Ghost Knife Fish Eating Some!

[jane579]

Hi all,

My Ghost Knife Fish is eating some tank mates. Some suitable as tanks mates such as Corydoras catfish, Gourami and tetra. There are three tetras left and some kuhli loaches. He goes for almost everything but chooses the weak ones generally. I am wondering is it because I only feed him every 2nd day? Should I feed him once a day.

I always feed my fish once every two days and I find it good but am afraid its because of this that he is this way.

Any suggestions would solve this dilemma, not that he is overtly eating them but becoming selective till most are gone.

 

[Davo86]

Hi

Sorry but why shouldn't he be eating them ???
Black Ghost Knife fish are Predatory fish that will eat anything that fits in their mouths, they can also achieve lengths of upto 18" in captivity,

Feeding once every two days isn't really enough for any community type species tbh, predatory species may only eat every few days but this regime wouldn't be too good for smaller or community types and i would think that tetras and such like may even starve

Are you sure the fish aren't dying and then the BGK is just eating at the dead fish?

 

[england]

:stupid: sorry but predatory fish are like that by nature,small fish like tetra's are a food source to predatory fish, as dave say's,maybe you have been unlucky with death's....was tank set up correctly?

 

[minxfishy]

Are you sure its him, how big is he? My ghost knife hasnt ever eaten a single other fish and he's been kept with some neons before and didnt even notice them, mind you he is well fed.

How large is the tank also?

 

[joncairns]

Hi ,

My Black Ghost Knife fish is fed every two days the same as yours. I usually feed with frozen or live bloodworm, sometimes live Brine shrimp.He is fine and never eaten any of the other fish which include 2 small cory's, clown loach zebra spiny eels two Angels and a dwarf Gourami. I have not had him that long so maybe in time he will start eating others but up until now he has been fine.He is about 7" long and definately the king of the tank, not standing any nonsense, but not being a bully either.

Hope this helps,

Jon

 

[jane579]

Its true he is a predatory fish, alas the other fish I am feeding twice a day which are the tetras seem to be fine and haven't died of starvation. I know it is him because the ones he chooses are healthy specimens. They seem to always die the next day with their fins frayed and eyes sucked out.

I talked it over to a friend of mine and he suggested it was the size of the tank and that he was becoming territorial. I still have 3 tetras in the tank that he hasn't touched at all for months, but slowly he is trying one by one. In which case I will be obtaining a 2ft or 3ft tank.

I think I will try Jons suggestions for tank mates, because they haven't been eaten so far.

Thanks for the advice all.

 

[Davo86]

Wait a sec, what sized tank is it in? BGKs should be kept in at least a 4 foot tank (75G+) but ideally 5 foot (125G+)

IME once BGK get a taste for the eyes of other fish, then you do have to be really careful what you keep with them, i.e. larger, active, or more robust fish that are not overly aggressive