# Mbuna Cichlids with Ropefish



## C_Carithers (Aug 9, 2012)

Hey, just wondering if any of you have tried putting your ropefish in with your cichlids. I have 8 cichlids and all are quite friendly, and I just added a ropefish yesterday. For awhile the fish just followed him and watched him like they were just bewildered by him. Now they have left him alone, but I haven't actually seen him eat yet which worries me. I feed the fish cichlid pellets and some float to the bottom where he can get them but he never does. I've also put the pellets right in front of his face and he still doesn't eat them. So what should I do? I have a 55 gallon with plenty of rocks and plants.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I found this info via Google. The article also said they like to be in groups of 5-6. What kind of cichlids do you have them with?:



> Faster fishes eat their lunch. Larger fishes intimidate them. Rougher fishes bully them unmercifully.


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## C_Carithers (Aug 9, 2012)

demasoni, afra, red zebra, electric yelllow lab, bumblebee, 2 jewels, and a moliro moorii


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

They sound faster and rougher than a ropefish. Maybe do a species tank just for the ropefish?


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## C_Carithers (Aug 9, 2012)

hmmmm alright, I'll keep watching him and see how he does.


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## C_Carithers (Aug 9, 2012)

Just wanted to let everyone know, I have been hand feeding him frozen blood worms and everything is going great. Love the character he adds to the tank!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Report back after one year and then again after two years so we can see how the mix will be long term. Thanks! opcorn:


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## C_Carithers (Aug 9, 2012)

Alright! Will do!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

C_Carithers said:


> Just wanted to let everyone know, I have been hand feeding him frozen blood worms and everything is going great. Love the character he adds to the tank!


Just hope your mbuna don't get any of the bloodworms. A known cause of bloat.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

i keep my malawis with a tire-track spiny eel at 8 inch.
they do not bother each other... unless there are small fry which the eels will eat them.
but the trouble is u have to train the eel to eat african cichlid sinking pallets... my took about 2months to learn but worth my trouble.
it is a stunning odd ball in a malawi tank.
do not feed your malawi worms!


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

johnchor said:


> i keep my malawis with a tire-track spiny eel at 8 inch.


Never kept a rope fish nor a tire-track eel, so I have no personel experience with either. Both fish might have a similar shaped body but I think that's where their similarity ends......not closely related fish at all; not even in the same order!

Not that unsusual to see a tire track eel housed with SA/CA cichlids......seen a number of cichlid tanks with a tire track eel. Not so unusual to house them with aggressive cichlids. C'ant say I have ever seen a ropefish in a cichlid tank, though.

My understanding is that a ropefish is quite timid and unaggressive. As well, an unaggressive eater. Usually these are qualities/attributes that would make a fish do very poorly in a tank with mbuna. Time will tell.


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## C_Carithers (Aug 9, 2012)

Back two years later...hahaha..King Louis (my rope fish) is alive and well. Eventually moved him into his own tank because I feared he would be picked apart by my cichlids. Filter broke in his tank, and decided to move him back into the large tank with the cichlids, all has been well for many months. I have ample space for all cichlids plus king louis to hide. He really took to a conch shell I put in the tank, he would curl all the way up in it. If he gets incredibly hungry he will swim to the top to eat pellets I drop for the others. Otherwise he hangs at the bottom, and will eat a few pellets that sink, he still loves bloodworms, which I still give to him by hand. The others eat what worms they can find, was quite unaware of the hazards of feeding Malawis the worms, guess I will cut that out, or just have bite sized pieces for The King to feast on.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Time does fly doesn't it!

Thanks for the update on your Ropefish.


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## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I have two ropefish in my 160 and they do great!! Too much false info on ropefish. And I had one in my 55 with mbuna.


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