish and i was wondering what i could feed it. i dont want to keep buying frozen blood worms cuz thatll get expensive. i was wondering if i could buy a bag of frozen shrimp from the grocery store and just feed em that? i could even buy frozen snails SOMETIMES. any suggestions?

 

[stang1]

What size tank have you got?

 

[8inary]

it depend on the size of your tank, i feed my oddballs prawns every night with some flake, pellets etc. obviously defrost the prawns first.

in regard ropefish - i was told when i first started off, was to seal off the tank's openings, as they are great escape artists.

unfortunately, they were right, and i lost mine as it slipped out of the hole where the filter went in. so, make sure you tape
up all exists.

 

[shadowspar]

i have a standard 55g. ive been reading and they say they are really picky eaters is this true?

 

[nmonks]

You can't just feed prawns/shrimps. These contain thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down vitamin B1. Long term, you end up with "mystery deaths" thanks to the fish equivalent of beriberi. So while prawns are fine now and again, you should limit them to a minority of the diet, maybe 25% at most. The rest should be earthworms, bloodworms, cockles, squid and so on. Mussels contain thiaminase, so again, they shouldn't be used too much.

I've just finished editing an article on thiaminase for Conscientious Aquarist, an online aquarium magazine over the Wet Web Media. This particular article we be published by the end of the month. It contains a useful and detailed list of what contains thiaminase and what doesn't. As it turns out, not only is this chemical a problem for fishkeepers, but also for wild fish that, under some circumstances, suffer from all kinds of problems if their diet contains a lot of the stuff.

Cheers, Neale

 

[shadowspar]

so shrimp/prawn is bad...you said squid was good, is it good longterm?

 

[nmonks]

Shrimp/prawn bad used all the time. Once a week, fine. Squid is safe. Any fish will get bored of just one food item though: you *will* need to mix it up a bit. Find three or four items you can offer through the week to avoid the "hunger strikes" predators are prone to.

Cheers, Neale

so shrimp/prawn is bad...you said squid was good, is it good longterm?

 

[shadowspar]

i was wondering if they ever eat from the top of the tank? if so, freezedried food seems ok. also sounds a bit weird but, could i like put some freeze dried bloodworms in a bit of water and just freeze it and offer it to them like that?

 

[simonas]

my reeds although very active never eat from the top

saying that they eat mainly catfish pellets but bllodworm, brineshrimp and prawn also. I have 4 and theyprefer groups apparently. great fish to keep peaceful and active and hardy

Neale interesting you say that cos I have a fire eel which only eats earthworms or prawn and I'm struggling to feed him anything else. Had him about 2 yrs now but I'll certainly trying to change diet now

 

[nmonks]

i was wondering if they ever eat from the top of the tank?

No.

could i like put some freeze dried bloodworms in a bit of water and just freeze it and offer it to them like that?

No.

If you think frozen foods are pricey, then freeze dried will be pointless. Per gramme, freeze dried foods are by far the most expensive foods.

Cheers, Neale

 

[shadowspar]

saying that they eat mainly catfish pellets

you feed catfish pellets successfully? did you have to do something to et them to eat it or is it the smell itself. also what brand did/do you use. i would love to just be able to feed them catfish pellets, so much simpler.

 

[simonas]

saying that they eat mainly catfish pellets

you feed catfish pellets successfully? did you have to do something to et them to eat it or is it the smell itself. also what brand did/do you use. i would love to just be able to feed them catfish pellets, so much simpler.

they just take them no inducing was required. I'm not sure what make and I can;t be assed going the garage in the cold lol they're small lpellets

 

[nmonks]

I've not heard of these fish eating pellets. My advice would be, by all means offer your ropefish pellets, but don't bank on them accepting them. It's like glassfish that eat flake food: some folks have specimens that do, but most don't, and if you go into this expecting a fish to take a food it doesn't normally eat, there's a good chance you'll end up with a starving fish.

I really can't see the problem with frozen bloodworms and the like. I just picked up six packages of frozen fish food for £12 at the Aquatic Design aquarium shop in London. This would last a trio of ropefish several months. Compared with the cost of a home delivery pizza or a round of drinks at the pub, that's small potatoes.

Cheers, Neale

 

[8inary]

simonas, i have a 23"/24" fire eel, he is a very picky eater, whilst i acknowledge what the other person says about feeding prawns,
i must admit, i have done this for many many years, without an issue. my fire eel will eat either frozen bloodworm, or prawns
nothing else, i stopped feeding him bloodworm, as i didnt think a frozen diet was good for him. so nowadays, i feed him defrosted
prawns, that i squeeze first.

on a personal view, and as i say, whilst i acknowledge what has been previously been said, i still feed mine defrosted prawns
and in the 4/5 years ive been keeping fish, have never had a issue, no discourtsey to anyone else with a different view.

 

[simonas]

simonas, i have a 23"/24" fire eel, he is a very picky eater, whilst i acknowledge what the other person says about feeding prawns,
i must admit, i have done this for many many years, without an issue. my fire eel will eat either frozen bloodworm, or prawns
nothing else, i stopped feeding him bloodworm, as i didnt think a frozen diet was good for him. so nowadays, i feed him defrosted
prawns, that i squeeze first.

on a personal view, and as i say, whilst i acknowledge what has been previously been said, i still feed mine defrosted prawns
and in the 4/5 years ive been keeping fish, have never had a issue, no discourtsey to anyone else with a different view.

and if I remember righly from a video you posted he's a beaut too!! I wish my fire eelwould take more but he only gets excited at prawn and earthworms I get from garden!

I've not heard of these fish eating pellets.
Cheers, Neale

blimey I just thought all reeds fed like mine and whenever anyone has posted about them I have always stated how I felt they were easy to feed!!lol I guess I'mlucky then cos they demolish big piles of pellet!!