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Centipede Knifefish

Family: HypopomidaeSteatogenys duidaePhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken Childs

   This beautiful Knifefish has been available for many years but its recent popularity is due to the descriptive common name that is now being used... 'Centipede Knifefish'!

   What's in a name?...Centipede Knifefish? Well, combine the bands on the body with the "feet" that show up on the anal fin and you have a pattern that really does resemble a centipede. They are fairly small fish, reaching a maximum size of only 8.25 inches (21cm) and they are peaceful.

   Like many of the Knifefish, this fish requires good hiding places to feel secure. Unfortunately this means you may not see your fish except at feeding time. A good way around this problem is to use a clear acrylic or plastic tube as the hiding place. These fish have poor eyesight so they use electrical impulses as a sort of radar so even though the tube is clear, their radar tells them that they are in a secure place.

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

Habitat: Distribution / Background

   The Centipede Knifefish was described by La Monte in 1929. The are found in are found in the Amazon River and many of its tributaries in South America, specifically in Venezuela and Brazil.

• Scientific Name: Steatogenys duidae
• Social Grouping: Solitary
• IUCN Red List: NE - Not Evaluated or not listed

Description

   The Centipede Knifefish has a flat long body, fuller and somewhat cylindrical towards the head but terminates in a thin point at the rear. It has no dorsal fin but does have an extremely long anal fin starting near the pectoral fin area. This fin can move in an undulating forward or backward motion. It is tan to light brown with irregular 'zig zag' type dark bands. True to its name when you combine the bands on the body with the "feet" that show up on the anal fin, the result is a pattern that resembles a centipede.
   This fish also has an electric organ which allows it to generate a very weak electric field around its body. The field helps with a variety of things such as identifying objects in the water, gives it spatial orientation, helps it to navigate, and helps it identify food. Males use an electric 'stereotyped' communication to court females.

• Maximum Size: 8.3 inches (20.96 cm)

Fish Keeping Difficulty

• Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately Difficult
• Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate

Foods and Feeding

   The Centipede Knifefish are carnivores. This is a species that prefers smaller fresh or frozen foods such as bloodworms or brine shrimp. They may eventually be trained to eat freeze dried foods but will most likely never eat any type of flake food.
   They require good hiding places and will not do well with aggressive tank mates. The long, pointed tail just looks too appetizing to anything that's the least bit aggressive. They are sensitive to some fish medications such as copper and those containing formalin.

• Diet Type: Carnivore
• Flake Food: No
• Tablet Pellet: Occasionally
• Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Most of Diet
• Meaty Food: All of Diet
• Feeding Frequency: Daily

Aquarium Care

• Water Changes: Monthly

Aquarium Setup

• Minimum Tank Size: 55 gal (208 L)
• Suitable for Nano Tank: No
• Substrate Type: Any
• Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting
• Temperature: 74.0 - 82.0° F (23.3 - 27.8° C)
• Range ph: 6.0-6.5
• Hardness Range: 5 - 10 dGH
• Brackish: No
• Water Movement: Weak
• Water Region: Bottom

Social Behaviors

   This is a peaceful fish that will usually not bother other fish.

• Venomous: No
• Temperament: Peaceful
• Same species - conspecifics: Yes
• Peaceful fish (): Monitor - While it is not necessarily aggressive, it will eat anything small enough to be considered a meal.
• Semi-Aggressive (): Threat
• Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive - In the wild, this fish hunts at night for worms, crustaceans, insects and snails.
• Plants: Safe

Sex: Sexual differences

   Sexual differences are unknown.

Breeding / Reproduction

   It has not been bred in captivity.

• Ease of Breeding: Unknown

Availability

   The Centipede Knifefish are commonly available.

References

Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants

Author: Ken Childs

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