Species Profile
Rope Fish
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
Oddballspeaceful
Adult size
15″
Minimum tank
50 gal
Temperature
72–82°F
pH
6–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Diet
Frozen, live, sinking pellets
Notes
Snake-like ancient bichir relative from West African swamps. Surprisingly social, often piles with others of the same species. Notorious escape artist (notably squeezes through tiny gaps); tight-fitting lid with every opening blocked is essential.
Photo: Michał Zalewski / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0