stripped raphael questions

[GarNiac]

hi, I'm hoping all the expert who's keeping this fish would share their knowledge here,
first,
can I use salt to treat ick?
how often should I feed them?what sort of food that you give them?
I heard that they are quiet hardy towards different water conditions, how you keeping them so far?
I've been searching through the forum, but still unclear about the information available.
many thanks if you could answer those question in advance.
cheers

 

[GarNiac]

bump, is there anybody who can answer this????

 

[sbuse]

yes you can use salt to treat ick along with the temp bump...there is a huge debate on table salt and iodised or not...from my exp it doesn't matter...in the sickness sub-forum there is a sticky that lupin did that explains all about salt... that is what i read before i used it and it worked for me...as for feeding i never see my spotted raph eat, but it is cause it is growing and not dead... all my tanks are between 75-82f ph of 7-7.2, it has been in all my tanks with no problem or gradual introduction(just scooped it up and "tossed" it in)....

 

[dleomd]

Similar thoughts to sbuse. I've always had one or two raphaels. Great clean up fish, don't bother anybody, nobody messes with them, very hardy. The one I have in my cichlid tank is about 8 inches and FAT. comes out whenever I feed and gobbles up whatever hits the bottom. Have also had some that NEVER come out. Either way, great fish to have in the tank for utility purposes if nothing else. Haven't really given much thought about particular water parameters when they're concerned. GL

 

[GarNiac]

ok, thanks alot for the reply, is hard to get information on this section, I rarely use salt for my fish, we call it the aquarium salt here. But I rarely use them. I also have read the section about salt that Lupin posted. But I wasnt sure that its gonna work with raphael catfish. But I'll give it a go.
I've just bought few raphaels, around 4" which is so damn small, and after few days in my tank I noticed that they rub them self onto sands that I use, then I was gonna use the salt but still wasn't sure bout the other fish in the tank. I then bought the Anti Ick and use it instead.
So far it's been 3 days in my tank, and I notice that they are actives at night only. And everytime I see them, their belly looks just fine, I mean FAT. So I guess they eat just fine too. Still I hope they grow much much bigger than that. I feed them bloodworms and sinking pellets.
cheers

 

[dleomd]

they grow really really slowly. not sure if you're expecting that. GL

 

[GarNiac]

Similar thoughts to sbuse. I've always had one or two raphaels. Great clean up fish, don't bother anybody, nobody messes with them, very hardy. The one I have in my cichlid tank is about 8 inches and FAT. comes out whenever I feed and gobbles up whatever hits the bottom. Have also had some that NEVER come out. Either way, great fish to have in the tank for utility purposes if nothing else. Haven't really given much thought about particular water parameters when they're concerned. GL

thanks for replying, I notice that whenever I drop some food in the tank during daylight, they never eat those food. But when I come back and check them at night, those food are gone, and they're FAT. I was worry that it'll take along time for them to get use with the food. Otherwise they are a vacum cleaner at night.
May I know how long would it take to grow from 4" up to 8" like your raphaels?
cheers

 

[Egon]

I've had mine over a year now and I have seen him maybe three times. I sit in front of my tank at least an hour a day mostly more not including maintenance activities and I never see the damn fish lol. I just move him from a 360 to a 450, well I was transferring some drift wood and he went with the drift wood. That was a month ago. Nothing since. As far as growth, mine seems to be a slow grower, I would say he grew about an inch from 3" to 4" in a little over a year. I'll update next year when I see him again....................

 

[GarNiac]

I've had mine over a year now and I have seen him maybe three times. I sit in front of my tank at least an hour a day mostly more not including maintenance activities and I never see the damn fish lol. I just move him from a 360 to a 450, well I was transferring some drift wood and he went with the drift wood. That was a month ago. Nothing since. As far as growth, mine seems to be a slow grower, I would say he grew about an inch from 3" to 4" in a little over a year. I'll update next year when I see him again....................

I realize that they like to hide, but so far I dont give them any hiding place at all in the tank, only black sands, but they never bury them self in it. Do you think I should still give them hiding places? I've read some people tread concerning hiding places for raphaels in the tank and how they die caused they stuck themself. So I was worried about this.
Talking about sands, is there any chance that they would accidentally swallow them?
I hope it doesnt take 4 years for my raphaels to grow from 4" to 8", I'll shot them with steroids if I have to, lol
cheers

 

[TwistedPenguin]

Yes-definitely give them hiding places! They need them. They're nocturnal and usually always come out just at night. I've got 4 in different tanks and will come down in the middle of the night and they're swimming all over but in the daytime I don't see them. My brother has one in his Discus tank that will come out the second food hits the tank, but not my 4. I got mine at 1" just over 2 yrs ago and they're 5" now counting their tail. Yes, they grow real slow.