Does anyone know alot about elephant nose fish? Mine just died after having it for only two days???

Question

I got an elephant nose fish two days ago. I put it in a tank with other peaceful fish, cat fish, kissers, mollies. It stayed hovering around at the back of the tank behind the plants and didn't eat anything. I saw this mornign that it had passed away in the night. I'm at a loss to know why. No chemicals have been added to the tank and the other fish are fine (touch wood) What usually kills these fish? Has anyione kept them before and they've died for no apparent reason? Also in my other tank i have one choclate guorami fish, it is lonely does anyone know any shops that sell these rare fish (I live in bristol)

Answer 1

here's info about it:
The Elephant Nose is an interesting fish that originates from the Niger River and its tributaries in Western Africa. Its body is mostly black and is irregularly shaped with a long narrow tail and nose in which it uses to forage for food. It possesses a weak electrical organ at the caudal peduncles which is used to locate food.

It requires a minimum of a 50 gallon aquarium with good water conditions. It is generally timid and reclusive, preferring a fine-gravel-bottom aquarium with plenty of plants and rocks for hiding places where it can find refuge from the light. To better appreciate this fish, many hobbyists will purchase a "ghost tube," a clear plastic tube that facilitates viewing during the day. Once accustomed to its surroundings, the Elephant Nose can become incredibly tame and trusting to the point of being hand-held. It does well with other, larger species of a peaceful nature, but may be aggressive towards those of similar or smaller size.

The Elephant Nose is carnivorous and will eat many types of meaty foods including; blood worms, chopped earthworms, brine shrimp, flake and pellet foods as well as an array of frozen meaty foods.

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Tank Conditions: 73-80°F; pH 6.5-7.0; KH 0-10
Max. Size In Aquarium: Up to 9"
Color Form: Black
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet: Carnivore
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Apparently they have specific demands in terms of ph and things. check your water parameters to make they're ok.

Answer 2

Oh poor Little Elephant Nose!! It was probably looking forward to a better life rather than be stuck in a fish tank full of there own species,And what happens the elephant nose probably got Stressed and Died due to a new environment and maybe you have to much of an active tank or maybe you have not done your homework on these fish and how they live! As people have said they are a very hard fish too keep and should only be for the well Experienced Hobbyists.. All i can say is Learn as much as possible before buying any fish...It helps in the long run as it could cost you a fortune too..

Answer 3

You need to find out more about a fish before you buy! There are lots of great sites where you can find out anything! My fav. is thinkfish.co.uk. There will be someone on one who will know about the gouramis I'm sure.
Elephant nose are very difficult to keep and need specific water conditions. It's a fish for the Experienced Fish-keeper.
The fish probably died of stress. Due in part to the journey home and the different water conditions in your tank.

Your others should be fine. They are used to the tank conditions.

Answer 4

Elephant nosed Fish are unable to do much harm to anything. As has already been said they do need a special diet. They are adapted to very specific feeding conditions. I read somewhere that they use elecrical impulses to locate their food. I have never heard of Seimens Fighting Fish. They must be relatively new. Females of most fish tend to get on well with each other (there are exceptions) It`s the boys that get all territorial and argue with anything in sight. Unlike Humans which are the other way round !!!!!!

Answer 5

Sorry about the loss. Question- Is the tank new at all?
Elephants are a very delicate species of fish and simply can't tolerate the levels of toxins that rise during a new tank break-in.
Is it at least a 50 gal aquarium? Less than that is too small for them.

Elephants also need to be kept in groups of 3 or more. With just two there will be one dominant fish and one will slowly be stressed to death. With 3 or more they distribute their activity instead of focusing just "one-on-one" and getting terretorial. That may be what's really going on and the break-in period is simply adding to his demise.

Answer 6

I had one of them, and they are very difficult to keep. I live in a very hard water area, so it was doomed from the start.

Really the shop that sold it should tell you these things.


If you are really interested in trpoical fish let me know, and i'll give you some proper forums to post these questions in rather than the stupid replies you get on here

Answer 7

Elephant nose are a particular species from the warmer waters of the African Congo region. They are extremely delicate. Ammonia and PH levels are very important to these species. PH needs to be maintained aroun 7 (neutral) and ammonia levels cannot be near trace. The food to which they consume should be freeze dried tubifex or bloodworms. They can also indulge on frozen krill and bloodworms as well. They are a very difficult species to raise.

Answer 8

May be the wood kills the elephant nose fish, May be the another fish's are poison for it,
May be before you get it, it was very sick,
May be before you get it, it didn't eat any thing for many days,
May be the food which you gave it, it was poison,
May be her food i special.

Answer 9

Well, the elephant nose

Answer 10

did you try putting water in the tank !