Steatogenys Duidae - Centipede Knife Fish

[Starfishpower]

my lfs has some and im seriously considering getting a few particularly since my friend that works there says they will even eat when ppl ask to see them do that in the store - though i havent asked to see it yet myself - and they have been there for about 2 months now and are still alive - and the price was cut in half. what can you tell me about them? i do have a list of questions if you dont mind.

1. how big do they get? fishbase says 8", whats your take on that?
2. what temperament do they have? this is for knowing what tank mates i can keep them with. i either want to put them in with my community tank or with my bichir tank.
3. what do they eat and what kind of a feeding schedule should i have?
4. what size tank should they have as adults- final tank size i will need.
5. do they need to be together or can they be alone. what type of grouping is appropriate?
6 how fast do they grow? 2 of them are babies at about 2.5" and the others look to be between 5 and 8".
7 are they known for breeding in the home aquarium? do i need to worry about them pairing off and becoming aggressive like rams or other cichlids for instance?
8. what is their average life span when kept responsibly?
9. what kind of tank setup do i need? (sand, rocks, ???)
10 what kind of behavior can i expect from healthy prosperous specimens? i think i remember you saying they should always be zipping around the tank, these at the lfs lay on their sides sometimes and sometimes they get up together and hover in the corner, in their defense thy are in such a small tank they dont really have the room to zip around.
11. are there special water parameters i should meet or will they adapt to standard tank conditions given that the tank is well kept with regular water changes.
12. what parameters should i meet in areas of temperature, water flow, ect.
13. is there anything special about these fish that i wouldnt know to ask but should be aware of in order to be a responsible fish keeper?

 

[nmonks]

1. how big do they get? fishbase says 8", whats your take on that?

Fishbase uses the largest size quoted in the literature; for obscure species this may be from a single paper describing the fish in the first place, and this length may not be the maximum length at all. So while I'd accept this at face value, I wouldn't be surprised if the fish got bigger.
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2. what temperament do they have? this is for knowing what tank mates i can keep them with. i either want to put them in with my community tank or with my bichir tank.

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All these Glass Knifefish seem to be gregarious but territorial if kept in inadequate numbers. They are best kept either on their own or with very docile, inoffensive tankmates (hatchetfish for example).
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3. what do they eat and what kind of a feeding schedule should i have?

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As other knifefish: nocturnal by choice, and favouring insect larvae and worms in terms of food items.
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4. what size tank should they have as adults- final tank size i will need.

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For a group of six, a 180-litre tank with lots of rocks and bogwood, plus some sand for digging and floating plants for shade, should be adequate. Many of these species come from deep pools where the water current is strong, so provide at least moderately beefy filtration.
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5. do they need to be together or can they be alone. what type of grouping is appropriate?

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Gregarious, but with a strong pecking order, so avoid very small groups for fear of bullying. Singletons are shy.
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6 how fast do they grow? 2 of them are babies at about 2.5" and the others look to be between 5 and 8".

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Growth rate will depend on how much they get to eat; in a busy tank they may hardly grow at all. Kept properly, I'd expect them to reach full size within two years.
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7 are they known for breeding in the home aquarium? do i need to worry about them pairing off and becoming aggressive like rams or other cichlids for instance?

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Unknown to me.
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8. what is their average life span when kept responsibly?

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No idea; but from their size I'd guess 6-7 years, at least.
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9. what kind of tank setup do i need? (sand, rocks, ???)

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Lots and lots of shade, plenty of crevices, floating plants or plant leaves (plastic fine), and open sandy areas for swimming/feeding.
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10 what kind of behavior can i expect from healthy prosperous specimens? i think i remember you saying they should always be zipping around the tank, these at the lfs lay on their sides sometimes and sometimes they get up together and hover in the corner, in their defense thy are in such a small tank they dont really have the room to zip around.

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In big groups they'll constantly be buzzing one another as they squabble over pecking order. If the light is bright they will be nocturnal, but if you feed them during the day and provide shade, they'll be a lot more outgoing.
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11. are there special water parameters i should meet or will they adapt to standard tank conditions given that the tank is well kept with regular water changes.

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Soft/acid preferred, but unlikely to be critical. Water quality and avoidance of excessively high temperatures more important. Too many people keep South American fish too warm. 22-25C should be ample.
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12. what parameters should i meet in areas of temperature, water flow, ect.

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Lots of water flow likely to be beneficial.
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13. is there anything special about these fish that i wouldnt know to ask but should be aware of in order to be a responsible fish keeper?

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Knifefish can be sensitive to certain medications such as those used to tread whitespot, so ideally keep alone or quarantine any other species before adding to their tank. Have written some other thoughts on knifefish here.
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Cheers, Neale

 

[Starfishpower]

thanks, im bookmarking this page. i think ill get some.