Expiriences with the Elephant nose fish?

[Indeed]

Just wondering how people liked the elephant nose fish, thinking about getting one but not sure. whats been your experience with them?

[reignOfFred]

i had some way back - they really need a good sized, non competative tank and a group to do any good and i really dont recommend one as just another addition to a community tank.

[cmosh]

Had one years ago, it jumped tank.

[Indeed]

wow guess fewer people own this than i thought...

[anh]

my dad had one 5 years ago, its really shy and timid, best kept in planted tank where they can use their nose to find food. Somewhat a picky eater and seen to live off alot of invert and worms. Their really intellegent and can get quite big.

[astrosag]

Elephant nose fish, from what I've seen and experienced, are not kept by many planted tank enthusiasts.

They get big, need companions and non-aggressive tank mates. Think of those large Arowanas, cichlids that sit there in these huge tanks...those are usually the type of tanks that house Elephant noses...not planted tanks.

They are quite smart, as anh said. Gorgeous fish but I can imagine some technical issues with having them in a planted tank that requires more maintenance.

[plantbrain]

I've got 2 of them, about 4 years old, do not keep together though, awesome fish, I have a long nose double truck and then the G elephas.

These have a different personality than the single nose common ones.

They eat from my hand and do very well, but you need good current and O2, otherwise you'll gas them. They are extremely active and need fed often.

You can see him in the Left middle.

[astrosag]

Just be sure to have a larger home ready for them...looks like they'll outgrow Tom's tank too.

Btw, thats an awesome tank Tom.

[bobbymac29649]

I was a bit apprehensive about getting an Elephant Nose. I'd read that they were very picky eaters, only came out at night, were very shy, etc.
Maybe I have one that's abnormal because it's none of the above. I have found that keeping some goldfish in a tank can make the shyest fish come out of their shell. The goldfish never stop their antics. It's like throwing some clowns into a classroom. Pretty soon everyone is out seeing what the clowns are doing. At feeding time the goldfish get so excited that within seconds all the other fish are acting just as crazy.
I have Gouramis, Rainbow Sharks and even a Ghost Knife Fish in the tank. Because of the frenzy caused by the goldfish the other fish eat whatever is being served. Being like a typical child they don't want to miss out on whatever it is.
The morning feeding is usually Spirulina flakes and goldfish flakes. The evening feeding is frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms and a homemade gel food. Midday I may throw in some pellets. Occasionally I'll throw in some earthworms. If I have a sudden bloom of snail babies in one of my other aquariums I'll collect them and toss them in.
The Elephant Nose reminds me of a big puppy. When the food is dropped into the tank he comes lumbering in pushing everyone out of the way. He's not mean or agressive. He just acts like a big giant oaf not wanting to miss any of the excitement or any of the food.
They're all in a heavily planted tank with lots of driftwood. It may be an unorthodox method but it works for me.

[plantbrain]

Mine eat from my hands.
I have 3 G elephas in the 120 Gallon Dutch tank.
I think few keep them in planted tanks because they gas and kill them with CO2.

Mine were tiny, maybe 2" when I got them, they are 5, 4 and the runt is 3.5"

You will never see them in some ADA contest, they are not that type of pet for those type of hobbyists frankly.

And they are very much "a pet", not just fish.