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The
Clown Knife, the Black Ghost, and
the African Knifefish.
They are happiest with a diet that
includes live food such as earthworms and black worms.
They will
also accept frozen beefheart, brine shrimp or bloodworms, tablets
and freeze-dried krill or shrimp.
All knives are best kept in large
peaceful tropical community; African Riverine biotype community;
planted tank.
They are best kept with Silver dollars, Rainbows,
or any peaceful fish that the Knife cannot swallow!
Or perhaps
with Oscars as Knivefish can hold there own with more aggressive
species.
All knifefish move mainly by
undulating a "body long" fin on its underside. It's
eel-like propulsion
makes it fascinating to watch.
It will grow to a maximum length of 20 inches.
They prefer water
with a 6.0 - 8.0 pH and a temperature range of 73-82 F .
The Clown knife is
a favorite! (Notopterus) Chitala ornate Beautiful
silver gray with black spots.
They are extremely impressive when they reach a foot or more
in length! Prefers neutral pH.
The Black Ghost
Knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons) belongs to the ghost
knifefish family (Apteronotidae).
They originate in South
America in the Amazon Basin in Peru and from Venezuela through
Paraguay .
They are very popular in aquaria. The fish is
all black except for a white ringed tail.
A nocturnal fish,
they use an electric organ and receptors
distributed over the length of their body in order to find their
prey.
They are very mildly elotrogenic. (4 volts as
opposed to the electric eel which can emit 500 volts!)
Black
Ghosts mostly prefer live foods, but will accept and thrive on a
good variety of frozen foods.
African knifefish
(Xenomystus nigri)
These fish often make "clicking" sounds
which can be heard when netting the fish.
The African Knifefish
also makes barking sounds during courtship.
The swim bladder of
the African Knifefish also acts as a respiratory organ. When they
swallow air at the surface they can emit bell-like sounds.
The
African Knifefish rests in an oblique position with its head down.
The African Knifefish is also known as the African Knife, Brown
African Knife and Black Knifefish.
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