Bgk Has Dull Brownish Stripes?

[linilou]

My friend just got a Black Ghost Knifefish yesterday and his stripes are a dull brownish yellow color rather than the striking white,

Should we be allarmed? Is it a sign of stress or from being transported? Or are some just more dully colored than others???

 

[nmonks]

There is a brown species, Apteronotus leptorhynchus, sometimes sold as the "brown ghost knifefish".

The majority of black ghost knifefish die prematurely, and very few aquarists keep them alive to anything like their full lifespan. Make sure your friend understand the needs of these fish. They are delicate, sensitive to copper and formalin, need superb water quality, middling temperature, lots of oxygen, and a big tank. They cannot be kept in the average community tank. When stressed, they do lose and colour and will behave oddly.

I have no idea what the actual attrition numbers are, but I doubt as many as one in a hundred makes it past their first year in captivity. It's pretty depressing, really.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Mr._Fishy]

What stripes are you talking about? The one on the head/back or the ones on the tail? The one on the head is always goldish while the ones on the tail should be white.

What size tank do you have it in and what are the other inhabitants? As nmonks said, they are really sensitive fish and they don't take aggression well at all.

I never would have guessed the mortality rate was that high. I've had mine for I think close to 3 years now and the shop had it for about 8-9 months before that. They're really great fish, too bad people can't provide the proper care for them.