New to the hobby. Blackghost question.

[shastahlove]

Hi there, I hope this is the correct place to post questions. As of now I have a 40 gallon tank , (my 100 gallon is cycling). I have a black ghost knife fish, he's about 2.5" long. I've had him for about 2 weeks and he always stays in this little hole in one of the decorations. He will eat out of my hand as long as I place my hand right near the opening of his hideaway. He hasn't come out at all for me to see him except for peeking his head out to eat. Tonight he was out and in a new hiding spot and looks like he's swimming funny and isn't able to get out. I moved the hideaway to see if he would swim away but he didn't. I thought it was strange for his first time outing that way he would be so bold as to stay while I'm lifting the hideaway. It's like he's wiggling but not going anywhere. Any idea of what this could be?
ALSO, is there a post specifically for blackghost fish?

 

[Blackwater guru]

Hi there, I hope this is the correct place to post questions. As of now I have a 40 gallon tank , (my 100 gallon is cycling). I have a black ghost knife fish, he's about 2.5" long. I've had him for about 2 weeks and he always stays in this little hole in one of the decorations. He will eat out of my hand as long as I place my hand right near the opening of his hideaway. He hasn't come out at all for me to see him except for peeking his head out to eat. Tonight he was out and in a new hiding spot and looks like he's swimming funny and isn't able to get out. I moved the hideaway to see if he would swim away but he didn't. I thought it was strange for his first time outing that way he would be so bold as to stay while I'm lifting the hideaway. It's like he's wiggling but not going anywhere. Any idea of what this could be?
ALSO, is there a post specifically for blackghost fish?

The first thing to do in situations like this is to check the chemistry of the water to make sure nothing has caused it to change also keep in mind that new tanks especially tanks that have gone through the cycle recently are not as stable in terms of water chemistry as a tank that has been used for around a year where the chemistry is much less likely to suddenly change.

I am not an expert at fish diseases and diagnosing illnesses in fish is very hard if not impossible sometimes especially if it's something like an internal parasite.

This does sound like he is sick but it could also mean something in the water chemistry is off and that is why the fish reacts like this.

Really one of the best things you can do if you suspect that the fish is sick is to do water changes more frequently than usual.

Medication should never be the first thing that you use and it should only be used as a last resort when nothing else is working.

Using aquarium salt in small amounts has also been shown to be an effective way to cure sick fish.

Other things can also cause fish to become stressed out and scared such as sudden movements in front of the aquarium or sudden loud noises.

This is why it's good to have an aquarium journal so that you can write down everything you do so that you can go back later and figure out what you may have done wrong and how to correct it.

Some images and videos of the fish would be very useful because then I can look more into this so I can find out what is wrong with your fish.

 

[Byron]

I concur with the above post. I will also add that this species is naturally very shy; it does not like overhead lighting so this should be dim, best achieved not just with a less intense light but also floating plants that are substantial, like Water Sprite, Frogbit, etc. It needs a hiding spot, some use PVC pipe, others make a more natural "tunnel" out of wood branches. An open tank (meaning, the aquascape not the cover) will keep it stressed and somewhat frightened and uneasy. Tankmates also have to be very carefully chosen, as none that nip will work, and none that are active swimmers. Knifefish actually do well with angelfish, but I am not suggesting you do this, only illustrating that both are very quiet sedate fish that cruise rather than swim when they move at all.

It is small now, but if it is healthy and grows it will need a tank that is at least six feet in length, and 2 feet minimum in width. At 20+ inches, with an inflexible spine, it needs this much space in order to be able to turn around. Smaller tanks can accomodate the fish as it grows, but the tank should always be no less than triple length and wider than the fish's length throughout its life.

 

[shastahlove]

The first thing to do in situations like this is to check the chemistry of the water to make sure nothing has caused it to change also keep in mind that new tanks especially tanks that have gone through the cycle recently are not as stable in terms of water chemistry as a tank that has been used for around a year where the chemistry is much less likely to suddenly change.

I am not an expert at fish diseases and diagnosing illnesses in fish is very hard if not impossible sometimes especially if it's something like an internal parasite.

This does sound like he is sick but it could also mean something in the water chemistry is off and that is why the fish reacts like this.

Really one of the best things you can do if you suspect that the fish is sick is to do water changes more frequently than usual.

Medication should never be the first thing that you use and it should only be used as a last resort when nothing else is working.

Using aquarium salt in small amounts has also been shown to be an effective way to cure sick fish.

Other things can also cause fish to become stressed out and scared such as sudden movements in front of the aquarium or sudden loud noises.

This is why it's good to have an aquarium journal so that you can write down everything you do so that you can go back later and figure out what you may have done wrong and how to correct it.

Some images and videos of the fish would be very useful because then I can look more into this so I can find out what is wrong with your fish.

Hi there, thank you for your advice. A journal sounds like a good idea. The water chemistry is okay according to the testing I did. The tank has been up and running for about 3 months. It's 40 gallons. I have a 100 gallon tank cycling right now. BeeGee, my ghost fish, hasn't been out doing that weird behavior since that night. He's still sticking his head out for food, but that's about it. I bought some catfish today hoping that might lure him out. I wanted to find out if that was okay to feed them before I did so. I will try to get a picture or a video, but like I said, besides that one time, he doesn't come out.
Thanks so much!!

 

[shastahlove]

Hi Byron, I didn't see your post until just now. he has a lot of hiding places, but only uses one. I do not have any floating plants, but I will get some. I have a 100 gallon tank for him I started another post asking how to lure him out. I've seen videos with the them out during the day but not sure how to do that. His tank friends are 5 GloFish and 2 mollies. Unfortunately the rest of my mollies have died. I'm pretty new to the aquarium world so any advice is appreciated. Thank you!!!

 

[Byron]

Hi Byron, I didn't see your post until just now. he has a lot of hiding places, but only uses one. I do not have any floating plants, but I will get some. I have a 100 gallon tank for him I started another post asking how to lure him out. I've seen videos with the them out during the day but not sure how to do that. His tank friends are 5 GloFish and 2 mollies. Unfortunately the rest of my mollies have died. I'm pretty new to the aquarium world so any advice is appreciated. Thank you!!!

Glofish are not suitable tankmates for knifefish. First, they are much too active in swimming, and second they are quite likely to fin nip. It may or may not be happening now, but it is likely to before long. Even if they do not physically nip, they can send out chemical signals (called allomones) and the knifefish can be seriously stressed from those.

Mollies need much harder water than knifefish will be more comfortable with. What is the GH and pH?

The light can be a major issue, it must be quite dim for BGK.

 

[shastahlove]

I am now cycling a 100 gallon tank for my black ghost. The glowfish and mollies will be in the other tank.
It's hard when you're a newbie at this hobby, I kind of trust what store workers tell me, and many have been wrong.
I really don't use the black light for the GloFish because I know black ghost don't like light. he's got plenty of hiding spots, but only likes the one he's in now. The one he is in now was my sucker fishes home, and BeeGee (that's his name) kicked him out. LOL. I will check the water parameters when I get home.
Thank you