Black Knife Fish, Right Thing To Do?

[cavie]

so always liked them, saw some today and got one, asked if it'd be ok with my guppies in a comuity tank, person said yes etc, will be fine and I knew I should have waited, luckily its only about 4 inches at the min, so Im going to take it back in the morning as they arnt comunity fish right? and as much as I'd love to keep it, I dont want my guppies disapearing or the knife fish living in the wrong set up, in too small a tank, 130 litres, so much for them only growing about 1 foot long maximun! so now I know that its best to take it back

 

[Davo86]

so always liked them, saw some today and got one, asked if it'd be ok with my guppies in a comuity tank, person said yes etc, will be fine and I knew I should have waited, luckily its only about 4 inches at the min, so Im going to take it back in the morning as they arnt comunity fish right? and as much as I'd love to keep it, I dont want my guppies disapearing or the knife fish living in the wrong set up, in too small a tank, 130 litres, so much for them only growing about 1 foot long maximun! so now I know that its best to take it back

definitely the correct choice given the circumstances, small fish will be eaten and 130L is simply too small.

 

[cavie]

thanks, just needed a little reasurance that it was the right thing to do and that there was no way I could keep it, oh well just have to wait a little longer to get everything right and ready

 

[minxfishy]

Yes that tank is definately too small, although BGKF are fairly slow growing, it will soon need to be upgraded to a 5ft tank or more. They have a reputation of eating smaller fish, especially during the night as they are night predatory fish, however, many people who own them, who also keep them with small fish, have not lost any if they added the BGKF when young, as they use electrical senses to find their way around, they map the other fish in the tank and do not recognise them as food when they grow larger, however, adding smaller fish once they are large, then they will see them as food.

At the size you have now, he/she has a very small mouth, so your guppies are in no danger, but for the sake of the fish, unless you are upgrading to a much larger tank in the near future, best to return to the fish shop.

 

[cavie]

the only tank I want to upgarde to isnt to omuch bigger than the one I have now, and dout I'll be having a 5 foot tank in the near future, but at least I know now and Im glad Ive realised within a matter on hours of getting him/her, thanks for the info