Tankmates for Black Ghost Knife Fish

kissme_419

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2006
301
0
0
37
Flint, Michigan
I found a Black Ghost Knife Fish at my lfs store today. Needless to say, I'm probably going to end up with one. I also want a jewel cichid. Would they be O.K. together? If, not what would be some good tank mates for a Black Ghost Knife Fish?
 

Newt

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2005
1,105
1
68
Michigan's UP
I don't think I'd put a Red Jewel in with a black ghost knife. Ghost knifes seem to be pretty laid back and I think the Jewel may harass it.
 

evercl92

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 17, 2006
512
0
0
Columbus, OH
www.2slowracing.com
newtothis;584484; said:
I don't think I'd put a Red Jewel in with a black ghost knife. Ghost knifes seem to be pretty laid back and I think the Jewel may harass it.
I'd certainly agree. My BGK doesn't even bother the danios and cardinal tetras in my tank. They get big, but I don't really think they get agressive.
 

kissme_419

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2006
301
0
0
37
Flint, Michigan
Well, I'm looking for some kind of cichlid. I was actually hoping to maybe get a few lake malawi cichlids.
 

Newt

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2005
1,105
1
68
Michigan's UP
Lake Malawi cichlids won't work, different water chemistry needs. Black Ghost Knifes are soft water South American from the Amazon Basin.

You could probably mix with large angelfish, severums, kribs, Festivum, Hero. multispinosa (Rainbow Cichlid), maybe even a fire mouth. They are all mild mannered medium cichlids, too big for the knife to eat, but small enough not to eat the knife. Even with these sorta peaceful cichlids I wouldn't house a pair, just a single specimen. All Cichlids will beat up the knifefish if they breed.
 

kissme_419

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2006
301
0
0
37
Flint, Michigan
I just found this fish called a geophagus steindachneri. It's common name is a red hump earth eater. I'm not sure, but I think he would be O.K. I know there pretty peaceful for being a cichlid.
 

Newt

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2005
1,105
1
68
Michigan's UP
Any of the Geo.'s would work. Depending on tank size you could keep a few earth eaters, they are fairly peaceful even when spawing.
 

kissme_419

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 9, 2006
301
0
0
37
Flint, Michigan
I was planning on putting them in a 55g.
 

Newt

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 18, 2005
1,105
1
68
Michigan's UP
Just wanted to add that the Geophagus steindachneri max out at about 6". Some Geos. get a lot bigger, the surinamensis Geos max out at 10 to 12".

I want a Geo. "Tapajos Orange Head" /"Red Head" for my tank, they are awesome! Too bad they are darn near impossible to find up here! I ordered one from a seller on Aquabid but it was DOA. The rams in the same shipment were fine though, how wierd?!
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store