Black ghost knife fish

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blert said:
I don't know about that... There is a Clown Knife in a LFS just down the highway from me that I could probably cram into a 40b with some grease and a plunger (not that I would). The thing is just HUGE.
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I've seen a monster clown knife too, like the one you're talking about almost, but I would probably lean more towards the 20" on average for most people.
 
HopefulHobbiest said:
Zimmanski is asking if you took the two-three month time to properly balance your Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate or did you just add water then add fish?

Edit- and i kinda agree with Zimm, eventually you'll need a 125-150G just for the BGK(Black Ghost Knifefish) i don't know a thing about the clown knives. the smallest bichir that i know is the Sengal Bichir and it will still reach an impressive 12" or more... i have a Sengal Bichir in my 125G, and i still could've picked a larger species of Bichir but thats just because i don't want a monster Bichir lol
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Well my black ghost got ate by another fish which is unusual because I had it in the same tank for almost 6 months and I will eventually get a tank over 100gallons but right now my room ain't big enough plus I'm only 15 and I let cycle for about two months but all my fish are fine now
 
POLARBEAR0871 said:
Well my black ghost got ate by another fish which is unusual because I had it in the same tank for almost 6 months and I will eventually get a tank over 100gallons but right now my room ain't big enough plus I'm only 15 and I let cycle for about two months but all my fish are fine now
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Getting eaten after 6 months is actually pretty common. The clown was always going to outgrow the black ghost, so it was only a matter of time before the size difference got to the point that the clown felt it could pull it off. Especially in such cramped quarters, eating other tankmates isn't unexpected among predators that aren't the same size.

I understand having space/money constraints due to age, but I still strongly recommend that if you don't have the space for the tank that these fish need then you NEED to re-home them. The 55 gallon upgrade from the 40 gallon is a waste of money since it's still grossly inadequate. Being young is no excuse for neglect. Recognize that you can't provide for their needs and be a responsible fish keeper.
 
Being that your only 15 is there any way you could work with your parents to assist with the cost of a larger tank?

The tank doesnt always have to go in your room either, it may not even be physically possible... my 125 weighs well over 1200lbs and if I put that on the second floor of my house it would end up on the first floor anyway, along with 125 gallons of water, 150lbs or gravel and decor... it wouldn't be pretty.

If you really want to upgrade your tank and I think you SHOULD, you might want to have a chat with your parents to see if they'll help.

But I have to agree with the above post, if upgrade isnt possible a rehoming needs to be done until an adequate living arrangement can be created/purchased.
 
Iv tried having a talk with them but they jut won't get a tank big enough I would love to have a 100 gallon tank but my parent won't let me get one
 
Then unfortunately there's your answer. There are plenty of other fish you can keep that are colorful or cool in a 40 or 55 gallon tank that will be happy and thrive, but the clown knife and bichir are not sustainable in that environment. Take them back to your LFS and, while you're there, take a look at their fish that stay in the 6" max size or smaller range. Write down the ones you like, then come home and do your research to make sure you can support their needs and that they're compatible before you go back and buy them.

Edit: Btw, I highly recommend you take a look at the stocking calculator on aqadvisor.com when you're planning out your new stock. It's not a perfect calculator, but it will at least give you a sanity check on your plans and call out any potential problems before they're in your tank.
 
then you may want to find new homes for them, the fact is that whether the clown knives get 20" or 40" both of those sizes require a minimum of 220G-300G. i've already done my research on prices of tanks (i want a 500G tank in my next house) but this 500G fish tank will cost me around $5,300 but thats a brand new tank not a craigslist buy.(most people on craigslist have lost they're minds, i've seen people try to sell a 150G saltwater setup for almost $10,000 so i won't buy something unless its an amazing deal and it has to be local)

but back to your situation a brand new 300G tank i would imagine is in the neighborhood of $2,000, maybe a little more. however you may have MUCH better luck then i did looking on craigslist.

i took the overly drawn out approach on this post and for that i apologize, simply put... its going to be in your best interest to return/sell/give away the clown knives and bichir to someone who has the tank space to keep them.

once you get this finished you can always restock your tank with more appropriate choices.

Edit- Dang, Luananeko beat me to it lol
 
Problem with rehoming the fish is that they need to be together like absolutely need to be together they always follow eachother round the tank and never leave eachothers side
 
POLARBEAR0871 said:
Problem with rehoming the fish is that they need to be together like absolutely need to be together they always follow eachother round the tank and never leave eachothers side
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It may look that way to you, but I guarantee and absolutely promise they do not NEED to be together, in fact the NEED to be separated, you really shouldn't have more than one knife fish in a tank or aggression problems will surface, much like what you've already experienced. Knives are generally okay together when young, but not as they get older. Your fish will be okay if separated and they will be taken care of properly
 
Zimmanski said:
It may look that way to you, but I guarantee and absolutely promise they do not NEED to be together, in fact the NEED to be separated, you really shouldn't have more than one knife fish in a tank or aggression problems will surface, much like what you've already experienced. Knives are generally okay together when young, but not as they get older. Your fish will be okay if separated and they will be taken care of properly
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I second this... With the exception of some mated pairs, fish don't form friendships as strongly as cats or dogs do. Non-schooling fish like these tend to stick together in a tank only because they are stressed over inadequate conditions and/or because one is sizing the other up for a potential snack in the future. You may be down to just the clown and the bichir right now, but if you leave things alone you will be down to either only one or none in the not-too-distant future. As I said before, depending on the eventual max size of the clown and the bichir, if there's a big size difference at any point they will not hesitate to eat their "buddy". And they will be a LOT more unhappy being kept in that small tank together eventually suffering an early death than they would be if you took them to the LFS to be rehomed with someone that can provide for them properly.
 
Even though you guys are more experienced with fish but ik they couldn't stand being a part from eachother due to they're behavior with eachother they're never aggressive to eachother they're very nice to eachother an they protect eachother I used to have a crawdad that was super mean and it would always go after them and they'd sit there and nip at the crawdad till it went away
 
POLARBEAR0871 said:
Even though you guys are more experienced with fish but ik they couldn't stand being a part from eachother due to they're behavior with eachother they're never aggressive to eachother they're very nice to eachother an they protect eachother I used to have a crawdad that was super mean and it would always go after them and they'd sit there and nip at the crawdad till it went away
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If you can't stand to separate them then at least find a home that will take them both via craigslist. Either way, if you care about your fish then you'll find someone else that can give them the tank size they need.
 
Umm... What kind of fish are you feeding them? If those are feeder guppies or feeder goldfish then they tend to be the #1 source of parasites and infections... Not to mention that using live feeder fish tends to increase the aggression of the knife or bichir. Since they're already used to live food they'll be even more likely to eat each other if one outgrows the other...
 
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