Black Ghost
Contents:
- Black Ghost Knifefish
by IO20414-at-MAINE.MAINE.EDU (28 Jan 93)
- Black Ghost: Help needed with tank
by cowan-at-balsam.pinetree.org (Darin Cowan) (Fri, 11 Jun 93)
by IO20414-at-MAINE.MAINE.EDU
Date: 28 Jan 93
Newsgroup: alt.aquaria
I have had Abner (my knife) for a little over 2-1/2 years,
He's a wicked cool fish. When I bought him, he was around 4"-5"
long, now, he's close to 13"; almost a keeper! I have the lights
above the tank hooked up to a dimmer, so I can reduce the light
to almost nothingand watch him swim around and eat.
I feed him Freeze dried Krill, it's the only food he'll eat.
I have offered him lots of other food, but apperantly he has aquired
a taste for the most expensive food avaliable.
I had him in a 20 gal tank but he outgrew after a 1/2 year!
So I received a 55 gal tank as a gift, and promptly moved him in.
I have had a hard time finding any facts about this fish. He seems
really healthy, which is suprising, because I am not a great maintainer
of optimal aquarium conditions! I do more adding of water than I do
siphoning! If that tells you anything. I have a ph tester, but I have
misplaced (not lost) the chart that tells you what your water is doing.
I do know that is is acidic, it is a yellowie color,but it has always
been that color.
My questions are simple, How big will this fish become? I have
heard that they can grow to be quite huge. Is there any danger
that he will "outgrow" his tank? How long should I expect him
to live?
I didn't get an owners manual when I got the fish, but I know
that this Knife is a really tollerant fish. I would like to know
a little more than I do know about this fish, but obviously I am
doing something right, because I haven't killed it yet!
thanks for any replies H.I. Hasey
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by cowan-at-balsam.pinetree.org (Darin Cowan)
Date: Fri, 11 Jun 93
Newsgroup: rec.aquaria
c60b-1kt-at-web-1f.berkeley.edu (Jon Colburn) writes:
> I have purchased a Black Ghost knife fish (approx. ten inches long), and it
> is currently being held for me until I can get my tank set up. I am quite
> new at this, but have been interested for some time. Finding specific info
> on Black Ghost's has not been easy. For anyone out there that has
> experience keeping Black Ghost's, any and all information on tank set-up,
> tank size, feeding and maintenance would be gratefully received. I have
> read that Ghost's grow to be about 18 inches long, would a 40-50 gallon tank
> be large enough? Have also heard that they can be trained to be hand fed,
> has anyone had any success with this?
I have kept one since 1990 and it has grown from 5" then to 10" now.
They are nocturnal, so expect to see it laying on its side in some tube/skull/
other hidey hole during the day, except when feeding. I feed mine sinking
shrimp pellets (Wardley brand), and pond snails when they overrun my smaller
tank. It has also accepted krill, and neons, head and tail lights, lemon
tetras, and tiger barbs <ahem>.
I've never trained mine to eat from my hand, but I can pick the fish up and it
doesn't take off.
My tank is a 50 gallon community tank and the thing is still growing.
Things I know or have noted:
1. They almost never take flake food.
2. They prefer live food (really live like snails etc.) this is because:
3. they are electric fish (related to electric eels, but not as
powerful). They hunt electrically, and I am certain I have seen it
give off a warning zap that other fish can feel. They should not be
kept with other electric fish such as elephant noses or other BGKs.
4. They don't like tail nipping tank mates and will actively seek out and
destroy the little pests.
I have heard them described as a digestive tract with fins. This is
probably appropriate :-)
--
Darin Cowan - cowan-at-balsam.pinetree.org | I just try to make people's
VE3 OIJ | lives a little more surreal
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