Black Ghost Knife Fish Help!

[Bgk]

Hello , I just recently bought another black ghost knife fish. Back in january i bought one and it passed away the next day. after that my dad got me two more. they only lasted about 4-5 days. What am i doing wrong? Before i got them i did do at least a month of research wondering where they came from what to feed how big they get and so on. I just got another one after 6 months of wondering what i was doing wrong i am hand feeding the bgk and he is in with 2 compatible fish. the are all the same size and are doing well for now. its been one day him in the tank and he doesn't want to eat any more. i feel like the bgk is shy and might be jealous of the fish in there? im not sure i just want this fellow to live. can someone please help me? might it be the amonia level to high or the ph is off scale? I dont know all i know is i dont want to loose another life. i love fish ive always had em and would really love for my dream fish to live. Please help me!

 

[bullit]

Do you test your water at all? What is your tank size?, What is your filtration? Do you do weekly water changes?

 

[fluttermoth]

Do you test your water at all? What is your tank size?, What is your filtration? Do you do weekly water changes?

+1

We'd need every bit of info you can think of really, if we're going to be able to help

 

[Bgk]

i tested the water yesterday ph was a bit low but that was about it. That tank is almost 75 gallon and if this one survives im going to up grade it to an 100-200 gallon tank im getting. Im just so confused why they keep dying. I read posts and forums and everyones is bigger than 12 inches and mine are always 4 inches and slowly dying im hand feeding it i tried blood worms and he took some but than yesterday he didnt want any more so than i bought flakes that the place i got him from fed em ab=nd he didnt take it im going to try both foods again today but im not sure whats going on.

 

[fluttermoth]

Can you give us the actual numbers from the tests, please?

When did you last do a water change? What kind of filter do you have and how do you maintain it?

 

[Bgk]

the ph was about 6.6 but i fixed that... and the filter i have im not sure the brand it came with the tank it works very well and i dont think the filter is the problem..

 

[ZoddyZod]

the ph was about 6.6 but i fixed that... and the filter i have im not sure the brand it came with the tank it works very well and i dont think the filter is the problem..

how did you 'fix' the ph?

What are the test results for ammonia and nitrite? These are much more important than ph.

What other fish do you have in your tank?

 

[Bgk]

i went to a good friend of mine and she gave me a PH medican that you put a bit in and it rises the ph and keeps it the same i have a clown loach that was in him with the tank they leave each other alone and bala sharks but the bala sharks dont even go near the bgk amonia lvl was good and nitrite was good i was more concered with ph becuase i dont know the ph they want right now the ph is 7 should it be a lil higher or is it good

Oh and the tempeture of the water is what is believe what they like... they are my favortie fish in the world i just wish mine would live

 

[fluttermoth]

Just saying the ammonia and nitrite levels were 'good' is worrying me; they should be at zero at all times.

If they are not zero, it means you have a problem; and it could be to do with the filter.

If you don't give us the right information, we won't be able to pin down what's going wrong.

how long has the tank been set up, and what's the filtration and your maintenance regime?

It's, in general, a very bad idea to be using anything to alter pH; it's only in very rare or extreme cases that pH is a problem; however, swings in ph when the water's been 'tampered' with can be very debiltating and dangerous for fish. It's better to leave it alone; BGK are not terribly fussy about pH anyway.

 

[Bgk]

what i ment by 'good' was it was fine there was nothing wrong they were 0 no ammonia and nitrite .... do you thin it has to do with him just being a little jealuos of the other fishes size? i read that they do tend to be a bit jealous of bigger fish of themselves or others the tank has been set up for almost 8 months now

 

[fluttermoth]

That's great about the ammonia and nitrite; I was just worried after you'd said that you thought it might be high ammonia in your OP. Have you tested for nitrate as well?

Because these fish are not terribly hard to keep, apart from the size and unsuitable tank issue; something is obviously going wrong for you to lose so many in such a short space of time.

What's the filter and your maintenance regime though? And what size is that tank (length/width/height, rather than volume) and exactly what other fish are in there?

 

[Bgk]

im doing a 20% water change today im just letting the water set for almost room tempeture since i used filteredd water and it comes out cold ... i dont know the filter brand and i change 20-40% of water every month and a half but im not sure if thats the right thing to do... to change every month or should i do it every other month?

 

[Bgk]

i feel like i dont know anything about water and fish any more =_= i guess lossing bgks are getting the best of me

 

[Bgk]

i really apprictiate you guys trying to help me but im still confused on why the are dying...maybe this one will live

 

[bullit]

you should be doing 25% minimum water changes every week. can you list all the fish in the tank? , and what tank is it?