Black Ghost Knives!
- Thread starter DojoQueen
- Start date
i think the info on the size of a tank should be the first thing to look at. do you have space to even keep this fish?
i would love one but dont have the space or a 200 gal tank.
It is said when they're bought small, you can train them to not eat everything (everyone) in sight. My father-in-law bought one about 2 months ago. He was told they're delicate at that size (about 3 inches). Delicate? It has been through a rough fishy cycle, literally dozens of neon tetras, guppies, platies, ghost shrimp, etc. The tank even came down with ich which killed off silver dollars, plecos, angel fish....everything but Mack the Knife. Without kidding you...he bought 24 1" feeder goldfish on Friday night and by Sunday afternoon...completely gone!
I've heard they have a new predator pellet available but Mack LOVES to kill. They have an elephant fish in there and one yet unidentified gold and black striped fish that have survived. Everything else? Dead. However, for a delicate baby who withstood the rigors of an uncycled tank, ich...and even cheap feeder goldfish, that knife (again...not kidding!) has doubled in size!
Another word of caution: everything you'll read says that any fish smaller than his mouth is not safe. Not completely true. Some of the fish he's eaten are bigger than his mouth. He'll swim around with them half in and half out of his gullet until he can get them finished off. When he yawns? ENORMOUS mouth!
But..all in all...he's a really cool fish to watch! So's the elephant
I've heard they have a new predator pellet available but Mack LOVES to kill. They have an elephant fish in there and one yet unidentified gold and black striped fish that have survived. Everything else? Dead. However, for a delicate baby who withstood the rigors of an uncycled tank, ich...and even cheap feeder goldfish, that knife (again...not kidding!) has doubled in size!
Another word of caution: everything you'll read says that any fish smaller than his mouth is not safe. Not completely true. Some of the fish he's eaten are bigger than his mouth. He'll swim around with them half in and half out of his gullet until he can get them finished off. When he yawns? ENORMOUS mouth!
But..all in all...he's a really cool fish to watch! So's the elephant
Why come asking for info if you're just going to ignore it?
You COULD live in a 5'X5' closet, but do you want too?
From what I've heard with people successfully keeping Ghost Knives, you'll need a tank double that size. Unless you want to cut its life in half...
I have a 300G as well but already have it stocked (but then again stocked to me is waay understocked to others 
lol), my 100G has no fish in it yet so I guess I will move some of the fish in the 300G into the 100G so I can put him in the 300.
lol), my 100G has no fish in it yet so I guess I will move some of the fish in the 300G into the 100G so I can put him in the 300.How am I ignoring it?
Last edited:
It appears as if you're ignoring the necessary requirements for this fish because it's not what you wanted to hear? 
Growing a BGK out in a 100g would work *temporarily* even though I have a funny feeling you're more interested in the cute factor of these large animals, rather than the long-term success factor.
Anyways, because of their weakly electric organ, it is suggested you provide them with a PVC pipe to hide in, as PVC will help block out electrical currents in the water coming from the heater, etc. They'll spend most of their time in there.
Also, they are extraordinarily sensitive to medications because they lack scales. Be wise with medicating/treating a tank with a BGK in it.
They will eat fish smaller than them and they require very clean, soft and stable water.
Growing a BGK out in a 100g would work *temporarily* even though I have a funny feeling you're more interested in the cute factor of these large animals, rather than the long-term success factor.
Anyways, because of their weakly electric organ, it is suggested you provide them with a PVC pipe to hide in, as PVC will help block out electrical currents in the water coming from the heater, etc. They'll spend most of their time in there.
Also, they are extraordinarily sensitive to medications because they lack scales. Be wise with medicating/treating a tank with a BGK in it.
They will eat fish smaller than them and they require very clean, soft and stable water.
