Safe fish for file snake

[SteveNT]

Calling all file snake keepers

I am getting a young file snake this weekend. 4 foot tank is set up. I am just wondering if anyone knows if these fish are ok to put in with him.

Spangled Grunter
Sooty Grunter
Striped Grunter
Mouth Almighty
Rhendalls Catfish (eeltail)
Archerfish

I can catch these guys in our local creeks but they (particularly the grunters) are fairly agressive. I am worried about them harming the snake, not the other way around. Obviously I will not be bringing home large specimens.

He will have a selection of rainbows, gudgeons and glassfish to mung on but I would like to provide a variety of prey items.

Any help appreciated. Thanks

 

[butters]

Although they would probably eat them in the wild I would give the rhendhals ( and any catfish) a miss purely because of the pectoral and dorsal spines.

I have seen too many large predatory fish with these things lodged in their throats. I can't see a file snake being any different.

Ive kept plenty of grunters with turtles before so can't see they would be a major drama as far as aggression goes but they do have some good dorsal spines and razor sharp gill plates.

 

[beardedman]

umm all of them should be fine just make sure there bigger and thicker than the files mouth and how much are u getting the file for

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and just remember the spines on thes fish id also try a type of american cichlid

 

[Chanzey]

Sleepy Cod would be ideal I reckon, got any of those near your place? ha

 

[SteveNT]

umm all of them should be fine just make sure there bigger and thicker than the files mouth and how much are u getting the file for

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and just remember the spines on thes fish id also try a type of american cichlid

Thanks B. I dont care if the file eats them, that's why I am stocking the tank with local natives I can replace easily. I've only ever seen files swallow fish head first (like cormorants or snakebirds) which folds the spines down negating them. The snake was 400.

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Sleepy Cod would be ideal I reckon, got any of those near your place? ha

Sleepy Cod (and other giant gudgeons) are common locally but ususlly too big. A big SC would eat the snake no worries. (They taste good too). There are several smaller gudgeons and I'll stick to those until old mate is a bit bigger.

Thanks for the comments peeps.

 

[beardedman]

oh ok and how much sre u getting them for

 

[SteveNT]

oh ok and how much sre u getting them for

ha ha see above (late edit)

 

[PieBald]

i dont keep files but would go with a sleepy cod. i have a mate who has them and i reckon a snake grows faster the a sleepy cod so if you can get a small one that what i would go 4

 

[beardedman]

oh **** thats quite alot

 

[Wrightpython]

You don't have to worry about spines as all major organs are covered by hard spine proof covering and every one I caught had multiple spines sticking out of there necks. Get the eel tail or three spine cat fish as they are the right shape and not a predatory species at that size( figuring 2 inch long max to start). The biggest problem I had keeping them in Sydney ( yes they were illegal at time) was the water quality is shocking and had fungal growth when we used rain water. Is the natural water up there hard calcium wise because I believe our water was very soft hence the probs

 

[SteveNT]

Yes but they are really tricky to breed and rarely on the market. I could break the law and catch one, they're hardly rare here. But that would go against everything I've been working for for the past 2 decades. Bargain I reckon!

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You don't have to worry about spines as all major organs are covered by hard spine proof covering and every one I caught had multiple spines sticking out of there necks. Get the eel tail or three spine cat fish as they are the right shape and not a predatory species at that size( figuring 2 inch long max to start). The biggest problem I had keeping them in Sydney ( yes they were illegal at time) was the water quality is shocking and had fungal growth when we used rain water. Is the natural water up there hard calcium wise because I believe our water was very soft hence the probs

I'm told using a UV filter (nuke) on the filtration system knocks that issue on the head. I have big chunks of holey limestone in the tank to counteract the acidity from the FS poo. I'm using a heater because they dont like cold and it gets down to 18o on a chilly Dry season night.

 

[Chanzey]

In the wild would file snakes eat small wetland birds? or are they primarily fish eaters

 

[SteveNT]

Fish

 

[Mulgaaustralis]

Fish with spines are certainly a threat.

I've seen many dead file snakes with pectoral and dorsal fins protruding from the skin.
They've gone to regurge the fish and the fins act as a hook.
In this case I'm assuming your feeding live.
I wouldn't recommend it

 

[imported_Varanus]

Books are all packed for the upcoming move, but I recall in Shine's big shiny snake book a pic of a file snake after swallowing a barbed catfish. Large spine sticking from it's epiglottis!

 

[SteveNT]

OK, gudgeons, hardyheads and rainbows (maybe a couple of freshwater Sole) it is.

I've been talking to the bloke who bred them for the Territory Wildlife Park and supplied several Oz zoos. Very informative.

Here's the set up 4 foot tank, lots of limestone to neutralise the ammonia rich FS poo in already soft Darwin water, heavy plantings and Grolux fluro and LED lighting. Brugiera mangrove roots after extensive boiling and soaking to get rid of the tanins. Corner filter is only in there while the tank is conditioning.

Hope he likes it!



Security lids arrive Friday, fish collection Saturday and the young bloke meets his new home Sunday!

 

[Magpie]

Why are you getting rid of the tannins? Just for aesthetics? Tannins are an excellent anti-fungal.
I kept files for a few years and kept them in very tannin heavy water and never had a fungal infection of any type.
I never ran heating in Cairns either. Being live eaters, they choose to eat when it's warm enough for them.
I fed mine mostly barra fingerlings as it was easier to buy them than catch natives but they also had a few rainbows.
I don't think the grunter would be a problem to your snake, but they may kill your other feeder fish.
Keep quite a few fish as add new ones regularly as the fish get good at avoiding the snake.

 

[SteveNT]

Aesthetics, without treating the brugiera you wouldn't see 2 inches into the tank. I'm running a UV filter which several people have said reduces incidence of fungals. I'm running the heater at 27o, again advised lower temps bring on fungal attack.

The grunters are a bit agro and spiny so I'll leave them out for now. I will keep the tank stocked with rainbows and gudgeons (local creeks are full of them.

 

[jack]

i put tannins in the water by adding teabags to the filter. lights are a bad idea, in fact put the tank in the darkest corner of the house.

 

[SteveNT]

Que? I cant maintain plants without lights. Are you saying they are a bad idea? There are plenty of dark places for the FS to hang out while the lights are on. I've been careful to create caves and the sides and back of the tank will have the light blocked by foliage as it matures. I know FS are primarily nocturnal but I see plenty getting around on the floodplain channels in bright daylight.

Can you extrapolate on the darkest corner thing? Cheers