Why is my Ropefish trying to escape the tank?

Ropefish are notorious escape artists. In the wild, they often wriggle across damp land to find new pools if their current habitat dries up or lacks food. In an aquarium, escaping can be triggered by stress, poor water quality, or simply their natural instinct to explore. A tight, gap-free lid is absolutely mandatory.

Can I keep a Ropefish with smaller fish like Neon Tetras?

No. While they are peaceful towards larger fish, Ropefish are opportunistic nocturnal predators. Any fish small enough to fit into their mouths, such as small tetras, rasboras, or guppies, will eventually be eaten.

Do I need to keep more than one Ropefish?

Yes, it is highly recommended. While they can physically survive alone, Ropefish are highly social and gregarious animals. They thrive, show better colour, and exhibit more natural behaviour when kept in groups of three or more. You will often see them resting together in a single cave.

How do I ensure my Ropefish gets enough food?

Because they have poor eyesight and hunt by scent, faster tankmates often steal their food. To ensure they eat, try target feeding them with long aquascaping tongs, or drop sinking meaty foods (like bloodworms or chopped prawn) into the tank just after the aquarium lights have been turned off for the night.

Why is my Ropefish swimming to the surface and gulping air?

This is completely normal and essential for their survival. Ropefish have a modified swim bladder that functions like lungs. They are obligate air breathers and must regularly visit the surface to gulp atmospheric oxygen. If denied access to the surface, they can drown.

FreshwaterTropicalIntermediate

Ropefish

Erpetoichthys calabaricus

An elongate, snake-like oddball from West Africa, known for its remarkably peaceful demeanour and notorious ability to escape from unsecured aquariums.

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Ideal Conditions

Temperature: 22 – 28 °C
pH range: 6.5 – 7.5
Hardness: 5 – 15 dGH
Adult size: 35 – 40 cm
250L (Minimum 120cm length): 250 litres+
Lifespan: 15 – 20 years
Diet: Carnivore
Water flow: low to moderate
Preferred setup: Soft sand substrate, abundant smooth caves, PVC pipes, dense planting, and an incredibly secure, gap-free lid.

About the Ropefish

The Ropefish (*Erpetoichthys calabaricus*), frequently sold as the Reedfish, is a captivating member of the bichir family that genuinely resembles a snake navigating your aquarium. Unlike many predatory oddballs, they are incredibly social and docile, provided their tankmates are too large to swallow. They possess a fascinating anatomical adaptation in the form of a modified swim bladder that functions as a pair of lungs, allowing them to gulp atmospheric air and survive in stagnant, oxygen-depleted waters.

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Is it right for your tank?

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Where Ropefish comes from

Native range

West Africa, Congo River Basin

Countries / regions

Nigeria, Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea

Habitat

Sluggish, heavily vegetated rivers, swamps, and floodplains with warm, shallow water.

They frequently inhabit deoxygenated waters, making use of their lung-like swim bladder to survive.

Similar species

Senegal Bichir
Polypterus senegalus
Ornate Bichir
Polypterus ornatipinnis
Kuhli Loach
Pangio kuhlii

We’re adding more full species guides as the catalogue grows.

Compatible tank mates

Reviewed guidance based on this species' recorded traits.

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Congo Tetra
Phenacogrammus interruptus
Large enough to avoid being eaten, occupy the middle-to-top water levels, and appreciate similar water parameters.
Great
Blue Acara
Andinoacara pulcher
A robust, generally peaceful cichlid that is much too large to be viewed as prey by the Ropefish.
Great
Common Pleco
Hypostomus plecostomus
Large suckermouth catfish may occasionally develop a habit of grazing on the nutrient-rich slime coat of slow-moving oddballs.
Compatible with caution
Neon Tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Small, slender fish will quickly be consumed by nocturnal Ropefish hunting by scent.
Not recommended
Cherry Shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Small invertebrates are natural prey items and will be eaten.
Not recommended

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