knife fish and new tank

[candy]

hi everyone

i have just got a new tank its 32gallons/144 liters..so 3 foot.
i have looking at knife fish for the last year and my bf has a 30cm clown knife iv fallen in love with.

but realy i like the black ghost knife the best. iv read up on them but lots of people contridict each other.. so the questions i still have are

1. will 32 gallons be ok for a bgk or will i have to up size and if yes how soon aprox?

2.i know thay like to hide lots and like the dark so what is something i can put in with him so the tank does not look so empty?

3.will he pull up plants?

4.will he be able to catch live food.(i have guppys that breed)

5.other than bloodworms what elce can i feed him

6.can he live with a pleco ( one that cant fit in his mouth)

7. can he live with gravel or is sand better for him since he spends a lot of time on the floor

i think that all for now... any help or extra info would be wonderfull i will only be setting the tank up in 6 months so i have lots of time to learn new things about these guys and what they like

thanks
candy

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Go to liveaquaria.com.

Unfortunately, the site says that a 50 gallon is the minimum tank size... The max size is also a foot and a half. I don't think you'll be able to provide accomodations for that...

 

[candy]

my pet shop has babys like only 4" long could baby go in there and then when he grows i get a bigger tank..iv been talking to dad he has a friend who makes tanks (wish he had told me that sooner) and dad said a new tank later would be no problem

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Just as long as you can provide for the fish, there shouldn't be any problems. Just get the proper types of food and get a plan worked out with your dad's friend.

 

[Oddball]

Okay so thats question one answered so..............
2) Anything larger than his head is a good rule of thumb, i find large blue/gold/three spot gouramis are good, if these dont take your fancy try the prochilodus (flag tail) or maybe very large severums or urarus
3) I have no personal experience with a bgk but i have kept a pair of African Knives and a pair of Clwn knives at the same time and not experienced plants being ripped up.
4) Knives are great hunters and are mostly nocturnal preying on sleeping fish in the wild, in the tank they can be convinced to feed at day and stalk free swimming food (You could try using a blue tube for evening lighting, this wont upset the fish as it is very dull but it may encourage him/her to come out then)
5) My AKF also ate prawn and JMC protein pellets, but my CKF also devoured cichlid pellets and lance fish
6) Plecos are fine with knives except from maybe very large adult males which become patriachal (live in a group with males leading it) and very territorial, i have noticed this only in my adult clown knives
7) Gravel can do the tirick but you MUST make sure it is not sharp to protect the fishes delicate skin

Well best of luck

 

[candy]

thanks for that u people are wonderful..im still looking for more info so if anyone suddanly thinks of something they feel like shearing with me that would be wonderfull.i want to know what im getting in to fully so as not to screw up and be a bad mum

 

[dany83]

I actually just got a black ghost knife. i didnt know anything about it before i got it, but its a very interesting creature indeed. It hides all the time and likes to roam around and eat only at night. Today it has been layin on the floor the whole day, and i have been told its normal. I hope it is because it's really nice. I recommend u get it, because it bothers no one. I have plecos too, and black sand. it seems to be doin fine, as long as it has somewhere to hide.

 

[candy]

thanks for that ..i realy want one to bad i have ot wait about 5 months to set up tank then i have to cycle it ect ..so its gonna be ages till i can go get the little guy..i went to the fish shop yesterday and they had 3 about 7cm long and all trying to hide behind this one bit of wood.they are so cute and very pretty to.
my bf was giving me #### this moring because he thinks BGN are kinda stupid and boring ..hes got a foot and a half long clown knife who attacs everyone but me and him. ispent half an hour trying to explain to him i dont want a fish who will try and bite me every time i do a water change:

now im just thinking what should i put with him... any idears anyone

 

[isu_guy]

I currently have a sailfin pleco and a platy with mine. I am going to be getting a couple more fish.

I am doing the exact plan you are- going to give him a bigger home when he grows up.

I had 2 platys, but after a period of reduced feeding, he killed one of the platys. It also ate some frys that were in there that I couldn't manage to give away quick enough.

Mine loves frozen bloodworms, which I've found that I am allergic to. During the day mine will sleep in weird places, mostly in his little cave, but sometimes he'll try to get stuck in the plants and lay there. Almost like the plants are a hammock for him. It gave me a scare that it was dead but it was just taking a nap.

They can tell up from down, but act as if they don't, swimming forward, back, this way and that way. A really cool fish

 

[dany83]

My black ghost knife just died. It's strange i bought it and did a 40% water change. Everything seemed to be fine. All my other fish are doin fine even the ne ones. But this one didnt last. It was quite expensive too and really nice to watch. I got really annoyed. it was lying on the floor for a whole day and then i found it sucked into the filter mouth, dead. AAAAH! I dont know what it could be that killed it so i can avoid it again.

 

[jf2003]

Ive had my bgk for about a year and he does great he has grown to around 35cms... I have him in with my discus, tyre track eel and a few others..... he is really active during the day, and at night.... he eats just about everything..... including any fish around tetra size........ definitely a cool addition to my tank!

 

[Oddball]

With a ghost knife you want fish that are relaxed and will remain visual at all times to add interest when hes asleep. Heres what i've kept with my knives (latin supplied if known for the more interesting species):
Striped and spotted doras
Arulius barb (Barbus Arulius)
Golden Gourami (care should be taken when selecting these as it is possible to get a hyper aggressive individual)
Moth catfish (hara hara)
Clown Loach
Cuviers Birchir (Polypterus senegaoulus)
Butterfly fish

I can also suggest for a BGK:
Torpedo barb
Discus
Angelfish (select more quiet individuals)
Upside down catfish (synodontis nigriventis)

Hope this helps

 

[BlueIce]

My black ghost knife just died. It's strange i bought it and did a 40% water change. Everything seemed to be fine. All my other fish are doin fine even the ne ones. But this one didnt last. It was quite expensive too and really nice to watch. I got really annoyed. it was lying on the floor for a whole day and then i found it sucked into the filter mouth, dead. AAAAH! I dont know what it could be that killed it so i can avoid it again.

did you put any meds in the tank? BGK can not handle most medications .

for the original questions-

To encourage your bgk to come out have a few floating plants,lots of driftwood and rocks to create natural hiding spaces.My bgk come out with lights on during the day ALL the time...yes it took a few weeks to get them to this point ,but i didn't do anything other then provide the cover and foods they love.


Food-

krill
shrimp
brine shrimp
tubefex worms
cichlid pellets
fishworms
lobster
crab
tuna
peas
spinach


you can feed live food,but be aware that they may get spoiled and refuse other foods then.

they are VERY slow growers and your tank will b fine for quite some time.

 

[midcuk]

My bgk is great he hides in the undergrowth all day but as soon as you lift the lid on the tank he is out and will wait at the top of the tank to be hand fed (mine likes prawns , mussels , beef heart, bloodworms brine shrimp (basically anything meaty and not in flake pellet form). great peacefull fish that i have found easy to keep
but be warned dont keep more than one , ive heard they will fight to the death.

chris

ps im a newbie so can i say hello as well

 

[BlueIce]

but be warned dont keep more than one , ive heard they will fight to the death.

That is a myth...
BGK do not fight to the death...hell they don't even fight at all...I've had 3 together for almost 2 yrs now and know many many others who have several bgk in the same tank.

It's also a myth that their electrical field interfers with other electrical fishes food finding ability.


welcome to the forum btw