LA
Nine-inch elephant nose -- intriguing looking guy (or gal).
Appeal: Obviously
everyone loves elephant noses because of their appearance.
They rank among the harder fishes to keep, so we don’t recommend
them to most people -- especially beginners.
LA
We're starting to get more and more CBs (captive-bred) elephant noses
these days.
Origins: Not raised on
many fish farms, we get most elephant noses directly from the wild.
They come from warm, shallow streams in Africa.
We’re starting to see captive born
ones this millennium.
Name Origin: Some guy
named Peters found these weird little critters with the elephant noses, so he stuck his name on
them.
LA
Came DOA. You can see the mouth on this elephant nose.
Elephant Trunk? Look
very closely. You’ll notice
their mouth at the top of their trunk – not underneath or thru the
trunk. Elephant noses do use their
“trunk” to poke around looking for worms, not for eating food.
LA
Baby whales are no-nose elephant noses.
LA
Most mormyrids (including baby whales) do not clump up like this.
LA
Or swim around like this. They prefer to hide during the day.
Under two inches.
LA
Another two-incher.
LA
Couple more nearly two-inchers.
LA
About a three-inch baby whale here.
LA
Some weird mormyrids come out of Africa.
LA
This weird elephant nose is called a dolphin. He gets along with
African cichlids.
LA
Treat these and other mormyrids the
exact same way as elephant noses.
Water Conditions: Elephant
noses prefer soft water. Adding a
teaspoon of salt per gallon always helps.
Size: Very few of
the elephant noses grow larger than eight inches.
Many top out at six.
LA
This 10-inch elephant nose bailed thru a hole in his tank cover. It's doubtful
we can save him.
Jumpers: Keep your elephant
noses covered. These darn
critters like to jump out. They like to jump most when they feel
good.
Huge Brains: For their
size, that is. They’re
supposedly among the smartest of all the fishes.
You’d think a fish with any brains at all would not jump out of
their water.
Electric Fish: Not as
powerful as the electric eel or electric catfish (or MidAmerican Energy),
the elephant nose uses its weak current to locate tasty morsels.
You could pick him up barehanded – unlike those other guys,
especially MidAmerican Energy.
LA
Several nosers? PVC tubes make instant condos for your elephant
noses. They still argue.
Not Schoolers: Electric
fishes just don’t like other electric fishes.
Elephant noses dislike other nosers and most of the knife fishes.
LA
Big bunches of elephant noses
do get along together. Large tanks help.
LA
In wholesaler's tanks, you can sometimes see them pile up like this.
Breeding: Forget it.
Foods: Forget
feeding them flakes at first. Most
new elephant
noses will
starve before even trying flakes or pellets.
They mucho prefer live blackworms.
Frozen tubifex worms, brine shrimp, and glass worms will also work.
Many will eventually convert to flake foods.
Feeding: Since new elephant
noses prefer the night shift, feed them at night – right before you turn
their lights off. If you feed
them during the day, your other fish will devour their preferred foods.
After your elephant nose has been around a while, he catches on to your feeding
schedule.
Lighting: Elephant noses
prefer
a low light aquarium. Add some
floating plants to subdue their lighting.
LA
Feel free to mix large elephant noses with normal community fish.
LA
Mix small elephant noses with smaller community fishes.
Good Tank Mates: Nosers
cost more than the average fish. That’s
good or more people would get them and kill them.
New nosers mix pretty well with other community fishes as long as you
feed them in the dark. When it comes to eating, lots of elephant
noses stand
in the back row.
LA
In a nearly bare tank, elephant noses will cluster about plants.
Protective Plants: Add
grassy plants such as Vallisneria or Sagittarius to make your elephant noses feel more at home.
Even plastic plants help. So
do pieces of driftwood.
LA
Caves/Ledges. Nosers want to hide days and scoop
the loop at night. Provide a cave or ledge for your elephant noses to lurk in.
Disease: Elephant noses
that catch “ich” will probably die – not from the disease, but from
the medication. Use any cure
with them very carefully. The
Malachite Green in most ich cures will kill them.
Malachite harms most “scaleless” fishes.
LA
Here's different large elephant noses.
LA
And here's a small school of them in a 55.
LA
And a single specimen.
LA
And here's one called a double-nose elephant nose (at twice the price).
LA
Another view of the same guy.
Last Word:
Keep their water well filtered. Dirty
water causes elephant noses (and you) many problems.
LA.
Jamie McIntosh, March 28, 2012
hello i just wanted to say on your elephant nose page it says new
elephant noses wont take flakes but i've had three all at different
times who took flakes from day one and i've had one for about 5 months
who if given the choice he goes for flakes before bloodworm and he's
about 2-3 inches including his tail he is 4 inches and his had no
problems what so ever and i use to have a male fighting fish in a 55g
community aqurium and when he died he was about 4 years old just thought
you might like to hear
A: Thanks. I'll add your comments to my elephant nose
page. LA
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