The Gymnotus Knives

[Hoyo12]

Two of my favorite species of Knife fish.(That I have owned)
Carapo Knife (Gymnotus carapo) and Zebra Knife (Gymnotus pedanopterus). ;D
I have had the Zebra since August of 09 and the Carapo in December of 09. Zebra is about 6", Carapo is about 8".

 

[Jaysee]

Beautiful fish! i'm quite enamoured with knives myself. I have an african and would like to get a BGK for a 90 gallon I'm getting. id also like to get a centepede for a 55 community tank.

 

[Hoyo12]

Beautiful fish! i'm quite enamoured with knives myself. I have an african and would like to get a BGK for a 90 gallon I'm getting. id also like to get a centepede for a 55 community tank.

Thanks!
I had a BGK with an African Knife, until the African passed from infection... anyway, be careful with the Centipede Knife. Very... 'delicate' species of Knife. Mine was picked on by Neons, lol. And the water has to be perfect; water lvls, temp, etc.

 

[Jaysee]

I am upgrading my 45 to a 55, which will have a gbr pair, a pearl gouramI pair, dwarf neon rainbows, gold barbs and angelicus loaches. water quality is not an issue. if the centipede is not a good choice (not much info available), is there another?

 

[Hoyo12]

I am upgrading my 45 to a 55, which will have a gbr pair, a pearl gouramI pair, dwarf neon rainbows, gold barbs and angelicus loaches. water quality is not an issue. if the centipede is not a good choice (not much info available), is there another?

It does sound like the Centipede would get picked on. Plus they are very hard to feed, making the smaller the tank the better.
I could only get mine to eat bloodworms, and it had to be at night, all lights off... a group of Glass Knives might work... but it would have to be a group, 3+... nothing else common I can think of that would work... unless you can find a Brown Ghost Knife (Not the Black, the Brown ). That would work also, but I haven't found any around here before...

 

[Jaysee]

The glass knife isn't really available around here, and I haven't seen them on aquabid.

what size tank is ideal for the centipede?

thanks for your advice.

 

[Hoyo12]

The glass knife isn't really available around here, and I haven't seen them on aquabid.

what size tank is ideal for the centipede?

thanks for your advice.

No problem, advice on Knives is what I do best, lol.
IMO, a 20-Gallon would be ideal. Easier to feed, and they are not the best to be put with other fish, seems how they would probably eat the Knives food, or pick on it. They get to a full grown length of 8" but 5-6" is a more common size in captivity. Plus they play dead all day, lol. Not the best Knife to watch.
I do have a video of the one I used to have if you are interested.

 

[Jaysee]

I was looking at them because of their size. the glass stays small too, right? a group of 3 would work in the 55 community?

I want to put a few pictus in the 90 gallon with a bgk. any problem?

 

[Hoyo12]

I was looking at them because of their size. the glass stays small too, right? a group of 3 would work in the 55 community?

I want to put a few pictus in the 90 gallon with a bgk. any problem?

I see what you mean.
Glass Knives can get largish. Female 8", males 18", head to tail. (Very long tail) Three would work in a 55-Gallon.

And you shouldn't have any issues between the Pictus and BGK. I didn't seem to have any issues with mine.

 

[Aquarist]

Good morning Hoyo,

You have some beautiful fish there! Thanks for sharing the photos with us. I'm a bit concerned about the white spots on the fish and the possibility of ICH. The spots are particularly noticeable in photos 3 and 4.
Ken

 

[Hoyo12]

Good morning Hoyo,

You have some beautiful fish there! Thanks for sharing the photos with us. I'm a bit concerned about the white spots on the fish and the possibility of ICH. The spots are particularly noticeable in photos 3 and 4.
Ken

Good morning aquarist,
Thank you, and this is the sand from the tank sticking to them.

 

[Aquarist]

Whew! Glad to hear it! Thanks for responding.
Ken

 

[lorabell]

great pics!!!!! Ive never seen those types before!!!!

 

[bolivianbaby]

Beautiful fish! Thanks for sharing them.

 

[Hoyo12]

Whew! Glad to hear it! Thanks for responding.
Ken

Haha, yep. Haven't ich in awhile, which is a surprise.

great pics!!!!! Ive never seen those types before!!!!

Thanks you, and they are...'fairly' rare to come across. Which why I jumped right on them when I saw them for sale, lol.

Beautiful fish! Thanks for sharing them.

Thank you, and no problem. I have a lot more to share yet, lol. I'll see about getting more pics up in a different thread later.

Hopefully getting a new Knife or two for my Birthday, coming up soon. Nothing like a new Knifefish for your B-day, lol.

 

[GoGreen]

Thanks for sharing your pictures, I have never seen knife fish before.
The one shot (top right I believe) looks to me like he's smiling! But I can be silly that way.

 

[Hoyo12]

Thanks for sharing your pictures, I have never seen knife fish before.
The one shot (top right I believe) looks to me like he's smiling! But I can be silly that way.

They are fairly hard to come across.
And I agree with the smiling pic, lol. It's just how their mouth's are shaped though.

 

[2focusd]

I've always been fascinated by knife fish and have wanted to buy a BGK for quite some time, and hopefully I'll get one someday when I get a bigger tank

-Brian

 

[Hoyo12]

I've always been fascinated by knife fish and have wanted to buy a BGK for quite some time, and hopefully I'll get one someday when I get a bigger tank

-Brian

You know, if you were to purchase a BGK around... 4" or so, it will take YEARS for it to get to its full grown captive size of 20"? They slow down their growth rate once they hit 8". So they would do fine in a 55-Gallon for quite some time.

 

[Jaysee]

one thing ive noticed watching my african knife is that they are incredibly manuverable - moreso than any other fish I have. I'm thinking because of that they can live better in a smaller tank, where a different fish of similar size would not

 

[blodhi]

Very nice.

 

[Hoyo12]

one thing ive noticed watching my african knife is that they are incredibly manuverable - moreso than any other fish I have. I'm thinking because of that they can live better in a smaller tank, where a different fish of similar size would not

I do agree. I used to have one in my 60-Gallon, but lost him to disease. Great fish, and actually my very first Knife. Picking up another soon, along with a few others. ;D

Very nice.

Thank you.

 

[2focusd]

You know, if you were to purchase a BGK around... 4" or so, it will take YEARS for it to get to its full grown captive size of 20"? They slow down their growth rate once they hit 8". So they would do fine in a 55-Gallon for quite some time.

Well, if my 55G wasn't in the living room as the family fish tank with a big community setup in it, I'd be more than willing to do that, haha.

-Brian