Ropefish care guide

Plan a tank with ropefishSee all tank mates

Ropefish quick facts

• Known jumper: keep a tight-fitting lid.
• Needs sand or smooth, fine gravel to protect its barbels and belly.

Tank setup

One ropefish needs at least 75 gallons (284 L) in a tank 4 ft (120 cm) long, since floor space matters more than height. Seal every gap in the lid, including cord and filter cut-outs, and leave a little air space at the surface so it can breathe. Use sand or smooth gravel, and add pipes, caves and plants to hide in.

How many ropefish in a tank?

The smallest common tank that suits ropefish is a 75 gallon. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.

Water parameters

Keep it at 24–28 °C (75–82 °F), pH 6.0–7.5 and 5–15 dGH. It can handle slightly brackish water but does not need salt. It is sensitive to ammonia and pH swings, so keep the tank stable, clean and gently filtered.

Best tank mates for ropefish

These popular species share ropefish' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 41 good matches.

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Dwarf gourami

  7.5 cm (3 in) · 24–28°C (75–82°F)

• Bronze corydoras

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 21–26°C (70–79°F)

• Angelfish

  15 cm (5.9 in) · 24–29°C (75–84°F)

• Tiger barb

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Oscar

  30 cm (11.8 in) · 23–27°C (73–81°F)

• Assassin snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Ramshorn snail

  2 cm (0.8 in) · 21–27°C (70–81°F)

Avoid keeping ropefish with

• Cherry shrimp: Ropefish eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
• Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Ropefish 24–28°C (75–82°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).
• Fancy goldfish: They need different temperatures: Ropefish 24–28°C (75–82°F), fancy goldfish 18–23°C (64–73°F).
• Guppy: Ropefish can eat guppies: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Neon tetra: Ropefish can eat neon tetras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Panda corydoras: Ropefish can eat panda corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Feeding

A carnivore that hunts by smell, mostly at night. Feed bloodworms, brine shrimp, chopped earthworms, mussel, prawn and other meaty frozen foods. Many never take flakes, though some learn to eat sinking pellets. Feed at dusk, close to where it hides.

Behavior

Peaceful and inquisitive, often poking around the bottom or resting among plants. It eats any fish or shrimp small enough to swallow, so avoid neons, guppies and other small fish. Several can share a large tank. Avoid aggressive or very fast fish, which bully it and take its food.

Breeding

Almost never bred in aquariums. A few spawnings were reported in the 1990s, but none of the young are known to have reached adulthood. Females are heavier-bodied, and the anal fin is shaped differently in each sex. A breeding male's anal fin also swells and thickens.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Plug every gap in the lid with foam or mesh. A ropefish that escapes usually dries out and dies.
• Cover the filter intake. Ropefish can crawl into pumps and filters.
• Feed after dark, near its hiding spot, so it gets its share before faster fish.
• Keep fish smaller than about 2 in (5 cm) and all dwarf shrimp out of the tank.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• fishbase.se
• en.wikipedia.org
• aquariumsource.com