Carapo Knifefish

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Industrial

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 22, 2010
1,297
1
0
Buffalo, NY
I might be getting a carapo knifefish, and I tried reading about them online, but all I found is that they grow to 2 feet. I am guessing two feet is more of a record, as I have never heard of a 2 foot carapo knife in captivity.

If I do get one, chances are it will be going in with a few hydrolycus tatauaia, ageneiosus catfish, glass headstanders and a couple 4-5" cats.
 
Industrial;4893006; said:
I might be getting a carapo knifefish, and I tried reading about them online, but all I found is that they grow to 2 feet. I am guessing two feet is more of a record, as I have never heard of a 2 foot carapo knife in captivity.

If I do get one, chances are it will be going in with a few hydrolycus tatauaia, ageneiosus catfish, glass headstanders and a couple 4-5" cats.
The size in the average aquarium would be 16", as 2' has yet to be seen I believe. And as for tank-mates, based on the aggression that I've seen from mine and others, it wont work, lol. Carapo Knives can be very aggressive and nippy. I have yet to find a tank-mate, other than a Common Pleco, that will work with mine.
 
Hoyo12;4896052; said:
The size in the average aquarium would be 16", as 2' has yet to be seen I believe. And as for tank-mates, based on the aggression that I've seen from mine and others, it wont work, lol. Carapo Knives can be very aggressive and nippy. I have yet to find a tank-mate, other than a Common Pleco, that will work with mine.

Only way to find a carapo at 2 feet if it's already reach 2 feet in the wild and got caught. 2 feet carapos do exist BTW. Only on Nov. when a private dealer exported some 22-25" carapo. Didn't got a chance to pick one up as I was going for a vacation. However small WC carapos that been taken care in captivity will not get to that size or maybe just rarely. At 10" they slow down already so average max size in captivity is around 12"-15" maybe a lil more but over 15" carapo in captivity are rare. Mine stop growing at 13.5". I sold them last July and I heard from the person I sold it to that they are still the same size.
 
King-eL;4896208; said:
Only way to find a carapo at 2 feet if it's already reach 2 feet in the wild and got caught. 2 feet carapos do exist BTW. Only on Nov. when a private dealer exported some 22-25" carapo. Didn't got a chance to pick one up as I was going for a vacation. However small WC carapos that been taken care in captivity will not get to that size or maybe just rarely. At 10" they slow down already so average max size in captivity is around 12"-15" maybe a lil more but over 15" carapo in captivity are rare. Mine stop growing at 13.5". I sold them last July and I heard from the person I sold it to that they are still the same size.

Were your's nippy too? Also, were they in the same tank?
 
Industrial;4896643; said:
Were your's nippy too? Also, were they in the same tank?

Yes they are nippy especially with each other. However if I compare the aggression to a tiger knifefish, tiger knifefish are much more nastier.
 
Industrial;4896773; said:
Okay, I think I may get it. It is 6" and I will try it out in my 165. If it bugs any of my other fish though, I will separate it.

What other fish you plan on keeping it? These type of knifefish somehow attract the attention of other predatory fish to attack it's tail. At 6" carapos are still very shy and likely get bully by aggressive fish. In it's native habitat, they actually use small carapos as bait.
 
BIIIIIG TANK BIIIIG BIIIIG TANK. I think its sad that carapos haven't yet reached 2 foot in captivity, If I had the money I would get one, but youd need at least a 300 gallon to take care of it right. Also, I think its important to note that they spend half their time in open water and half in shallow swamps, wherein they make nests. I have read many a scientific paper on this, look them up on goole scholar.

If I ever got a carapo knife, It would be in a tank at least 6 foot by 12 foot, with half the tank being 1.5-2 foot deep, elevated, and the rest at least 4 foot.
This is the consensus I have come to after research, I really wanted one until I found out about their life cycle. I think it's mean to force a wild caught fish into a tank without considering its natural cycles. They also need a rainy season, though that can be accomplished with a TDS/conductivity tester and D/I or R/O water.
 
of course if they were captive bred it would be different (i have a captive bred CK that I keep in a tank, though I pay special attention to the parameters for him), but you just never know how something like captivity can effect such an animal mentally.

Sorry to sound preachy, but thats what i think about carapos.
"common" knifefish are much better suited to captivity (by that i mean hypopygus sp.)
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com