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African Knifefish

African Knife Fish ~ Brown Knifefish ~ Black Knifefish Family: Notopteridae

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African Knifefish Xenomystus nigri Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

  The African Knifefish is a most intriguing fish for many Aquarists, and is one of the most popular species of knife fish available!

   One of the easiest species of knifefish to care for, the African Knifefish is hardy and generally more outgoing than other species of knifefish. This knifefish makes a good candidate for a community aquarium containing medium to large sized fish.

   What the African Knifefish lacks in color, it more than makes up in hardiness and personality. Most species of knives are very shy and rarely seen during daylight hours. The Notopteridae family contains some of the more outgoing species but some of these, such as the Clown Knifefish, can grow to huge proportions. In the wild, the African Knifefish can grow as large as 12 inches, but a maximum size of around 8 inches is more realistic for a tank raised specimen. Since they are wild caught, they may seem shy at first, but given time they will come out of their shell.

For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

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Distribution:
   The African Knifefish was described by Günther in 1868. They are found in many of the coastal rivers of Africa including the Congo, Nile, Niger, Ogooue, and Chad River basins. Most of the specimens that make it into the aquarium hobby are exported from Nigeria.

Status:
   The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
   The uniform blackish gray brown body of the African Knifefish is flat and elongated with an arched back. It has a continuous fin along the underside formed by a joining of the caudal and anal fin. It is a graceful swimmer and this fin allows it to move both forwards and backwards. An interesting characteristic is its ability to emit a bell-like sound, produced by ejecting air from its swim bladder.

Size - Weight:
   In the wild, the African Knifefish can grow as large as 12" (30 cm), but a maximum size of around 8" (20 cm) is more realistic for a tank raised specimen.

Care and feeding:
   The African Knifefish are carnivores. In the wild they begin to eat when the sun sets and continue throughout the night, feeding on worms, crustaceans, insects and snails. A tank of around 55 gallons is large enough to keep an adult in good condition for all of its life. They are one of the few species of knife fish that will eat dried foods such as flakes and sinking pellets. A varied diet is important so be sure to also feed some fresh or frozen foods such as brine shrimp or bloodworms. They will eat small fish but this is more of a warning that small tank mates may disappear, not a suggestion for feeding.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
  This species of knifefish will spends most of its time near the bottom, although they will occasionally swim to the surface to grab a gulp of air.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Temp: 72 - 82° F (22 - 28° C)
   Hardness: 5 - 15 dGH
   pH 6.0 to 8.0

Social Behaviors:
  They are peaceful towards other species but adults will sometimes turn aggressive towards others of their own kind. They do have a relatively large mouth so smaller tank mates may disappear. Some of the Mormyridae fishes, such as the Elephantnose and the Baby Whale make good tank mates as do Synodontis catfish.

Sexual Differences:
   Sexual differences are unknown.

Breeding/Reproduction:
  This fish has supposedly been bred in an aquarium but the details are unknown.

Availability:
  The African Knifefish is commonly available.

Author: Ken Childs

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Latest Comments
I just recently purchased one of these from my local pet store and it is a great fish so far. It's surprisingly peaceful and a great fish to watch. I keep it in my 20-30 gallon fish tank with 3 Opaline gouramis and 2 tinfoil barbs. They are all getting along well so far. Overall a great fish. nick 2008-09-15
Comments Dr Jungle REALLY Likes to Hear!
Great web site! I found profiles for every type of fish/crustacion for my new large community Aquarium! Bennett Harnisch 2008-07-19

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