Info On Glass Knife Fish (Eigenmannia Virescens)

[Roseanna]

Evening everyone

I saw one of theses for sell ages ago and have wanted one since but I know nothing about them! Would love to hear some info on them possibley get one if they would suit any of my tanks, I have a 4 foot with just my eel in it atm and 3ft with my glass cats, small pim catfish, BN pleo and whiptail.

 

[thereverendturtle]

They grow up to about 16". They aren't aggressive even with their own kind. They, like most fish, will eat fish that fit in their mouths. Most active at night. Your 4' tank should be ok for one, depends on what type of eel you have.

 

[Shovelman]

They grow up to about 16". They aren't aggressive even with their own kind. They, like most fish, will eat fish that fit in their mouths. Most active at night. Your 4' tank should be ok for one, depends on what type of eel you have.

Personally id go for an African Knife fish instead, as they stay to a much better size and are pretty much fine with anything else that wont compete for food. However i must say, ive had mine for over a few weeks now and never seem him out and about during the day. Even when i feed blood worms during the day he doesn't come out until night.....

 

[Roseanna]

I have a Tire Track eel, I do plan getting getting a 6ft x 1ft x 1ft for her when I have the money as I really don't want to sell her as I've had her a year and a half ( thanks p@h for this, said she wouldn't out grow my 2ft tank lol ) if I really can't i will sell/give her away and get a peacock eel! I was wondering how easy are they to keep? As I know my glass cats can be picky one food and water.

 

[Roseanna]

They grow up to about 16". They aren't aggressive even with their own kind. They, like most fish, will eat fish that fit in their mouths. Most active at night. Your 4' tank should be ok for one, depends on what type of eel you have.

Personally id go for an African Knife fish instead, as they stay to a much better size and are pretty much fine with anything else that wont compete for food. However i must say, ive had mine for over a few weeks now and never seem him out and about during the day. Even when i feed blood worms during the day he doesn't come out until night.....

See I just love the way they have clear bodies and they have a lovely sliver colour, that's why I love my glass cats but their too small now to have in the big tank with my eel I like the black knife but they get too big I think and their abit too common now, I like my rarer oddballs lol

 

[thereverendturtle]

Glass knives aren't very picky about food and as long as extremes are avoided, water conditions for most tropicals are ok with them. Imo the easiest see-through fish to keep, besides all those see-through tetras...

 

[Roseanna]

Thanks for the info
I have some live black worms and I can get live BBS so hopefully they would eat them! Are they as slow growing as the BGK? Also read somewhere they should be housed in small groups?

 

[thereverendturtle]

They do ok singly, but a group of 4-6 will have them more active. They do seem to be slow growing like the black ghost. They will eat worms, bs, pellets, pretty much anything towards the bottom that's edible.

 

[Roseanna]

That's good to hear , I was thinking a small group would be nice tho I'm not sure if that would be okay in my 4ft or not but I'm fingers crossed getting a 6ft next year. which I would say would suit 4/5 of then alone with my eel and a school of something?

 

[thereverendturtle]

I think a group would be ok in a 4'. Even at 1' long they probably have the biomass of a 4" African cichlid.