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Black Ghost KnifefishBlack Ghost Knife FishFamily: Apteronotidae (Ghost Knife Fishes)GhostKnifefishWFKn_Ap4AKn.jpg) Black Ghost KnifefishApteronotus albifronsPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken ChildsLatest Reader Comment - See More I have a BGK which i bought when it was about 2 inches long.now a after a six month period it has grown to around 7 and a half inches and has consumed lots of... (more) samiran roy,india The popular Black Ghost Knifefish is readily distinguished from other knife fish by the white and black banded area just in front of tail fin!Black Ghost Knife Fish Contents The Black Ghost Knifefish received its unusual name because of a rumor that some tribes in the Amazon jungle believe that the souls of the dead inhabit this fish. No one can substantiate this information and it may just be a story created by the people collecting the fish, but it's a good story. For good reason, the Black Ghost Knifefish is the most well known species of knifefish in the aquarium industry. One reason for this is that they have been imported for decades. Other reasons include being unusual, interesting and amazingly beautiful. Until a few years ago, all offered for sale were wild caught and had been imported from South America, mainly from Brazil. The good news is that they are now being bred in Indonesia by the thousands, so much of the pressure has been taken off the wild populations. Odds are that if you see an individual of 5 inches or more offered of sale, it was collected in the wild. Specimens smaller than 5 inches were most likely produced in and imported from Indonesia. For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see: |
Habitat: Distribution / Background
The Black Ghost Knifefish was described by Linnaeus in 1766. Black Ghosts are found in South America throughout much of the Amazon River and its tributaries. It is nocturnal and preys on insect larvae.
- Scientific Name: Apteronotus albifrons
- Social Grouping: Solitary
- IUCN Red List: NE - Not Evaluated or not listed - The species is not listed on the IUCN Red List.
The black body of the Black Ghost Knifefish is flat and elongated. It has a continuous fin along the underside formed by a joining of the caudal and anal fin and moves with an undulating motion. Although they appear clumsy, they have a built in ‘radar' system that uses low voltage electricity to help them navigate. This and their undulating lower fin allow them to gracefully move forwards and backwards through the aquarium.
- Maximum Size: 20.0 inches (50.80 cm)
- Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Difficult
- Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate
The Black Ghost Knifefish are carnivores. In the wild they are nocturnal, when the sun sets and throughout the night they feed on insect larvae. In the aquarium this is a fish hat prefers fresh or fresh frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp or blackworms.
A full sized Black Ghost Knifefish is a big animal which requires a big home. You will need to eventually provide a tank containing 100 gallons or more if you plan on keeping one of these beauties into adulthood. Providing many hiding places with plants, smooth rocks or aquarium safe wood in a necessity. They are nocturnal and will spend most of the daylight hours hiding in a safe and secure location. Once acclimated to their new home, they should come out of hiding at feeding time. Some have even been taught to feed from their keeper's hand.
- Diet Type: Carnivore
- Flake Food: No
- Tablet Pellet: Yes
- Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Most of Diet
- Meaty Food: All of Diet
- Feeding Frequency: Daily
- Water Changes: Monthly
- Minimum Tank Size: 100 gal (379 L)
- Suitable for Nano Tank: No
- Substrate Type: Any
- Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting
- Temperature: 73.0 - 82.0° F (22.8 - 27.8° C)
- Range ph: 8.0-6.0
- Hardness Range: 5 - 19 dGH
- Brackish: No
- Water Movement: Weak
- Water Region: Bottom
Black Ghosts can become aggressive with members of their own species and members of other, similar species. Other than that, they are usually quite timid. They do have a large mouth so small fish or invertebrates kept in the same tank may eventually become a meal for a hungry Black Ghost.
- Venomous: No
- Temperament: Semi-aggressive
- Compatible with:
- Same species - conspecifics: Yes
- Peaceful fish (): Monitor - While it is not necessarily aggressive, it will eat anything small enough to be considered a meal.
- Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive - In the wild, this fish hunts at night for worms, crustaceans, insects and snails.
- Plants: Safe
Sexual differences are unknown.
This species is being bred commercially in Indonesia but the method used is unknown. There are hobbyists that claim to have successfully bred the Black Ghost Knifefish in an aquarium but they seem reluctant to share the details. There is some information on this subject, scattered reports, but there is nothing yet documented from reputable sources so it will not be reproduced here. One thing for certain is that if you want to give it a try, you'll need a big aquarium, probably containing 100 gallons or more.
- Ease of Propagation: Difficult
Now that they are being bred in captivity, the Black Ghost Knifefish are available all year long. Large specimens may command a high price, mainly due to the higher costs of shipping them. Smaller specimens are quite affordable.
Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants
Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants
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