Agressive Erpetoichthys calabaricus (ropefish)!

[Whistler]

I've had my two Erpetoichthys calabaricus for about two years. First I had them with discus and angel fish in a 118 gallon tank for a year, then switched to discus only and moved them to a 99 gallon.

They are about 12" each, one greener and one leaning more on brown. I've had them eating the same base flake food I give them my discus, with the occasional feed of frozen shrimp mix.

One of E. calabaricus (the brown one) has over the last year become increasingly agressive. It started as small nibbles on the other ropefish, but I've seen it snap at the smaller discus as well, sometimes leaving nasty bite marks. I thought this was mostly territorial, and the discus learned to stay out of his corner.

The last week has been hard though, it has basically beaten/bitten the green ropefish within an inch of its life. I thought the green was on its way to recovery, but yesterday when the lights went out I hard them fighting, hitting the glass real hard. After that the green one was just floating around, not having the strength to swim away from the filter. The filter corner is the brown one's, so of course the green got bitten, and the brown wouldn't let go until I physically separated them with my hands. I picked up the green and put him in my 17 gallong otocinclus breeding tank. This morning he was still alive, and was coiled about the tanks filter.

Is there anything to be done about the brown one? Anything I can do to help the green one recover?

 

[King-eL]

Your ropefish is probably hungry as flake food is not enough to satisfied them. Try some more meaty food such as cut up fish fillet, cut up shrimps or prawn or mussels. You can try Hikari massivores too or sinking pellets.

This is the first time I read something about polypterid fighting brutality especially ropefish which are know to leave other fish alone. Although I've seen them fight but not this brutal. Weird....

Besides the ropefish and discus what other species of fish are in that tank?

 

[Egon]

Yup, a well fed rope fish is a happy rope fish. Cut up some night crawlers for them a couple time a week and the rest of the time drop in meaty sinking pellets. You can also chop up some shrimp for them. Another tip: just two fish can be trouble because all the aggression is directed towards the smaller fish. This may sound wrong but you may want to add one or two more ropes in there. I think the feeding is the key for you though. Your ropes are getting bigger and need more food than they use to.

 

[Whistler]

Thanks, guys!
In a sense, it seems logical being a food issue.

I did however give them a bit of frozen shrimp mix a couple of days ago. It didn't really help, and the weaker one had trouble digesting, giving it even more trouble swimming (it keeps floating to the surface). It was a very visible lump that took two full days to get rid of.

I'll try to handfeed them until I'm sure the weaker is strong enough and the stronger is fed well enough to not fight.

No other fish are in that tank, only six discus and the ropefish.

 

[Whistler]

Well, I guess the problem is solved.

I separated them, and held the stronger one in a smaller breeding tank.
It went fine and the weak is beginning to recover, even though it won't eat yet.

Today when I woke up I found the strong one dead on the floor. I had forgotten to seal the lid properly. It bugs the hell out of me, because it was such a routine thing when keeping ropefish - always seal the lid!