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Others
/ Knifefish / African Knifefish
African Knifefish
Xenomystus nigri | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description:
This elongated, laterally compressed fish has an arched back
The body coloring is brown-violet to
brown and the fins are lighter.
The mouth is large, while the dorsal fin is small.
Size/Length: To 12" (30 cm)
Similar species: Asian Knifefish (
Notopterus notopterus )
Habitat: Northern Africa; still and slow-moving water of the Nile basin in Zaire, Gabon, Niger,
and Liberia.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: A tank measuring 40" (101 cm) or 45-55 gallons (170-210 L) is sufficient.
Follow
suggestions under C. ornata
.
Water chemistry: pH 5.7-7.5 (6.8), 2-10 dH (6), 73-82°F (23-28°C)
Social behavior: When young, this species does best when kept in a small group.
Older fish become aggressive and intolerant
of other Knifefish.
This species can be combined with other medium to large sized species.
Be aware that
X. nigri will eat small fish.
Suggested companions: Haplochromines, Mormyrids, African Butterfly fish, African Tetras,
Synodontis,
West African Cichlids.
FOOD: Live; fish, earthworms,
Tubifex
, snails, insects, insect larvae, crustaceans; chopped meat; tablets, needs a varied diet.
Sexual differences: The female has a more rounded body around spawning times.
Breeding techniques: 150-200 eggs are laid at night in holes and crevices.
The male guards the eggs, which hatch
in 6-9 days.
Transfer the fry into a rearing tank and start feeding with
Artemia .
Breeding potential: 9.
Breeding is difficult and infrequent.
Remarks: Nocturnal. The African Knifefish emits chiming bell-like sounds when swallowing air
at the water surface.
This species has a swim-bladder which serves as a respiratory organ.
This fish rests in an oblique position
with its head down.
The African Knifefish emits barking sounds during courtship.
This long-lived fish adapts well to
tanks, but is shy when first introduced.
Difficulty of care: 5.
This species requires a diet that includes live foods.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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