Tankmates for a BGK...

[wendy]

I have a 40 gallon with a lone Black Ghost Knife. He's about 7 inches long and I've had him for about 3 years and he's always done very well. I've found that this is actually a very hardy fish, regardless of how much information I've found to tell me otherwise. He's tolerated conditions that are far less than ideal as I've experiemented and played around with things in the tank other the years.

One thing that I have never been able to have, though, is other tankmates. Anything that I've tried in the tank, even over the course of a single night, has ended up either dead or horribley mangled. I eventually have to take the other fish back to the store out of worry for their lives. I don't even want to mention the cory massacre a few years back...

I just don't get what I'm suppose to put in there. Websites suggest peaceful fish that won't bother or nip at the ghost, but what about protection FROM the ghost? As much as I'd like to maintain a huge and yet completely barren tank for a single shy fish, I want other fish too! Is there anything that can live peacefully with this fish or should I just keep him alone and try to get another tank? Has anyone had success with these and other fish?

 

[wendy]

Forgot to ask...

I have plans of moving this guy into a 55 gallon soon, or maybe something a little larger. Would that help this behavior any? He's never actually eaten a fish, but he'll pick at them until they are dead or dying if given the chance. Would the larger tank help any?

 

[Tigerlily]

Hi Wendy:

How large have his tankmates been? Are they smaller fish? Have you tried any of the tankmates recommended on this site? I've never kept BGK, but they seem to be populat lately! The topic keeps coming up!

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=857

Anyway, you've probably seen this, but maybe we can narrow things down for someone who knows their stuff!

 

[madasafish]

Yes, as liveaquaria mentions (I've looked at their species summary for the BGK many many times...) like-sized fish are recommended. You should really think about catfish of a slightly larger body size, such as Bumblebee cats and plecos (the best bet, probably). I'd advise medium-largish plecs, esp. the bristlenose (or bushynose) Ancistrus species. Slightly smaller species such as the Clown Peckoltia, King Tiger, Queen Arabesque, Gold Nugget, might get hurt. Buy a specimen that's already 5+ inches in length. Check out the catfish species--the larger ones are usually quite hardy!!

*Don't* get a redtail cat, a shovelnose cat (Lima, Tiger).

Also, Silver dollars would no doubt fit in well in a 55, and can fend for themselves. Check species for size, as there are several species called "Silver dollars."

There are a couple of occasional users who talk about their BGKs; you might be lucky and get a post from one of them...

You really shouldn't have a problem with species of a sufficient size. But it's possible you've got a particularly ornery guy!

 

[BrianNY]

If I'm correct, the black ghost is nocturnal. It just may be that the fish he killed were not. How about mixing other knife fish with him? Clown knives are pretty cool and shouldn't bother him.

 

[ferret]

clown knife == 4 foot long

 

[Hara]

I have had my BGK for years. He gets along well with everything EXCEPT plecos. He is well over 12 inches long. I believe your problem may be the tank size. Mine started in a 30, out grew it and moved to a 55 and is now in a 150. His tank mates are gourami, angels, discus, rams, cory cats, rosy and gold barbs, a clown loach, 2 pictus cats and one pleco that has managed to be smart enough to avoid voodoo.

These have been tankmates with him from the beginning, or most of them anyway.
Also, he eats quite well.