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.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Rope Fish
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Rope Fishin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Zebra Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Male Betta
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Pearl Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Michał Zalewski / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0