Reedfish
Erpetoichthys calabaricus
37 cm
Adult size
700 L
Minimum volume
3
Minimum group
15 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Erpetoichthys
- Diet
- carnivore
- Social life
- small group
In the wild
Overview
The only species in its genus, the reedfish (or ropefish) is a close relative of the bichirs, the last representatives of a very ancient lineage. With its snake-like body, it swims by undulating along the bottom as well as in open water, breathes air and has poor eyesight: it hunts by smell, mostly at night.
- Scientific name
- Erpetoichthys calabaricus Smith, 1865
- Classification
- Polypteriformes › Polypteridae
- IUCN Red List
- Near threatened (NT)
Natural habitat
Coastal West Africa: from the Ouémé River (Benin) to the Sanaga (Cameroon)
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives in shallow, heavily vegetated water, slow rivers and still waters, apparently associated with reed beds, down into estuaries.
Behaviour
It eats any fish that fits in its mouth, but remains peaceful with others and can live in a small group. Keep it with Synodontis, large characins and cichlids such as the severum or angelfish, not with overly lively species. A carnivore, it generally refuses dry food: shrimp, worms, mussels, larvae. It escapes easily: the aquarium must be tightly closed.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth