Black Ghost Knife Fish Questions

[branjie]

Today I bought a Black Ghost Knife fish. What a stunning fish. Anyway, I have a 100 litre octogan aquarium, with 15 small fish in it. I've just read that this fish grows to 50cm! Will it grow that big in my aquarium, which is only 45cm wide (and 60cm deep)? I'm also wondering if it's going to start eating my Tetras and Guppies when it gets bigger. I asked the man at the shop about this fish's nature, and what it likes to eat, but I didn't think to ask about how big it would get.

 

[2day]

no way will it grow to 50cm in your tank! It will only grow to the size of your tank. I had an incident when five neons went missing, as well as a few guppies, but could be because.. i have no idea! Maybe because i was unlucky i guess. See how it goes for a while. If fish are missing, go to plan B!

 

[branjie]

At the moment he's not big enough to eat other fish (at least I don't think so), so I guess they're safe for the time being. Now all of a sudden I'm worried that my plastic artificial plants are going to tear that beautiful flowing fin underneath him. Are plastic plants not safe for this fish?

 

[mark7616]

no way will it grow to 50cm in your tank! It will only grow to the size of your tank. I had an incident when five neons went missing, as well as a few guppies, but could be because.. i have no idea! Maybe because i was unlucky i guess. See how it goes for a while. If fish are missing, go to plan B!

Fish dont grow to the size of a tank thats utter nonsense. You will stunt the fish and it will live a shorter life. My advice to you would be to take the fish back.

 

[nurglespuss]

Hi there...

I'm sorry but that 'it will only grow to the size of your tank' is utter nonsense.

If I placed you in a small box as a baby, you would soon outgrow the box.

Fish growth is affected by levels of ammonia etc. and will (in some species) slow if the space available is small.

Your black Ghost knife will attain its full size, it will eat all your other fish. So unless you are prepared to purchase a much larger tank and house it on its own, take it back and get something suitable to your tank.

 

[andywg]

It certainly won't reach 50cm in a tank that small. It will die long before it can get to that size.

 

[branjie]

Die? Jeepers I thought the news was gloomy enough as it was. I can't decide now whether to keep it until it gets a bit bigger, or try and take it back now. I'm not sure if this particular shop takes returns. I know a shop that takes trade ins, I could take it there when it's a bit bigger maybe??

 

[nurglespuss]

Take it while its small.

If it grows it'll start eating things, and put strain on your filter and tank mates!

Take it back to the shop you bought it from, and just leave it there if neccessary

 

[indigo]

Take it while its small.

If it grows it'll start eating things, and put strain on your filter and tank mates!

Take it back to the shop you bought it from, and just leave it there if neccessary

i'm wondering what advice he was given when he bought it? if he was mislead and given wrong information when he bought it then they should happily take it back and exhange it for some more fish?

my LFS had a small black ghost knife fish, beautiful fish, she said i could put one in my tank... erm no thanks i've seen how large they get!! moral of the story is to take what LFS say with a pinch of salt, i've regularly asked the same questions in both shops and got completely different advice from both! still we all have to learn somewhere, and sometimes with the more unusual fish unless u buy it there and then, the next time u go in it's gone.. i wish i'd bought the shoal of headstanders i saw ages ago, as i've not seen any since!

 

[nurglespuss]

take in a fish book with you, and don't impulse buy!

I always have my baensch with me when I go fish shopping :>