brown knife

[BigFish]

i have heard that a brown knife wont get any bigger than 7-8 inches but i bought one today 9.5 in so will it get any bigger. and yes it is a brown knife not a clown or a black.

[benzjamin13]

I'm assuming you're talking about Xenomystus Nigri, also known as an African Knife. They're said to get 7 to 8 inches in aquariums, but have been known to reach 12 inches. They're the most docile out of all the Knife fish that are common in the pet trade.

[thefishofdoom]

ya i agree with the above they have ben recorded at 12in

[Thomascl]

Iv never seen one at 12in but i have heard that they do reach that size

[Filthy Sanchez]

Iv never seen one at 12in but i have heard that they do reach that size


I heard the same, these are great fish and always get overlooked in favor of clowns. I had one in my large predator tank and it did well, was a cool fish IMHO.

[hewhorunswithscissors]

yeah, mee too, I have one in my large predator tank. at 8" now, he is smaller than the other fish, but is very cool and does well... over a year now. OTher fish don't mess with him, even though he is smaller. Very active.

[messiner]

are you refering to a brown ghost knife or an african?

[Filthy Sanchez]

are you refering to a brown ghost knife or an african?

Same thing.

[Tucc185]

no, not the same thing. The brown ghost knife (Apteronotus leptorynchus) is in the same genus as the black ghost knife and is native to South America. It does get quite big, just like its close relative, but it is rarely imported over 6" in length. The African knife (Xenomystus nigri) is shaped more like the clown knife and also reaches a large size.

[Filthy Sanchez]

no, not the same thing. The brown ghost knife (Apteronotus leptorynchus) is in the same genus as the black ghost knife and is native to South America. It does get quite big, just like its close relative, but it is rarely imported over 6" in length. The African knife (Xenomystus nigri) is shaped more like the clown knife and also reaches a large size.


Sorry I thought he said brown knife, or African knife. Actually have never seen a brown ghost knife before, and haven't heard of it until now. I've only heard of black ghost knifes. Anyone have a picture?

[Tucc185]

http://www.jjphoto.dk/fish_archive/aquarium/apteronotus_leptorhynchus_2x.jpg
I don't know if this will work, my compuer's prey weird about pictures. Here's another:
http://www.eau12.com/exoops/modules/freecontent/content/poissons/photos/apteronotus_leptorhynchus.jpg
The brown ghost knife, also called chocolate knife is a great fish, I personally like them better than the black ghost knife because of their more predatory nature as adults. They develop a weird snout as they get big, and are able to catch and eat good size feeders.

[guppy]

These are the fish that I found being sold as brown knifefish with their maximum listed sizes,
Sternarchella schotti (by Mensch) 16"
Apternotus leptorhynchus (Teigler) 11"
Xenomystus negri (Kaladjian) 12"
Sternopygus macrurus (?) 56"

[messiner]

thats right

[dapike1979]

Cool Pic's & Info! :D

[Filthy Sanchez]

How big do the chocolate knives get?