Fighting Reed Fishes.

[Shishir Shetye]

After long illness.. My Reed fish "8" recovered and doing fine now. Thanks to Dr. B and others for their help. I have also made new tank for him 4ft X 2ft X 15 inch water height.

So.. for company I purchased a new Reed female fish of same size and inserted in tank with him. But to my surprise, They both are coiling to each other and biting & striking to each other.

I have read that they love to live in pairs or groups.. but in my tank its different situation.

Any suggestions..????

 

[Dr.B]

It's basically a dominance thing. After about a week it should go away. And glad to hear he's doing better.

 

[Shishir Shetye]

k.. But Male just coil and bite with full force. There is no sign of injury. But I am still worried.

 

[UES96]

I sometimes wonder about conventional wisdom about keeping groups of rope fish. Mine always seem to do better alone. They eat more, and are less shy.

 

[Dr.B]

Well they eat more because of less competition. As far as not being shy, that's more of an individual fish characteristic rather than an entire fish species characteristic.

 

[UES96]

I am no rope fish expert as I only have kept 7or 8 in total over the years so I do bow to your greater experience. I have found that when I keep multiple rope fish together the mortality rate goes up (I don't think its water quality related) , and I cannot hand feed them the same way as single rope fish.

 

[Dr.B]

How are they dieing? Only way that would correlate is of the ropes were aggressive to each other. What size tank did you have them in?

 

[UES96]

i have them in a 55. the most i have had is 3 together with a delhezi bichir. i have had 2 die within a week or two of being added. I think it is partly to do with the fact they are fairly beaten up by the time they arrive.

 

[Dr.B]

Yeah so that's not something caused by them being together, that's more of them being introduced into a new environment and not settling in.

 

[Shishir Shetye]

My Reed couple are now settled... No fights..nor coils & bite's. They just swim freely, play, hide, rest and eat together.

Yaa.. They eat 2 much.. but i love that.