Best tank set up for Aba-aba??
- Thread starter bjah
- Start date
Welcome to MFK!!!
Here's some info that may be of use to you:
Aba Aba
Gymnarchus niloticus (Cuvier, 1829)
Temperment - Aggressive
Family: Gymnarchidae
Distribution: India
Max Size: 55"
pH: Slightly Alkaline
Temperature: 72-79° F.
Diet: Carnivorous
Breeding: Unreported
Sociability - Solitary
Min. Tank - 300 gallons
Availability - Semi-Rare
Area - Bottom-Middle
The Aba Aba is fairly peaceful when young, but as it matures, it will bite anything that moves and ask questions later. The body is a dull grey-black and the fish has a long tapering body with a long-based dorsal fin, but lacks ventral, anal and caudal fins. They almost resemble Electric Eels, and can produce the same type of electric shocks, but not as powerful. This fish navigates by creating an electrical field around it's body. Albino varieties also exsist.
Don't aquascape with too much care, just put in some nice rocks. Hide your heater behind them. Broken pieces of equipment are not uncommon. Keeping these aggressive fish with others is not recommended, even with other Aba Abas.
They can be fed bloodworms, killifish and frozen food when they are young for rapid growth. As large carnivours they must be fed accordingly with a constant supply of meaty and live foods.
Due to their large size and predatory nature, Aba Abas must be kept in large aquariums. No special requirements are nessasary, although they prefer a slightly alkaline pH.
They are breedable in only very large aquariums; the male Aba Aba carries the young in his mouth (mouthbrooders). They are impossible to sex, and do not tolerate conspecifics. Their large adult size plus the problems mentioned before keep them from breeding successfully in anything smaller than public aquaria.
Here's some info that may be of use to you:
Aba Aba
Gymnarchus niloticus (Cuvier, 1829)
Temperment - Aggressive
Family: Gymnarchidae
Distribution: India
Max Size: 55"
pH: Slightly Alkaline
Temperature: 72-79° F.
Diet: Carnivorous
Breeding: Unreported
Sociability - Solitary
Min. Tank - 300 gallons
Availability - Semi-Rare
Area - Bottom-Middle
The Aba Aba is fairly peaceful when young, but as it matures, it will bite anything that moves and ask questions later. The body is a dull grey-black and the fish has a long tapering body with a long-based dorsal fin, but lacks ventral, anal and caudal fins. They almost resemble Electric Eels, and can produce the same type of electric shocks, but not as powerful. This fish navigates by creating an electrical field around it's body. Albino varieties also exsist.
Don't aquascape with too much care, just put in some nice rocks. Hide your heater behind them. Broken pieces of equipment are not uncommon. Keeping these aggressive fish with others is not recommended, even with other Aba Abas.
They can be fed bloodworms, killifish and frozen food when they are young for rapid growth. As large carnivours they must be fed accordingly with a constant supply of meaty and live foods.
Due to their large size and predatory nature, Aba Abas must be kept in large aquariums. No special requirements are nessasary, although they prefer a slightly alkaline pH.
They are breedable in only very large aquariums; the male Aba Aba carries the young in his mouth (mouthbrooders). They are impossible to sex, and do not tolerate conspecifics. Their large adult size plus the problems mentioned before keep them from breeding successfully in anything smaller than public aquaria.
COOL FISH !! A Aba aba needs a good hiding place to retire to. I kept one happy for years in a tank with just gravel and a PVC pipe to hide in. If he has no other hiding places (at his present small size) I bet yours would hide in one of the transparent "ghost house" that are sold for a black ghost knife.Then you can observe him at all times.Not just when he leaves his hiding place.
Your Aba-aba should need an enough space, since the fish is very curious, and give your fish a dim environment, a few hiding spaces like pvc pipes, or castles will make your aba-aba happy.
ed Off!!
Anybody have any idea how strong the electric shocks these guys can produce? Or the size they start to get very aggressive?
Start to get agressive at around 12".
I don't think they can produce electric shocks, but being a knifefish have an electrical feild around them for navigation.
I don't think they can produce electric shocks, but being a knifefish have an electrical feild around them for navigation.