Reedfish (Ropefish)

Geographical Origin & Biotope:

Wide distribution in the rivers of West and Central Africa, ranging from Senegal to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. They prefer slow-moving waters, swampy rivers, and canals heavily covered by marginal and floating vegetation, often with bottoms rich in silt, mud, and decaying foliage. They occasionally inhabit estuary areas tolerating very slight salinities (but are considered freshwater fish).

Taxonomy & Morphology:

The only member of the genus *Erpetoichthys* within the ancient Polypteridae family (bichirs, among the most primitive living vertebrates). The anatomy is fascinating: it completely lacks ventral fins, has a flat reptile-like head with prominent tubular nostrils (used to "smell" the water), and is covered by interlocking ganoid scales, as hard as bone, which form a veritable armor that is impossible to penetrate. The dorsal fin is fragmented into a series (from 7 to 13) of small independent pointed pinnules towards the tail. They possess a swim bladder modified into functional lungs.

Social Behavior:

During the day they rest hidden, often with their heads peeking out of pipes. At dusk, the tank comes to life: they swim exploring the bottom with sinuous serpentine movements. It is hilarious to watch their fluid "reverse gear". They often dart to the surface and swim back down leaving a bubble, a natural behavior and not a sign of illness.

Coloration & Sexual Dimorphism:

The base color of the upper body is an olive green or dull yellowish-brown (perfect for camouflaging among rotting vegetation), while the belly is a lively yellow-orange or light cream. The pectoral fins (often used to "walk" on the bottom) sport a prominent black spot at the base. Distinguishing sexes is complicated: the rule of thumb is to count the anal fin rays (males have 12-14 rays and a broader, fleshy fan-shaped anal fin, while females only have 9-12).

Tank Setup:

The fundamental rule that will make the difference between a healthy fish and a mummified fish on the living room floor is the lid. The aquarium (minimum 120 cm / 4 feet due to their adult length, 250 liters / 65 gallons) must be watertight. Ropefish incessantly explore the upper corners of the tank and the smallest crack for cables or pipes will be used to slither out. However, being obligate air-breathers, the aquarium must not be filled to the brim: you must leave at least 5-10 cm (2-4 inches) of air between the water and the lid (air that is not too cold or dry) so they can fill their lungs. The setup requires very soft river sand, many large plants, and wood or PVC pipes to provide dark areas to rest during the day.

Diet & Feeding:

It is an almost blind nocturnal predator. In the wild, it hunts guided by its exceptional sense of smell (using its prominent tubular nostrils). It almost totally ignores flakes or dry commercial pellets. To thrive, their diet must be meat-based: frozen bloodworms, large live earthworms, pieces of peeled shrimp, mussels, and krill. Meals must be provided on the bottom at dusk or with the lights out, otherwise fast diurnal tankmates will steal all the food from under its nose, leading it to starvation.

Water Quality:

Hailing from the swamps, slow estuaries, and rivers of Africa, they tolerate variable water chemistries but prefer neutral to weakly acidic waters (pH 6.0 - 7.5) with moderate hardness (GH 5-15). Tropical temperatures between 22°C and 28°C (72-82°F) are ideal. Although they tolerate low levels of dissolved oxygen in the water (thanks to their lungs), filtration must be excellent to dispose of the heavy biological load of their carnivorous diet.

Compatibility & Tankmates:

The Ropefish is surprisingly docile, often too shy, but has one golden rule: "if it fits in its mouth, it will be eaten". Small characins like Neons, Guppies, dwarf Corydoras, and any kind of shrimp will magically vanish overnight. However, they will never bite fish larger than their mouths and are not territorial. The ideal is a West African biotope aquarium with peaceful and bulky fish: Congo Tetras (*Phenacogrammus interruptus*), African Butterflyfish (*Pantodon*), African knifefish, or African dwarf Cichlids (*Pelvicachromis*). Furthermore, they are highly gregarious: they should be kept in groups of at least 2-3 specimens. They love to sleep together, intertwined with each other.

Aquarium Breeding:

Practically unknown in hobbyist aquariums. It is thought to require enormous tanks, dense aquatic vegetation, and hormonal triggers linked to the rainy season and barometric changes to induce courtship.

Risks & Diseases:

Escaping from the tank is the main cause of death. Thanks to their ability to breathe atmospheric air (if they remain moist) they can survive out of water for several hours, so if you find one on the floor that looks dead and dry, *always* put it back in the water immediately: they often miraculously recover. Medications containing copper are lethal to these ancient fish.