CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

I just recently got a rope fish and a shovelnose catfish. I've been waiting forever to find a shovelnose! Too bad he was horrible overpriced. $50 for a 3 inch guy. But I loved him.

I can't find too much info on the rope fish. Just the same things over and over. So I thought I'd come to the site for some help!

How good can rope fish see? Mine kind of creeps and bumps into things and feels his way around with his nose. He kind of goes by trial and error, like he can't see good.

The lfs said they are a carnivore, as well as my shovelnose. I've been putting loads of guppies in the tank, but it's a 55 gallon and the guppies stay at the top. I'm not sure how well they are finding them. I turn the light off as I read they are nocturnal and hunt in the dark.

Would my convicts have killed some of the guppies? I put 3 dozen in 5 days ago just so both the fish could find some (they rarely leave the bottom) and they were gone today.

And is there a disease where convicts faces turn red and look bloody but aren't, and they get red bloody looking blotches all over there bodies and get really bloated to the point where they look like there going to explode?

Kind of all over here. Sorry. Any info you guys can give would be appreciated.

Hi, Amy.  I've kept ropefish and shovelnose catfish.  Yes, both are carnivores, but both will happily eat pellets as well, as long as they get down to where they hang out.  I really like the ropefish.  You do have to be sure your tank is escape-proof, 'cause these guys will definitely test it! Try to be sure there are no openings around the lid of any consequence.  What kind of shovelnose do you have?  There are a few, and they all can get fairly large -- some can get even larger than fairly large.  If you have a good-size tank the Sorubim Lima is a decent choice.  I have two at the moment, one of which is about 15" or so.  They willl learn to eat from the surface as well as the bottom -- these guys are not "scavengers".  The Lima is probably the best choice for most aquarists.  If you look really closely at this pic you can see a Lima or two behind and underneath the perch:


I've also kept the Tiger Shovelnose catfish.  They're very personable, and IMO a great pet, but they truly get too big for almost anyone's home aquarium.  They're large (up to 3 meters and more) and powerful fish, and have the bulk to dash right through your aquarium glass if startled.  Sort of like keeping a racehorse in your back yard.  Water quality definitely becomes problematic.  Neat, but probably not best for the animal or for you.  Here's a pic of mine in his current home at the Tennessee Aquarium:



There are a surprising number of these available in pet shops.  I lucked out finding mine a home.  There just arent' enough public aquaria to house all the big catfish like this that people buy and then find they can't adequately feed or house.  Then you're left with the dilemma of what do do with it.

I have the first one. The Sorubim Lima. I have him in my 55 gallon for now, until he's big enough to go into my 150 gallon and hang out with my Oscars. How big does he get?

I was reading about the rope fish. I read they can live out of water 4-6 hours! I was amazed. The lfs didn't tell me that. I get scared at night that I'm going to wake up and a have a little fish sqirming on my floor! They are really awesome to watch, how they move. He doesn't leave his cave much, I'm currently looking for something to block off the holes. How big do rope fish get? Mines about 8-9 inches or so.

As for the convict disease, any ideas on that? Maybe that's just how a couple of my fish are?

Not sure about the convict prob.  Can you post some pics? Remember, a lot of cichlids will intensify their color during and after feeding.  As to the Limas, I have 2.  One is about 8", the other about 15".  They should be ready to go into the big tank as soon as they're too big for your big guys to eat.