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FAQs on Black Ghost Knifefish, Apteronotus (Sternarchus) albifrons, Compatibility

Related Articles: New World Knifefishes, GymnarchusNotopterids/Clown KnifefishesElectrogenic Fishes,

Related FAQs: Knifefish Compatibility, BGK FAQs 1, BGK FAQs 2, & FAQs on: BGK ID, BGK Behavior, BGK Selection, BGK Systems, BGK Feeding, BGK Disease, BGK Reproduction, & Knifefishes 1, Knifefishes 2, Knifefish Identification, Knifefish Behavior, Knifefish Compatibility, Knifefish Selection, Knifefish Systems, Knifefish Feeding, Knifefish Disease, Knifefish Reproduction, Electrogenic Fishes, Notopterid Knifefishes (Clowns...),

 

black ghost knife fish and tankmates – 08/26/09
hi i recently inherited some tank mates i was not expecting
<Oh dear...>
the stocking is a jack Dempsey, flag cichlid, 2 yo yo loaches a black ghost knife fish, 2x keyholes a royal Gourami and 3 silver dollars
<Hmm... a bit of a mixture there.>
they are in a 200l tank with excellent filtration 2x Fluval u4s and a Rena xp2 external
<Well, a 200 litre tank isn't really big enough for all these fish. Now, let's step through them one by one. The Jack Dempsey is an aggressive, territorial species that could easily claim this entire tank as its personal domain. While compatible with other Central American cichlids, this would usually require a somewhat larger tank, and in any case, the Central American cichlids would all be pretty boisterous and of course
requiring the same hard, alkaline water. The Flag Cichlid is, I assume, Mesonauta festivus, a lovely big (20 cm/8 inches) cichlid from South America. It's a lot like an Angelfish in terms of behaviour, and actually
mixes with them pretty well. On the other hand, it isn't aggressive enough to get along well with Central American cichlids, though I guess a female Jack Dempsey might be less aggressive than a male, so your mileage might vary on that count. Still, not a textbook combination. Your loaches (Botia almorhae) would work well with Mesonauta festivus, and given space, so should your Keyhole Cichlids, Gouramis, and Silver Dollars. The Black Ghost Knifefish will eventually need a bigger tank, though a juvenile can work
well in tanks this size. Adults get to as much as 40 cm in length, though this may take over a decade. The flip side to Black Ghost Knifefish is that they're inhabitants of fast flowing, well oxygenated water, and this isn't
necessarily what things like Flag Cichlids and Gouramis enjoy. Still, provided the turnover is somewhere between 6-8 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour, you should be okay.>
my question is will there be any problems i should be aware of?
<The Jack Dempsey is the short-term danger, being potentially aggressive enough to damage some of these fish, perhaps all of them. Longer term, you have too many big fish, and even if you got rid of the Jack Dempsey, you'd still need a tank 50-100% larger than the one you have now. Once your bigger fish species are above the 15-20 cm/6-8 inch mark, think about either rehoming some of your fish, or else buying a bigger tank.>
what should i be monitoring?
<Short term, look for signs of fin damage and so on. Make sure all the fish are swimming happily, and not obviously hiding or cowering in corners.
Longer term, monitor nitrite and nitrate to see that filtration and aquarium size are adequate to the fish being kept, and if nitrate consistently stays above 20 mg/l, there's a good chance your cichlids will be prone to Hexamita infections. Overstocked tanks suffer acute nitrate problems, even if filtration is able to deal with the ammonia and nitrite.>
the cichlids were the ones i inherited! thanks in advance Eryn!
<Eryn, please do use some capital letters if you write back. We really do appreciate them! Cheers, Neale.>

Re: black ghost knife fish and tankmates 8/27/09
Thank you for all the info I have found it very useful. I do intend on getting another tank soon so I will spread the larger fish out! Thank you again! Note the use of capital letters! Lol!
<Glad to have helped, and thanks for using capital letters. It doesn't sound like much to you perhaps, but to other site visitors, particularly those with reading/learning difficulties, or for whom English isn't their first language, niceties such as capital letters, correct spellings, and proper use of punctuation marks make a huge difference. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Tiger Barb is getting S shape body! & BGK comp., sys.   06/09/09
Thank you for your response. I've never heard of whirling disease, I looked it up & read some interesting info. My barb did eat well still this morning and does swim OK. At least not in circles YET, like what it said in the search for whirling. I will isolate him and see what happens for a few days and if he gets worse I will put him down if it has to come to that. Thank you much!
<Welcome>
I do have another question if you don't mind. I have been researching info on keeping Black Ghost Knife fish. What an awesome creature! Before I do buy one I'd like to know if he would be OK in one of my tanks. I have 2 setups that are possibilities..
1- my 90 gal, setup about 3 years. Water chem..nitrate O.. nitrite O.. ammonia O..pH 7.6 Fish in tank- 3 blood parrots 1 Jack Dempsey (oldest fish in tank and as sweet as can be) 1 Raphael cat, mom Kenyi and her 2 babies, (took dad out of tank picking on fish) 2 rainbow sharks, 1 jewel, 1 Severum, 1 l Lg Danio.
<Mmm, not a good setting... the Cichlids are too likely to work the BGK woe>
2- my 55 gal setup about 2 years. Water same as above. Fish in tank - 5 Australian rainbows, 2 diamond tetra, 2 rosy barbs, 2 gold barbs,2 black skirt tetras, 2 clown loaches, 2 queen loaches, 2 Chinese algae eaters 6 coolie loaches ,This one I'm a bit concerned about the coolies to be eaten (looks like worms) unless I house them else where.
<Mmm, not by the BGK, but the larger loaches might well bother an Apteronotid too much here as well>
I do have a total of 9 fish tanks setup.
I do weekly water changes 40-50 %
<Mmm... I would limit this to about 25%... unless you're storing, checking the make-up/exchange water, it's too easy to get into trouble with source water quality variability>
& both these tanks run on Aqua clear 110 filtration. Also have extra filtration systems available if I do need to add one more. Thanks I would appreciate knowing what you think before I buy this fish. I do have a 29
bow front but not setup yet.
Thanks!
<I would eschew the stocking of a S. American Knifefish in these systems.
BobF>
Re: Tiger Barb is getting S shape body!
Thank you, I'd rather know now then be sorry later!
<Ahh, yes... understood, and agreed! B>

Black Ghost Knife Q, comp. with loaches   4/8/09
First I want to say that I've read all the questions and responses on your BGK page. I'm in the process of setting up a 55-gallon tank, and once it is completely cycled I plan on waiting a few extra months to be sure
everything is where it should be as far as parameters and all go. Currently I have 2 tanks set up, a 30 and a 20 gallon, both heavily planted, that I've had for nearly 2 years now. I have 3 yo-yo loaches (2in long each),
and a starry night Pleco (about 2 1/2in long) in the 30, that I plan on transferring to the 55 once it's cycled and ready to go. I've read that the Pleco will only get to be 4in and the loaches no one seems sure of. I've
read variously that they will be anywhere from 4 to 8 inches long once full grown.
<Mmm, Botia almorhae grows to about a maximum of 13 cm./4 inches in the wild... yours will likely get no larger than 3" over time in this setting>
But my question is will they (the loaches and the Pleco) be good tank mates for the BGK? The loaches currently school and sleep with a pair of Cory cats, and don't bother anyone (I have 5 Danios in that tank as well and nothing else) but wasn't sure if that would change once I get them in with the knife.
<Mmm, likely so... though the loaches may be a bit more active than the Apteronotid would prefer>
One other question if I may. I originally got the yoyo's to help with a snail problem, but they are totally ignoring the snails. I've had them almost 3 weeks now and there are snails small enough for them to eat. The
only things they are interested in eating are sinking algae wafers. I've tried shrimp pellets, frozen shrimp and bloodworms, regular flake foods, freeze-dried shrimp and bloodworms, and daphnia, but all they do is shake the food around till it falls apart, or take a bite and spit it out, and then leave. The algae wafers they really chow down on however. I'm happy they're eating and acting normally, but I wasn't sure if they'd get the nutrition they needed from only the algae wafers. Thank you for your time and any help you can give me.
Silvara
<You might want to try "smooshing" a few of the snails (with your fingers)... to help your loaches develop an awareness ("taste") for the snails. Bob Fenner>

Black ghost knife attacked by loaches  1/14/08
We purchased a black ghost knife 3days ago and from the very beginning the fish swam near the surface on it's side and it seldom ventured to other parts of the tank. The fish was approximately 4cm in length. In our tank we also have 2 clown loaches, 2 Pakistanian loaches, 1 Corydoras, 1 angelfish, 3 gouramis and a small eel.
<One Corydoras isn't nice. Corydoras are SCHOOLING fish, which means they should be kept in groups. Please add some more of the same species (unless you want to accrue a lot of bad Karma from the catfish gods).>
We started noticing that the black ghost knife was being attacked by the loaches. The clown loaches are approx 6cm and Pakistanian loaches 4cm.
The tank is 4feet in length (980 Aqua One) The tank has 2 plants and water is changed regularly, 25% biweekly. There is a large rock with many holes to swim through and places to hide as well as a fake pot with hiding capability. The temp of the tank is approx 28degrees C. The tank was 34degrees C when the fish was first put in; our thermometer was not working but I realised the temp when I stuck my hand in. I slowly reduced the temperature using ice blocks. The pH of the tank is approx 7.2
The bottom feeders are fed the appropriate pellets once a day and we were feeding the others blood worms. The only other thing I have noticed in the tank is a yellow (algae?) growing on the sides of the tanks in round circles similar to what would be seen with bacterial growth. We put in anti-algae drops and cleaned the tank to deal with this. I have not yet observed any re-growth.
<Don't use Anti-Algae medications; they cause major problems, not least of all their toxicity to other organisms as well as producing nitrate spikes as all the algae die. What you have sounds like Diatoms, a type of algae that grows most noticeably in aquaria that are not adequately illuminated. Easily beaten by installing strong lights and lots of fast-growing plants. Nothing else works, other than manual scraping.>
1. do you think the ghost knife was unhealthy from the beginning judging
from it's behaviour?
<It was probably fine. But Apteronotus albifrons is NOT an easy fish, and is extremely sensitive to poor water quality as well as medications/potions of various types.>
2. is it normal for loaches to attack black ghost knives?
<Loaches are, with a few exceptions, NOT NICE FISH. They aren't community fish (exceptions are Kuhli loaches, Weather loaches, and to a certain degree Clown loaches; everything else is more or less aggressive and should be treated as such).>
3. We would love to get another black ghost knife but not if it is doomed to die before it's time, can you suggest any other reasons for the loss of our fish and tips to keep one safe in future?
<Hmm... not impossible to keep, and under good conditions live many (10+) years in captivity. But you do need to cover all the bases... these aren't like Danios you can just add to a tank and hope for the best. They have very specific needs in terms of food, hiding places, substrate, etc. Do read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/bgksys.htm
If you need more info, get back in touch!>
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Ali.
<We're happy to help. Good luck, Neale.>

Knife Fan Challenge, comp.  12/19/07
Thank you for your help in setting up our tanks (5, 48 and 75 gallons.) Due to Mr. Fenner's enthusiasm, I am now a Knife fish fan. I am now wanting to set up our final and largest, but before I did that, I wanted to double-check that I'm not headed for disaster. And as a side comment, it is frustrating with so much information on the web there are often conflicting opinions. For example, I thought my African Brown Knives (not Asian) would not be compatible in a pair, but after 6 months they co-existed peacefully, alongside one Black Ghost Knife who is now the same size as them at 8 inches! After finding a photo on the internet of a man holding a baby Black Ghost Knife in his hand that was born in his tank, I want to see if my Knives will breed as well, or at least, co-exist peacefully. I know this is an unusual undertaking, that is why I wanted to check with you, the supreme experts, first.
If I were to get a tank of 125 gallons, then 3 African Brown Knives (24 inches of fish) with 3 Black Ghost Knives (45 inches total) would be 69 inches of fish (using the old rubric of one inch per gallon.) I also have had one Bala with the knives who has been happy and health and is now 9 inches (will get 12 I read.) I have also had 2 rubber-nose dwarf Plecos, 2 pictus Pim catfish and a Featherfin catfish, apple mystery snails and a three-striped Corydoras. Will or can these peacefully co-exist as the ghost knife fish become larger?
<In this size system, likely so>
So far all have been fine on a blood worm diet, weekly 50% water changes and vacuuming and testing the water weekly. The three knife fish have done well, but after I add the three more, and as the Black Knife fish grow larger, can I expect them (or the Bala) to eat the dwarf Plecos, pictus, the Corydoras or the snails?
<No. They should be fine together>
Then, if I may also ask, for the 75 gallons now that the tank is ready with perfect water conditions, do you approve of our adoption plan:
Glass Fish, three-striped Corydoras, Round Glass Fish, Clown Plecos (4 inch dwarves), rubber-mouthed dwarf Plecos, one male Beta, guppies, silver hatchetfish (2.5 inches) or marble hatchetfish (1.5 inches)
and either a Featherfin catfish or Bugeye Synodontis catfish.
How does it sound?
<This mix for your 75 should work... I would go with the smaller Synodontis species. Bob Fenner>

Black Ghost Knife fish pairs?  8/13/07
I just discovered your website, and it is wonderful!! I've found so much info on BGKs! It has been very helpful.
<Ah, good>
I do have a quick question. My husband and I bought a BGK about a month ago (Oscar), and he's been doing great! I had read in a fish forum about getting more than one. Several people claimed they had a pair, and they got along great and seemed to enjoy having another "friend" like them around.
<Mmm, the exception actually... most Apteronotids fight in small confines>
So, today we bought another BGK (Fritz). Though Oscar hasn't actually damaged Fritz or harmed him in any way, his behavior has been aggressive towards him. (Periodically, Oscar darts at him and chases him for short distances.) Fritz respects Oscars space and goes the other direction, but he doesn't seem to be overly concerned with Oscars behavior; he doesn't hide from him (he's been busy exploring his new home); and he doesn't return the aggressive behavior. He simply starts swimming the other way, and generally Oscar doesn't pursue him for long.
My question is Oscar, our veteran, eventually get used to Fritz (newcomer), or do we need to separate them now before any real damage occurs/their own health and happiness?
<I see the pertinent info below>
Oh, they live in a 29 gallon (long) tank for now.
<This is too small a world for these two>
Oscar is a little bigger than Fritz (approx. 3-4"); Fritz is the same size Oscar was when we bought him a month or so ago. We are cycling a 55 gallon tank before we add any fish.
<Good>
Both of them have eaten well since Fritz arrived. Fritz acts totally normal besides being a little more active than usual, which I'm guessing is due to his new home. It's Oscar that all freaked out.
Thank you!!!
Kim
<I would move one of the Knives to the new tank once it's ready... and maybe try re-acquainting them there in time. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Ghosts, Knives and something else
I have a 55Gal tank with only an 8in. Black ghost <max over 12"> and a 7in. African black knife <max 8 to 12">. I am trying to find what other fish I can put in the tank and how many of each would be appropriate. I used to have a Silver Arowana but he got way too big for the tank (27in) so I had to find him a new home. And my albino clown that I loved died after I took the Arowana out. I have tried Nicaraguenese, Bala sharks and a Green Terror but the cichlids seem to pick on the black ghost and the Balas are so twitchy.  I am thinking about trying another clown but it would be nice to have some fish they weren't always hiding. The tank is pretty lonely and I don't know who would be most compatible with the ghost. I don't want him to become fish food <Nothing that will fit in a 55 will take an 8" ghost> or make fish food out of them <Very likely, unless too large to fit in it's mouth>.
Nicole.
<The biggest problem I see is the size of your tank. A 55 is fine for what you have now. But you would have to add some fairly large fish to ensure they do not become a late night snack. And if you want a few of them, the 55 shrinks in my eyes. Clown loaches come to mind. They grow large, but slowly. Some of the larger Cory species would also be safe. Don>   

BGK tank mates
Hello,
I have a Black Ghost Knife that I've had for about 5 months, about 4 inches.  He shares a 60 gal. tank with my Pleco and 2 Platy's.  I have a Fluval 404 for filtration and maintain the water regularly.  I'd like to get bigger, livelier, compatible fish for the Pleco and BGK.  I have a feeling the Platy's will eventually be food for a larger fish.  I'd love to get an Arowana but think it will outgrow the tank too soon and eat my BGK.  What about Oscars, Eels, Catfish, Red Tail Sharks?  I had a clown loach before but it was very spastic and swam anxiously in circles and eventually died.  What fish and how many can I add to my tank that would be best fit for the BGK and Pleco?  
Thank you.
Kristen
<Hello Kristen, I'm afraid for what you want to keep in your 60 will certainly exceed the capacity of the tank when the fish get larger.  Keep your BGK and your Pleco and maybe add a red tail shark.  James (Salty Dog)>

Re: BGK tank mates
Thank you James.  If I only add the red tail shark, is that enough for a tank of this size?  I've heard that I should be keeping 9 fish in my tank at all times for natural bacterial purposes.  Are there any other fish you would also recommend?
Thanks again.
<Kristen, Both the black knife and the Pleco will grow quite large so I am basing that on future growth of the fish unless you plan on getting a larger aquarium in the future.  The main thing is to monitor your ammonia levels.   When you add a new fish, check these levels for a week or two to make sure the biological system can handle the extra load.  James (Salty Dog)>

Large Fish Compatibility
I have recently bought a striped shovelnose and a black ghost together and the pet store said they were compatible, which they are. they don't bother each other. later on I bought a gold Severum and 2 clown loaches, which the pet store said that the Severum and clown loaches would go good with the black ghost knife fish and the shovelnose. nothing has happened yet because they are all pretty small. but I was telling someone what I had in my tank and they said that I shouldn't have listened to there advice because the black ghost knife fish would be fish food sooner or later. so I was wondering is that true? I do know that the Severum is compatible with all the other fish but I couldn't find any information on the black ghost fish. if you can help I would much appreciate it.
        thank you          sincerely, Lindsey
<Hi Lindsey, I am scared to ask what size tank you have.  These are all fish that get really large.  The shovelnose can get close to 2ft, and the Ghostknife will not be too far behind.  In a large enough tank you might be ok, I personally do not trust large catfish with smaller tank mates, they have a tendency to eat them.  You can find more on the Ghostknife at the links below.  Best Regards, Gage
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/knifefishfaqs.htm
http://www.mongabay.com/fish/knifefish.htm  >

Ghost knife with cichlids
My son has had a black ghost knife fish for four years. He is about 9 inches.  We, being ignorant, were keeping him in a <gasp> 10 gal. aquarium all this time.
<yikes that is a bit small...>
The last few months he ("Sonar") would stay out of his ghost tube most of the time and do loops a lot.  We increased his feed.
<that happens with Knifefish small tanks seem to have them get restless.>
Anyway, at Christmas I bought him a 29 gal. tank <wow> thinking that would be wonderful.  It came with an Aqua-tech 20-40 power filter. <I know you're laughing>.  
<Any filter is better than none, just have to make sure the water parameters are okay.>
Being ignorant again, in regards to the new tank cycling.  I also bought two convict cichlids to keep him company.  My thinking was they could hold their own with him since he killed the Neons and Bala shark my son used to have.  
<be cautious with any cichlids and Knifefish, cichlids are nippy things, and if a Knifefish should loose his anal fin (which is it's only real propulsion) then it is done for.  I try to keep my Knifefish with tankmates that I know won't bother it.>
I used the Stress-coat and Stress-zyme.  The ammonia levels got really high.  
<A fish that size is bound to put out some high amounts of waste and ammonia>
I did have a knowledgeable man at Petco advise me on changing out the water and doubling up on the stress-zyme.  So I did that two times the first week, about 25%.
<The stress-zyme isn't really helping the ammonia levels, it's helping the water additives in your water.  The water change is helping the ammonia levels. So keep up on the water changes.>
I kept asking about using our filtered drinking water  at fish stores and no one seemed too concerned.  We have rural chlorinated hard water but a water softener, which is what I used for the tank.  I now plan on using the filtered for the next change out.
<many Saltwater people prefer using filtered water for their tanks, nothing saying you can't use it.  Just that it can get expensive.>
Should I still use the chemical additives?
<It's not hurting the fish any, so you can keep doing it, just only add what is recommended on the package.   Good luck with the knife.  When they get older you will have lots of fun.  I have a friend that feeds his ghost by hand.>
My main question is should I get rid of the two cichlids?  
<I would, they run the risk of damaging the knife.>
Since all this I have spent a lot of time reading and learning ( a good thing) about these guys.
<That is a very good thing.  Research research research!  you will have more fun if you know what to expect.>
  I think they are both males.  The bigger one (they're both about 3 in) chases the other a lot and so he hides by Sonar which is sometimes in his tube with him.  I just noticed a couple slits in Sonar's ventral fin now and I'm feeling very guilty.  Other than that they seem to not bother him.  He still does his loops and does come out to feed when the light is on although he is spending more time in his tube again.
Also, I have learned we really didn't have a biological filter so I stuck a trickle filter sponge in the power filter where the water flow out hoping that will help.
<any more filtration is better than what is on there.>
I'm pretty sure I'm going to find a home for these cichlids even though I enjoy watching them.  I thought of just getting rid of the aggressive one.  
<You can set up another tank for them.  Cichlid tanks are extremely rewarding.  Get a male/female pair, and within 3-4 years you will no doubt be an expert and breeding them for you LFS!>
Sonar is my biggest concern.  Should I do anything else?  Any suggestions you have would be greatly appreciated.
<I would separate the fish, chances are high that they will pick at Sonar when you aren't around.  Give some thought into setting up a cichlid tank, I'm sure you and the family will really enjoy them!>
Sheryl in Missouri    
<good luck Sheryl.  -Magnus in New York>

Black ghost Knifefish 
hi, I need some advice concerning my ghost Knifefish, I've got a 5ftx3ftx2ft tank(400 litres) I have 1 rather large goby an Arowana 2 angels and 1 Geophagus brasiliensis a few kuhli loaches and a bristle nosed Plec, all of which seem to get on fine. last week I fell in love with a ghost Knifefish but since he's been in the tank I've hardly seen him, or seen him eat anything. the goby that I've got is very greedy and I'm worried if the Knifefish getting any food, what should I do???? any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks Julie
< Your knife fish is nocturnal and will only come out a night. If you put on a red light bulb at night you will see him out an about. To make sure he is eating I would turn out the lights and then feed the tank. They can be very picky and sometimes only eat live food. I would place some live black worms in the tank after I turn out he light at least once a week. If you ever got an elephant nose then I would recommend the same thing. -Chuck> 

Black Ghost Fish
Hi  
<Hello>
I  am setting up a tank for a ghost fish and want to know what sort of plants are good for putting in the tank and what other fish are suitable if any
<Tropical South American plants are my fave... ones that would, could be found in the same habitat. Tropica has a nice website that shows some of these biotopes... and maybe some sunken driftwood. Many medium sized characoids (tetra) fishes will go with this Apteronotus... as well as Callichthyid catfishes... even angels. Bob Fenner>
Cheers Shelley Molloy

Black Ghost Knife Compatibility, Disease - 10/12/05
Hi -
<Hello.>
I have a black ghost knife that was bought recently - about 5 inches long. He's in a community tank and unfortunately we forgot about the nippiness (is that a word??) of our Serpae tetras.
<Uh-oh.... Err, *I* say 'uh-oh', but Bob (whom I'm visiting currently in HI) says there really isn't a compatibility issue here. I, personally, would be a little nervous about these two species together.>
They have bitten off the end of his tail!! RIGHT TO THE 2ND BAR!!!
<I do agree with Bob here that the Serpaes may not have been the sole contributor here - please check your water quality. Maintain ammonia and nitrite at ZERO, nitrate less than 20ppm, with water changes.>
I treated the water with this thing called MelaFix for any bacterial infection that it might get( I'm in Australia - hopefully you know what that product is!!)
<I do.... and though MelaFix (extract of the Melaleuca tree, or "tea tree") does seem to have some mild antibiotic properties, I would not rely on it alone as a medication for anything severe.... furthermore, I have seen evidence in my own fishes that it may be a little (or a lot) irritating to the fish.>
He seems OK but I'm worried that he won't survive without the tip of his tail. Is there any thing else I can do to help him out??
<Maintain optimal water quality, and (though Bob and I disagree on the Serpaes!) keep him separate from any fishes that might bite or nip at his wounds until he's healed. The end of the tail might not grow back in its entirety, as well.>
Also we recently moved house (about 3 weeks ago) and obviously had to transport tank and contents. It's a 4 ft tank (180litres) so we took about 1/2 the water with us and didn't clean filters out etc the ph is 7, the nitrites are 0.1 and the ammonia 1.2. to me this is high as it is normally 0.
<Dangerously so.>
Is there any thing I can do to lower ammonia levels. I haven't done a water change since we moved.
<Water changes alone will fix this.... and it is urgent that you do.>
Thanks for your help... Tam
<Any time, Tam. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

BGK   1/27/06
Hi there,
I have a 35-ish gallon tank, to be moved up to a larger one soon. I was planning on keeping some smaller knife fish in it for now, however all my LFS's only carry black ghosts. I am aware that these grow to ~20 inches, am I right?
<Rarely more than about eight inches overall in captivity>
Are there any other more suitable knifes for my tank?
<... would have to know more re>
It is well planted, with driftwood, etc., (lots of hidey-holes) and I have several medium sized (~3 inches) Gouramis, along with some small, 2 inch clown loaches, a whiptail cat, Pleco, and CAE,
<This last may become trouble in time>
as well as some cichlids.
<... sounds pretty crowded... S.A. Knifefishes are not ready "fighters" for food, space>
I am planning also on introducing some Cory cats, African butterfly fish, a dojo (weather) loach, and possibly (but not likely) an elephant nose.
<Then skip on the knife/knives>
I realize the elephant nose should be alone in a tank of my size, but could I keep more than one BGK (small, ~3-5 inches)? How fast do these guys grow? Will there be any conflict between them, or will the elephant nose and BGK's electric field thingies bother each other?
<Yes>
As well, what about their feeding habits? Will their nocturnal behaviour keep one or the other from getting
food? I also have some medium sized angels, but I don't think they'll be too much of a problem...if you guys have any better suggestions to my choice of fish, please tell me. My LFS's all tell me that everything will work out fine, but then again, they would tell me Neons are compatible with knife fish if it meant I would buy them. I do kind of have myself set on knife fish, because of their method of movement, but please tell me if you do not think I have adequate housing for these fish. I realize I am asking quite a bit right now, so I thank you in advance for anything you can do for me
-Eddy
<You need more tanks Eddy... Bob Fenner>

Re: BGK   1/30/06
Thank you for the quick response. I will be keeping my CAE in a different tank, it is getting pretty aggressive... I think I'll skip on the knives till I get at least a 50 or 60 gallon, will this do for the knives? I'll stick with the Corys and butterfly fish for now.
Thanks, Eddy
<Welcome my young friend... Have you considered working part time at a local fish store... or volunteering (if one's nearby) at a public aquarium? Bob Fenner>






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