I have heard many stories of that. I would love to mix them with large knifefish, hopefully big enough and a afer knife is a greedy eater. I would dedicate a tank to some of these alone if I could.
Afer are alright eaters I had one myself and while they're good eaters for Knives I wouldn't call them aggressive or boisterous eaters. Unlike the Trachy who uses their heads to bulldoze the competition aside and will resort to feigning attack with that huge open mouth charging at intended fish making most fish retreat.
The Afer also likes to be able to hide so if he's not bothered by the Trachys he himself may become a problem as Afer can be pretty aggressive depending on the individual. And with both fish competing for the best hides there maybe friction.
My Albino Knife was larger then them when they ate him. I said 12 plus because I knew he was bigger then 12 inches but wasn't sure how much and would rather underestimate then over. Even though it took two to tear him in half. It only took one to kill him by suffocation. At night is when Trachys are most dangerous and that's when they got the knife. Knives are pred's but let's face it their body is built for speed not durability and they can be damaged pretty easily if they can't escape by running away. So if you choose to cohab them just keep a sharp eye on everyone.
I want to keep my shy fish in heavily decorated and planted setups to see how that would affect behaviour. I think a redo with driftwood, darker sand and floating plants could lure them out more. Maybe using a more blue light at viewing times as well
I have everything but the dark colored sand. Which I maybe getting garnet soon as I'd like to try Poly's so I might get some for the Trachy tank as well.
By the way you and
thebiggerthebetter
might be interested in knowing they've started acting amorous again. Well, the male has any way. Made his move just yesterday after feeding. Followed the female into a hide which I noticed only because of the ruckus.
I heard what sounded like muffled, growling then purring; turned to see them both face forward in a hide swatting one another with their bodies broad side. Their tails slapping against one another and the male looking like he was trying to position himself. The female let out her typical but louder then usual grunt and exited the hide post haste. The male spurned I guess returned to his typical favorite hide very slowly(walk of shame. lol).
Some things that might also be worth mentioning, one the hide chosen was a hide neither of them have shown interest in before. Two they've both increased in feeding activity, much more vigorous and aggressive then normal. And the female has been trying to eat tankmates left and right. They're both offered live food in the form of worms,snails, etc but I notice that the female becomes very piscivorous at certain times of the year. Perhaps a prelude to breeding is eating fish for more protein?