Brown ghost

[Xeno]

Hey ,
I've got a 118gal (450 litre) tank with :
1,1 Satanoperca mapiritensis
1,1 'Geophagus' pellegrini
1,2 Metynnis altidorsalis
1 Myleus rubripinnis
1 Cochliodon Rio Paraguay
3 Crossocheilus siamensis
3 Hyphessobrycon anisitsi
In 2016 this tank will be replaced by a tank with at least 200cm x 80 cm but I always have to think of things which could push those plans a few month back .
So I decided to not get A.albifrons because those will outgrow the actual tank .
A.leptorhynchus is a pretty good alternative to A.albifrons .
Usually those will stop at about 30cm .
At the moment an online-shop is selling Apteronotus leptorhynchus for 10 Euro per "knife" .
I'd say this is a pretty good deal but I'm not sure if the tank would be overstocked if I'd buy them.
The picture shows the tank :

 

[mattmez]

No I don't think it would be overstocked, if that was your question

 

[Xeno]

Hey,
this was one the question ,thanks
Another is if the structures are ok to keep 1 to 3 Apteronotus.
I´ve already kept 3 Xenomystus nigri but you can´t compare those so I´d say the knowledge about Xenomystus is useless if I want to keep Apteronotus.

 

[mattmez]

What you said was true. They are not comparable. The apteronotus are electrical but admit a very weak signal. They can sometimes interfere with each others signals and stress eachother out which can eventually cause them to not eat and hide frequently. Hense you losing a fish (possibly) the brown ghosts are very peaceful and may/may not scuffle with each other. Again they won't do it to the death but there will be a few shredded fins. I would definatally add them you can do 1, a pair or a trio. That would all be fine. Any other questions.....

Matt

 

[Xeno]

Hey,
thank you for answering!
I´d like to go with 3 to 4 Apteronotus.
And I really hope I can buy them online otherwise there is no possibility to get them from local stores.

 

[jclyde13]

I don't know what the dimensions are of your current tank, but if you got an A. albifrons at 4-5 inches right now, it would be at least the better part of a decade before it outgrew a 118 gallon tank, if at all... It's extremely rare to see an A. albifrons over 15 inches in captivity (even 14 inch specimens will catch fair bit of attention), and the ones that are out there are generally well beyond 10 years old. They're an incredibly slow growing species.

 

[Xeno]

Hey,
I´ve already seen a A.albifrons with about 45cm in lenght in 120cm x 60cm x80cm and that tank was looking like a goldfishbowl compared to this large fish.
The goal is to keep my fish until the maximum of their possible lifespan.
For example two of my Synodontis eupterus are in my tanks since I started keeping fish (10 years ago).
The actual dimensions are 150cm x50cm x60cm.

 

[mattmez]

I got my A.albifrons 6 months ago at 2.5 in and now he's 8in so...... lol

 

[jclyde13]

Hey,
I´ve already seen a A.albifrons with about 45cm in lenght in 120cm x 60cm x80cm and that tank was looking like a goldfishbowl compared to this large fish.
The goal is to keep my fish until the maximum of their possible lifespan.
For example two of my Synodontis eupterus are in my tanks since I started keeping fish (10 years ago).
The actual dimensions are 150cm x50cm x60cm.

It's up to you, but if you were serious about upgrading next year, that shouldn't be an issue.

I got my A.albifrons 6 months ago at 2.5 in and now he's 8in so...... lol

That's to be expected until it gets to 11-12 inches. Like all other fish, growth will be fastest during the first year or two of life.

 

[Xeno]

Hey,
yea I will definitely get a big tank in 2016.
But as you all know destiny might play by it own rules.
Next to the 118 gal tank there should be a 151 gal tank.
But while bringing it upstairs it ( luckily) slipped out one of my mates hands so I had to place a foot underneath .
The glass did not broke but while turning it around we saw that the silicone was damaged heavily.
After messaging the guy who sold it to me (as "fully functionable") he just blocked me on ebay so I was just like :
This bas****!
It would not have been a big thing if I had not sold the old tank and placed the fish in one old 50 gal tank.
So I learned from this by always thinking of a backup plan before finally buying /building a new tank.
Well I´ve never build a tank but with the 151 gal tank I´ve got a nice option to learn building tanks.
If I am able to rebuild/repair it it will be used for Clarias batrachus in fall /winter when I have to get them out of the pond.
As a conclusion:
If I am not able to get the "final" big tank I´ll go with 200x50 or 200x60 untill I get the bigger one.
If I´ll go with albifrons how many of them should be kept in 150x50/200x50 and finally at least 200x80?
The European mentality is telling me it´s not appropriate to keep just a single specimen