Knifefish feeding

HI Forum,
Just a question on knifefish, as this fish is nocturnal how can he be fed when I feed the others he does not come out and I tried puttin food in the tank later at night and the minute I drop food into tank the others seem to sense it and take it, I am worried that he is not getting enough over this, dandt123

 

Hi,

What kind of Knifefish do you have? For mine, I used to put food near their caves after I turned the lights off. What kinds of foods do you feed? Usually knifefish need high protein diets.

 

Feeding and behavior varies between species. My african is far from nocturnal. HOWEVER, it took at least 3 months before I ever saw it eat. It took about 6 months before it felt comfortable enough to explore the tank. It took well over a year before it would let anyone other than me see it.

I've tried to keep BGK twice, and both times feeding was an issue. I rushed them into the tank both times. Next time, I am going to keep the fish in quarantine for months, by itself, until I feel confident that it will eat well enough to enter the show tank. I had hoped that some competition for food would stimulate their appetite. Once the fish is eating well, I am going to move a few fish from the main tank to the quarantine tank. I think there may have been too much competition before . I also want to provide the fish with time to adjust to having other fish in the tank, and what better way than to move some of the fish that it will actually be living with over.

Fish, and almost ever other animal, will not eat when they are stressed, so it's important to provide a stress free environment for them to adjust, as well as time.

 

HI and tks for getting back to me he is a black ghost and I tried putting the food in with lights out and the others sense it and take it. I went to shop yesterday and they had ones over and they were out of hiding with light on so I suppose it takes time for them to adjust. I am feeding him frozen foods like bloodworms,brineshrimp. As he does not come out when I'm feeding I'm worried that he will be hungery but I'm told he will be fine I believe some people hand feed them, thanks dandy123

 

How long have you had him? BGK should be kept alone for the first couple of months after you purchase them. It takes a while for them to get used to. If you have smaller fish the Knife will go ahead and eat those when he gets hungry.

 

Hmm I have a very shy Clown Knife. AT first I took sinking pellets and dropped them right over where he would hide.( I stuck my whole arm in the tank) After a while I began to put my hand in sight and dropped in in front of him. Now after 6 months he will eat out of my hand while its underwater

 

HI I have him since thursday he is still quite small yet, I do have neon although he was in with neons in fishshop, and mollies, and other fish in the tank. tks for the info dandy123

 

HI I have him since thursday he is still quite small yet, I do have neon although he was in with neons in fishshop, and mollies, and other fish in the tank. tks for the info dandy123

that is because he is a baby. When I give mine feeders he ignores them. Now when I turn the lights off he slowly stalks them and comes up behind them. I don't know how aggressive BGK are but I'm positive that all BGK eat smaller fish. Knives aren't aggressive but they always eat like all fish. Also take in mind fish in petshops are mostly babies , my cousin owned a BGK with a school of Guppies about 10. One day he woke up and not a single guppy.

 

BGKs have huge mouths despite what it looks like. It probably was housed with neons so the pet shop owner knew the BGK got something to eat. It will definitely eat your Neons when it gets hungry.

 

HI forum, thanks again I will keep an eye out dandy123

 

I had the same problem about getting food through the front lines lol. I ended up hand feeding her, I started it by getting close & dropping the blood worms near her & she soon picked up on it. Now as soon as I open the lid she's up at the top waiting with the rest of the fish.