knife fish ID needed

[danny boy]

ok this fish has come in locally and ive paid for it provisionally until i know what it is. its dark with a red stripe along its back to the tail and a white stripe below the red. the bottom fin that reaches along the fishes length is blue. any ideas?

[danny boy]

ok i bought it home but do have a tank for it to go in on its own if it needs too here are some pics.

http://www.jusspress.com/photos/25879/20040220/200746.jpg

http://www.jusspress.com/photos/25879/20040220/200752.jpg

http://www.jusspress.com/photos/25879/20040220/200530.jpg

[starrfish71]

Seriously cool! It reminds me of a "ghost" I had some years ago- It was sold as a chocolate ghost, but it wasn't. I don't know what they were, or what yours is, but I would treat it like a black ghost. It's going to be in that family or in the gymnotid family. electric, nocturnal, sensitive to water quality, possibly.

[AngelicGreenTerror]

Looks like a black ghost, but go with what Starr said, treat it like a black ghost. And it needs to go in an established aquarium, as they are that sensitive.

[Miles]

Sternopygus macrurus

The original 'ghost knife'.. before the 'BLACK' Ghost knife..

AKA Gold Stripe Knife, White-Line Knife, Buffalo Knife..

Care and Requirements look to me to be the same as Black Ghost Knifes.

I recently imported these, and I was told they are suppose to be rare, but I haven't sold a single one! Still have some if anyones interested..

[danny boy]

thanks guys much appreciated. id not seen one before so i bought him. knew MFK would have the answer

[repair]

Guys I think your wrong on this ID... I think it's an african knife fish..... I have 4 or 5 of these guys. they are great fish :thumbsup:

[ROSS]

it really look's ghost like as if cought from another part of the region of origan , mite be a sub specie isolated from the rest and evolved slitly differant?? still awsome . can't wait till I can get the fund's to build a community knife and arowana tank .. both separte from the other.. :D

[repair]

it really look's ghost like as if cought from another part of the region of origan , mite be a sub specie isolated from the rest and evolved slitly differant?? still awsome . can't wait till I can get the fund's to build a community knife and arowana tank .. both separte from the other.. :D

You may be right I had only really looked at the first pic ..... the second and third pics show that long ghoast tail. :duh:

[danny boy]

so are we still out on a descision? it is very similar to miles' knife but with the red back and blue fin.

[Miles]

Look at the stripe on the tail ;) They are the SAME fish, and come from the same region..

The reason for the coloring on yours is you have lighting under yours, with alightly colored environment for him.. So it will try to color up and match its environment, like most fish will.. The pictures of mine are in black barebottom tanks with no lighting for the pic, so it will be alot more bland then yours..

The big 10"er I have in with a stingray looks almost identicle to yours.. ;)

[thefishofdoom]

miles how much are u selling yours for and how much would it be for shiping to 95628 if u ship there oh its california

[Miles]

I am only asking $10/ea just to move them out.. The shipping will be around $30-40 maybe more depending on service.. Might be in your best interest to get more than one or place a group order ;)

Hasta!

PS. These knifefish are cool :)

[guppy]

I am sure that Miles is right, there are a coiple minor color varients in which the stripe may be vivid or barely noticible, but that is the "long-tailed Knifefish" Sternopygus macrurus, the "african knifefish" is Xenomystus nigri and has a more rounded head and larger eyes. The S. macrurus can be a very large fish, to just over 56", but that is very rare. Treat like a black knife and give them slightly acid water (pH 6-6.5) for best growth. The males should not be kept together as they eventually get territorial and harass each other. Here is a picture of one from Fishbase, and a pic of the Xenomystus by Kaladjian for comparison.

[thefishofdoom]

I am only asking $10/ea just to move them out.. The shipping will be around $30-40 maybe more depending on service.. Might be in your best interest to get more than one or place a group order ;)

Hasta!

PS. These knifefish are cool :)
i think about it maby my lfs be interestad

[Waldo]

If you can get them to buy some of those we can also fill boxes with rare pleco's and oddballs. Have them contact me or shoot me over an e-mail so I can contact them and we can all prosper. DreAlphaBettas@aol.com 509-475-2730

[rook45]

is it a transparent knife...maybe?