`*+BlackGhostKnife Question+*`

[kangarooooooooo]

ok. my BGK is still 3-4 inches long and he's maybe 2-3 years old!?
what's going on...?
and he has a weird bump in his throat. he's had it since i brought him home from the fish store. it's not an infection or anything.
but i really don't know what to say about this.. should i get a new one? hahaha

i've looked up pictures of BGK's and non have this bump directly under the chin.

 

[JDogg]

ok.... what is the question?

 

[Hara]

growth is directly related to nutrition. I would be looking at your feeding practices to see if they need changing.

 

[evercl92]

growth is directly related to nutrition. I would be looking at your feeding practices to see if they need changing.

I agree. What's his diet? I give mine frozen and freeze-dried blood worms, frozen brine, and he's learned (on his own) to eat regular flake and spirulina flake.

 

[FWaddict]

I used to have one... then I moved and had to give her away... I was so sad, they are beautiful fish. It was a her because I named her Katie, because my sister bought it for me for my b-day. But about the diet... I gave my BGK frozen blood worms and weaned him on to eating flakes. So my diet for my BGK was flakes and frozen blood worms or brine shrimp. She was fine. No odd growths nothin. Lets hope that it is nothing serious.

 

[kangarooooooooo]

my bgk didn't get the odd growth after i got it. it already had it and then i looked up information about it afterwards and realized that the other ones didn't have it..

i feed mine flakes, freeze dried blood worms, brine shrimp, tubifex worms once in a while...
maybe i should take mine in and exchange it for a new one?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Do you test your nitrates? How often do you do water changes? Nitrates are a big factor is stunted growth in fish.

 

[kangarooooooooo]

here's some pictures. it has to be healthy, though. all the fins are healthy and i've had it for 3 years...

can u see the pouch looking thing under it's jaw?


i change he water every 2-3 weeks. and do around 25% water change.

 

[WaterPond]

maybe i should take mine in and exchange it for a new one?

Thats not really responsible pet ownership. Fish aren't like other merchandise that if it has a flaw you should take it back. Not to seem to critical ,Just don't agree with it.

Water changes need to be done every week! I usually do water changes two times a week.

Up your water changes to at least every week. 25% is good

I have a feeling the lump is due to stunted growth.

 

[Hara]

I do not think that water changes need to be done weekly unless you have a particular circumstance that requires it. Monthly water changes are sufficient if your filtration is up to par and you do not overfeed or have a huge bioload.

Back to the BGK, you could pick up some mysis shrimp ,frozen bloodworms and beef heart. Keep its diet meaty and varied. I would not concern yourself with the growth on it as long as it does not interfere with its ability to eat. I do agree that just taking it back to swap it in is not very ethical. If it has had this growth all the time you have had it, I would not be concerned.

 

[WaterPond]

Monthly water changes are sufficient if your filtration is up to par and you do not overfeed or have a huge bioload.

lol, they aren't sufficient for someone who is paranoid like me

 

[Ky'smommy]

If the fish is already 2-3 years old and you brought him home from the fish store like that,
I wouldn't be concerned and If it hasn't bothered you before, then i don't see why it bothers you now, to the point you want to trade him in now.

I would much rather keep all my fish i've had for months or years, over a new one, no matter what their flaw is.