Hand Feeding Ropefish <3

[tfreema]

This new batch of rope fish at 30 days in is doing exceptionally well. Looking, acting, swimming, and eating really good. I got some great advice from Hayley Cox that has Oddball Aquatics on YouTube that helped me over the hump of feeding and making sure I don't have any jumpers.

They are so personable where my last batch seemed to barely move and would hardly eat anything except meal worms - out of 4, I lost 2 to escape and 1 to bloat. Only 1 graduated to the 120g.

I just love these guys and hope I can get them through another 30 days and into the 120g!!

(I hope this works. First time posting a video)

http://imgur.com/NLQHn9J

 

[kno4te]

Video came out well. Yea...Love those ropes.

 

[magpie]

I miss my ropes. <3

You could easily work to this kind of literal hand feeding. Just takes a little time and patience but for wild caught fish mine were always very curious and hand-tame.

 

[clm08k]

This new batch of rope fish at 30 days in is doing exceptionally well. Looking, acting, swimming, and eating really good. I got some great advice from Hayley Cox that has Oddball Aquatics on YouTube that helped me over the hump of feeding and making sure I don't have any jumpers.

They are so personable where my last batch seemed to barely move and would hardly eat anything except meal worms - out of 4, I lost 2 to escape and 1 to bloat. Only 1 graduated to the 120g.

I just love these guys and hope I can get them through another 30 days and into the 120g!!

(I hope this works. First time posting a video)

http://imgur.com/NLQHn9J

tank is looking great! Love all the plants and hidey holes. The rope is going to have such a good time in the 120!

 

[tfreema]

Here is the 120g they will be going in. There are a few caves and logs tucked in behind the wood and sword. I plan to try to squeeze in one or two more. This picture is actually a little old because I removed the branch in the center with plans to cut it into two smaller pieces so the ctenopomas have more open water. They didn't like the new set up. And I replaced the HOB with an FX4 so I could do a better seal on the back half of the lid and prevent escapes. Already had an FX6 on it.

I also added water wisteria to the right side and some floating along with the frogbit for the african butterfly fish. The ctenopomas seem to like it too, hovering right under it. Oh, and a turtle dock that allows the ropefish to get somewhat out of water, which is their natural inclination because they actually travel over land between pools in their natural habitat. That is why so many escape. The tank is sealed off really good and I actually covered the filter outflows with media bags so they don't venture into them should the filters be off at any time.

I will try to get a more updated picture sometime this week.

 

[magpie]

They will LOVE this environment. Mine adored all my plants. I think compared to other polys they kind of require them to be happy.
(That's just my opinion based on observation, not fact. )

 

[kno4te]

Great tank for fish to live in.

 

[clm08k]

I miss my ropes. <3

You could easily work to this kind of literal hand feeding. Just takes a little time and patience but for wild caught fish mine were always very curious and hand-tame.

awww the noodles are so lovely! and noodley!

 

[tfreema]

I picked these guys up May 18th. They have had 2 treatments of levamisole and one of prazipro. They are looking so healthy and eating so good that I think this weekend I will move them to the 120g. Even the little guy that was staying hidden so much that I had to separate out to a 10g to make sure he was eating is out and about grabbing the food along with the others. I do put food in his favorite cave to get him started, but then he comes out and wiggles around with the rest.

There is one about his size in the big tank already that I have been target feeding right beside his cave. I hope he is able to compete with the others and get in there to get his share....... I picked up 4 more thinking that I hoped at least 2 would survive and now will have 5 in the 120g. Hopefully in that number, they will all be out and about quite a lot.

I think I put it on another post, but here is the 120g stocking:

Current:
2 large ctenopomas
3 african butterfly fish
2 bn plecos
1 baby whale mormyrid
3 bengal loaches (until they age out - 7 years old - then replaced with a couple bichirs)
1 ropefish

To be added:
4 ropefish
20 congo tetras (considering omitting or splitting this school and just adding 10 - they are food swarmers so I worry about the butterfly fish)
Bichirs of a small variety when bengal loaches age out - gotta research the right ones

Trying to go for the African region tank. Not 100% with loaches and bn plecos, but getting there.

 

[magpie]

Nice stocking! The ropes will definitely appreciate each others' company.

When I had congos and butterflies, my congos primarily ate from the water column, so the butterflies did fine. I'd put the food down a few inches into the tank so they'd swarm there and then the butterflies were left to their surface food. I also got the butterflies used to feeding out of tongs / my fingers so they could get some chunks of the "real" food that tended to sink, like cut up fish. My butterflies ate anything from flake to live - they were really easy.