My New Little Mate (Black Ghost Knife)

[c-dub]

My new Ghost Knife Fish (which is hard to get a good photo of because he's a little stand-offish at the moment)

and a couple of pics of my tank and other fish I have.

Hope you like!

HERE IS A VID OF HIM. HIS NAME IS DOG!

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NT3tcapQTY

 

[c-dub]

*video added*

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NT3tcapQTY

 

[Richard22b]

They dont stay little for long

 

[c-dub]

yeah I am hoping he will eat some flakes at the moment and not just want to live off worms!

 

[minxfishy]

Never known a ghost knife to eat flake, they prefer bloodworm, shrimp, mussel, cockle, krill. However, after much patience mine will now eat tetra prima granules, cichlid pellets and adores cucumber, never even notices flake.

 

[c-dub]

I just gave him some blood worms, he mopped them up like there was no tomorrow.

Took the other fish a few minutes to catch on but they like them too now haha.

Here are a few new additions from today...

I got 2 Bala Sharks, a Black Angel and a Beautiful Veiltail Angelfish as well!

Pics:

 

[ian]

you might/will find that Black knife will get way to big for your tank. They can get to half a meter long. My local LFS has just acquired one of these and he's 12" long and the bloke had only had it 6 months. I have read the minimum tank size is 400l for one of these. What size is your tank?

 

[c-dub]

Yeah I heard they can get up to 25 inches.

My tank is a 240L. If he gets to big I might have to sell him but I certainly hope not!

I read that Black ghost knifefish require a large tank of at least 208L but we will wait and see!

 

[ian]

So, whats your stocking at the moment?

 

[minxfishy]

He will require for optimum health and growth a minimum of a 5ft tank, although fairly slow growing, they can reach 24", more likely 16" in the home aquarium, so a 240L 4ft (assuming) wont be large enough for life. However, like I said they are slow growing. Mine I got 18 months or so ago, at around 2-3", now he is 7-8". I dont know where the information that they only need 208L tank came from, but its completely inaccurate.

Also the bala sharks you bought also require a minimum of a 5ft tank preferably 6ft for life, they can reach 16" and need to be in groups. So you will need to upgrade your tank or rehome your fish at some point, the bala's will grow 1" a month with proper diet and water conditions.

 

[c-dub]

If they get too big I will just have to sell them

At the moment I have 4 angels, a couple of platy's, a few mollies, 3 glass catfish, 2 gold gourami, silver shark and the ghost knife.

I am hoping to get another large tank one day but hopefully that one day lands before they get too big!

 

[three-fingers]

It's not a case of if it gets to big, it's a case of when, because if they don't grow too big, then that's not a good sign of health - and you have no way of telling how big it could have grown given a better environment.

You should rehome them well before they get too big, to give them the best chance to grow to their potential size and live to their potential lifespan.

And when your considering what fish are suitable for you aquarium, always look at the maximum potential size. Looking at the minimum potential size is just in your best interests, not the animals, and you could end up unknowingly stunting it's growth and shortening it's lifespan .

I'll stop moaning now .

BGKF are really cool though, I'm very tempted to get one myself for my 150gal.

 

[~T~]

Never known a ghost knife to eat flake, they prefer bloodworm, shrimp, mussel, cockle, krill. However, after much patience mine will now eat tetra prima granules, cichlid pellets and adores cucumber, never even notices flake.

Mine ate literally every food that was offered to him. His fave of all was shelled frozen peas.

Mine was 14" and 9 years old when he passed I miss knifey but I wouldnt get another one, even though mine was in an 80gal (5 foot) tank he still looked cramped in there.

 

[c-dub]

By the sounds of it I'll just go kill myself now!




But yeah like I said if I get my 8ft tank I plan on building he will be shifted to there, or my friend's 8ft tank.
Considering it's only a baby at the moment and a few inches!