Mousetail Knife Fish?

[Paradise3]

Anyone ever heard of them? I can't find anything on the web apart from that they only stay 4" long...

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[nmonks]

These are Gymnorhamphichthys rodoni, one of the weakly electrical South American knifefishes. I don't know anything about this species from personal experience, but other members of this family have been kept in aquaria. The family is collectively known as "sand knifefishes" because they like to dig, so you should keep them in a tank with a reasonably deep sandy substrate. Smooth silica sand (pool sand) is ideal. Water current should be strong, because there needs to be lots of oxygen as well as excellent water quality. Water chemistry and water temperature do not appear to be critical. Diet is primarily infaunal invertebrates: worms, insect larvae and so on.

Social behaviour within this family is fairly consistent. Individuals are territorial, but they are less shy if kept in large groups, i.e., six or more specimens, in which case they will dart about a lot jockeying for position in the pecking order. Singletons may be easier to accommodate, but they will be very retiring, practically nocturnal.

The "mousetail" name refers to the thin filament at the end of their tails, where their tail fin would otherwise be. Needless to say, do not mix with nippy fish! Best kept alone or with very peaceful tankmates adapted to similar habitats such as Corydoras, whiptails, etc.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Paradise3]

These are Gymnorhamphichthys rodoni, one of the weakly electrical South American knifefishes. I don't know anything about this species from personal experience, but other members of this family have been kept in aquaria. The family is collectively known as "sand knifefishes" because they like to dig, so you should keep them in a tank with a reasonably deep sandy substrate. Smooth silica sand (pool sand) is ideal. Water current should be strong, because there needs to be lots of oxygen as well as excellent water quality. Water chemistry and water temperature do not appear to be critical. Diet is primarily infaunal invertebrates: worms, insect larvae and so on.

Social behaviour within this family is fairly consistent. Individuals are territorial, but they are less shy if kept in large groups, i.e., six or more specimens, in which case they will dart about a lot jockeying for position in the pecking order. Singletons may be easier to accommodate, but they will be very retiring, practically nocturnal.

The "mousetail" name refers to the thin filament at the end of their tails, where their tail fin would otherwise be. Needless to say, do not mix with nippy fish! Best kept alone or with very peaceful tankmates adapted to similar habitats such as Corydoras, whiptails, etc.

Cheers, Neale

I was just wondering about them because I am getting a 4ft tank but I think I'll stick with my original idea of a single African knife fish because It will be living with an RTBS. I would prefer a black ghost knife fish but I think they a. get too big and b.are harder to look after.

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[nmonks]

The African and Asian knifefishes are indeed much easier to look after, provided you have the space for them. They're swamp-dwelling, air-breathing fish that tend to eat all sorts of foods. The South American knifefishes are more often adapted to clean streams and hunt for food using their electric sense (which the Asian and African species lack).

Xenomystus nigri is by far the best general knifefish, and does quite well in mixed species set-ups. It's a lot like a grumpy, predatory catfish, and if kept that way, shouldn't present too many problems.

Cheers, Neale

I was just wondering about them because I am getting a 4ft tank but I think I'll stick with my original idea of a single African knife fish because It will be living with an RTBS. I would prefer a black ghost knife fish but I think they a. get too big and b.are hardy to look after.

 

[Paradise3]

The African and Asian knifefishes are indeed much easier to look after, provided you have the space for them. They're swamp-dwelling, air-breathing fish that tend to eat all sorts of foods. The South American knifefishes are more often adapted to clean streams and hunt for food using their electric sense (which the Asian and African species lack).

Xenomystus nigri is by far the best general knifefish, and does quite well in mixed species set-ups. It's a lot like a grumpy, predatory catfish, and if kept that way, shouldn't present too many problems.

Cheers, Neale

I was just wondering about them because I am getting a 4ft tank but I think I'll stick with my original idea of a single African knife fish because It will be living with an RTBS. I would prefer a black ghost knife fish but I think they a. get too big and b.are hardy to look after.

I meant to say harder to look after not hardy, oops. I was going to ask if an African Brown Knifefish and an RTBS would get on with a Spotted Climbing Perch?

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[nmonks]

In a big enough tank, should do. Ctenopoma acutirostre are very gentle and easily bullied, but if they're feeding okay and your red-tail shark is leaving everyone alone, there's no obvious reason why this combination couldn't work.

Cheers, Neale

I meant to say harder to look after not hardy, oops. I was going to ask if an African Brown Knifefish and an RTBS would get on with a Spotted Climbing Perch?

 

[Paradise3]

In a big enough tank, should do. Ctenopoma acutirostre are very gentle and easily bullied, but if they're feeding okay and your red-tail shark is leaving everyone alone, there's no obvious reason why this combination couldn't work.

Cheers, Neale

I meant to say harder to look after not hardy, oops. I was going to ask if an African Brown Knifefish and an RTBS would get on with a Spotted Climbing Perch?

I think the tank dimensions are 48"x12"x18"(LxWxH)

Cheers,
Paradise<3!

 

[Squidward]

Neale,

Is one able to keep small groups (say of 3) of African Brown Knives together?
Or are they like BGK and best kept individually?

 

[zeke the black ghost knife]

never heard of 'em.