Purchased My African Knife Fish! :d

[Shovelman]

Hey everyone! So i finally bought my African knifefish that i have been looking forward to for such a long time! Let me just say, THEY ARE AWESOME! Not only do they look cool, but the way they swim and their fins are simply cool as no other! So i got him last night. After acclimation i plopped him into the tank and he almost immediately swam for the dark driftwood/rock pile, of which he now resides. I know their nocturnal but WOW i never see him at all! The whole day today i ony saw him once, and that was when he swam up to the top of the tank to get a breath of air.Now its a whole different story when all my lights are off as at night he's more active than a kid with ADD hyped up on sugar!

Whats worrying me is how to feed him if he's practically invisible by day and between the period of lights on and pitch black night. I know its only been a day for him to get used to my tank but when might i see him posing interest in the thawed blood warms i put in the tank every evening? Will a substantial increase in plant life help him feel more secure? maybe its my t5 lighting that may be a little bright? Should i break out the floating plants?

He's about 4-5 inches and a deep brown grey almost black but not quite. Healthy looking as far as i can tell. Im just not used to such a reclusive fish i guess...

 

[thereverendturtle]

Give him time, eventually he'll get used to feeding during the day and be out more. More plants and shading would certainly make him more comfortable but imo not necessary. Dither fish will also help it feel more secure.

 

[Shovelman]

Give him time, eventually he'll get used to feeding during the day and be out more. More plants and shading would certainly make him more comfortable but imo not necessary. Dither fish will also help it feel more secure.

im more so worried that he may not eat for a week or so...will he be ok, i even have some smaller ghost shrimp for him to hunt if he was hungry enough..

 

[thereverendturtle]

Others may disagree with me, but a week without food shouldn't be a problem if he's healthy to begin with. If he's not eating in a week try some live worms or a couple of feeder guppies/danios. I have noticed in the past when I worked in a shop, they seemed more "relaxed" in groups. Eventually once settled in they would eat a variety of foods, including floating pellets.

 

[Shovelman]

Others may disagree with me, but a week without food shouldn't be a problem if he's healthy to begin with. If he's not eating in a week try some live worms or a couple of feeder guppies/danios. I have noticed in the past when I worked in a shop, they seemed more "relaxed" in groups. Eventually once settled in they would eat a variety of foods, including floating pellets.

Thank you so much! Oh! so guess what? Im watching him swim everywhere in the tank! He seems so happy having so much room to himself! How can i see him when he only comes out in the dark? Well apparently he doesn't seem to mind my ghetto moonlight rig i made which consists of a blue colored party bulb screwed into one of those clamp on lamps lol. I personally dont believe in feeder fish but in this case since he is a wild caught fish i have a few white cloud mountain minnows with him just because i haven't seen him take any of the frozen blood worms yet. Once i see him eat the blood worms i will tke out the clouds immediately. HOLY COW this is awesome watching him hunt and explore while sitting on front of the tank! <3 this hobby so much! And soon ill be investing in some good quality moonlights!

 

[nmonks]

Yes, floating plants will help. They are nocturnal and dislike bright open spaces.

They take a while to settle in. Earthworms and river shrimp of suitable size will be taken, but also use wet-frozen bloodworms and krill. Unlike South American knifefish they don't hunt using electricity and will find their food mostly by smell, so live foods aren't necessary.

Cheers, Neale

 

[thereverendturtle]

Glad to hear. I don't like feeders either, but some fish just need to be started with them. You may have already answered this, but what else do you plan to keep with him?

 

[simonas]

having kept these before Ive found them to be an easy to feed fish andonce settled will just come out and devour any food thats offered whether fed at lights out or with lights on

 

[Shovelman]

Wow thanks guys! Once my lfs can get them in, i will also be housing 5-6 Toxotes microlepis with him. Ive talked to you about this Neale in my few emails to wet web media (i submitted the archer d photo that was to make sure the archers at my lfs were Toxotes microlepis). I will certainly get a few more shrimp that are smaller in size for now and keep feeding frozen blood worms until he takes them, and hopefully by that time he will be settled in and ill have bought more plants to fill up the empty space and cover some of the light that he will be more comfortable and willing.

Just a question while you all are here, would having the knifefish, and the 5-6 archers probably the most that would work in the 65 gallon? I have an Eheim professional 2 external canister filter

Wanted to see if maybe i could also keep a spiny eel or something similar in my set up..

 

[nmonks]

Spiny eels are too demanding to keep in this sort of set up. They'd be okay with archers, because archers don't feed at night and don't take food from the substrate. But a knifefish would be a whole other proposition.

Cheers, Neale

Wanted to see if maybe i could also keep a spiny eel or something similar in my set up..

 

[thereverendturtle]

I agree with Neale on the eel. What about a rope/reed fish, gives you that eel like quality with being a lot easier to feed. I'm being biased though as they are one of my favorite fish.

 

[Shovelman]

I agree with Neale on the eel. What about a rope/reed fish, gives you that eel like quality with being a lot easier to feed. I'm being biased though as they are one of my favorite fish.

Ive always been intrigued by the rope fish as well. Ive herd they like to be in groups or at least with one other and that they can be fairly active during the day. Would a rope fish be appropriate with this set up? Ill have to read up on basic care as well of course but just wondering if its do able/ not to overstocked if you get what im trying to say..

 

[thereverendturtle]

I'm not familiar with this species of archer. How large do they grow? I've often kept ropefish singly, although they do well in groups.

 

[Shovelman]

I'm not familiar with this species of archer. How large do they grow? I've often kept ropefish singly, although they do well in groups.

Toxotes microlepis gets to about 5-6 inches. They are a freshwater species, although can be kept in low end brackish, but in this case i will be keeping mine in fw. They also stay towards the top and somewhat mid water i was told..

 

[thereverendturtle]

Then I think a ropefish would be a fine addition.