Active Knife Fish

[PiMpPiStOl]

its a brown knife i think. i use to have him, peacock eel, 3 african cichlids, 2 swordtails, 2 balloon bellys and 3 black skirts. and a bunch of ghost shrimp for food (mainly for eel). ever since a few fish died, i thought maybe it was the cichlids, so i got rid of em. he was active before. like, at first he wasnt,. then he started getting out of his hiding spot, swiming around and stuff. but ever since i took the cichlids out, which were a **** BTW, hes been scared to come out ever. maybe at night, but he goes back if he sees me. i did have lots of trouble with the cichlids, that might have scared him...but would he ever get over it?? what else could it be if not that?? i just did a water change cuz all the stuff was bad, and he still doesnt come out. i know hes not dead cuz i can kinda see him in his spot, and hes different most times, if i can see him. me eel use to never come out and hes swimming around a lil now. you can see him everyonce in a while, but never the knife anymore.... what could i do?

 

[lokkochaa]

its a brown knife i think. i use to have him, peacock eel, 3 african cichlids, 2 swordtails, 2 balloon bellys and 3 black skirts. and a bunch of ghost shrimp for food (mainly for eel). ever since a few fish died, i thought maybe it was the cichlids, so i got rid of em. he was active before. like, at first he wasnt,. then he started getting out of his hiding spot, swiming around and stuff. but ever since i took the cichlids out, which were a **** BTW, hes been scared to come out ever. maybe at night, but he goes back if he sees me. i did have lots of trouble with the cichlids, that might have scared him...but would he ever get over it?? what else could it be if not that?? i just did a water change cuz all the stuff was bad, and he still doesnt come out. i know hes not dead cuz i can kinda see him in his spot, and hes different most times, if i can see him. me eel use to never come out and hes swimming around a lil now. you can see him everyonce in a while, but never the knife anymore.... what could i do?

Ive had mine for around a year now and he is very active! What i have found to work well, and the same goes for discus etc, is to have some smaller fish that are not shy as "lures". BY this i mean the knife fish sees them actively swimming around the tank and realises there are no dangers. It may have been, even if the cichlids were a problem, the knife fish felt more at ease knowing there were other fish around. An empty tank can be daunting for some fish, where others thrive, guess its the variation in fish which makes them appealing.

What fish do you currently have in the tank and how big is he now?

 

[PiMpPiStOl]

now i just have 1 swordtail, the eel, 3 blackskirts and 1 pea puffer. what else should i get to make him more active?? its a 33 gallon. and i dunno how big he is now.... i suck at looking and measuing..maybe 6"??

 

[Truck]

first off, your tank is way to small for him this is possibly the reason

 

[PiMpPiStOl]

first off, your tank is way to small for him this is possibly the reason

when he use to be out he was fine... and is it really too small??

 

[Truck]

ghost knifes can grow to 50 cm apparently

 

[PiMpPiStOl]

no no. its not a ghost. i think an african brown knife..i think the biggest is 12"

 

[foley69]

well a 12" fish still needs a tank at least 50gal