glass knives

[IKeepPacu]

my LFS just got in a shipment of abut 10 "transparent" knifefish.

transparent and glass knives are the same species, correct?? Eigenmannia Virescens??

if so, i had read on one page that these guys should be kept in groups, which is different from what ive learned about other knives. is this so??

im assuming care and feeding would be like my BGK and CK as well. but are these guys any more sensitive??

their still small, so if everything works out, i may dedicate my 75g to a group of these guys. they would look quite nice and stand out in a dark sand tank with lots of plants.

 

[dbcb314]

Yes they are a social knifefish.

Yes, they are VERY sensitive. Actually, they are complete wimps. At the lab, we keep perfect for them, but anytime we have to change something (like if we are getting in new fish, we have to raise conductivity) it is guaranteed at least a couple Eigenmannia will die. Doing experiments with them is a pain in the butt because they die so easily (just simple things like tagging or checking sex).

We have fed them live black worms, frozen blood worms, and brine shrimp and they eat them all.

This may just be because they are in a lab setting, but they are extremely shy. They make bgk and african knives look like freaking cichlids.

 

[IKeepPacu]

This may just be because they are in a lab setting, but they are extremely shy. They make bgk and african knives look like freaking cichlids.

thanks for the great info. im going to wait to hear form anyone that has kept them in a home setting to see if their opinion differs, but im somehow doubting it.

too bad they cant be like a CK. mine has been through two bouts of real bad fungus he brought home that killed 3 cichlids and a BGK, and he's still swimming around standing up to my 2 foot pacu

 

[bassman440]

thats cool if you get them post some pics.

 

[benzjamin13]

Everything you read so far is correct. They are social, they are sensitive, and they are different for most knives because they are social. They get about 1' and do best in a planted tank (meaning lots of cover)

 

[MUNSTA]

Tank with these knives would look awsome

 

[IKeepPacu]

so overfiltration, weekly water changes, plants and caves to hide in....that about cover it??

more i think about it, the more id like to try these guys. gives me a chance at starting a basic planted tank also.

good tank mates for them would be, what??? med-large size extremely passive mid or top water fish?? im guessing no ck or bgk??

 

[dbcb314]

I don't think they would go in caves, we have fake plant things in our tanks and they only stay in them.

Good tank mates... lol. Hmmm, something passive and something isn't active as hell I would guess. I would look at a bottom feeder myself.

They don't just stay at the bottom like most knives. They seem to occupy all water levels (if there is hiding at all water levels).

 

[l3raD]

Wow i didnt know you can get Transpenrant Knifes.....
I want some now...

oh one other thing too how many bgk should u limit your self too in one tank?
i have two 12cm BGK and theyhave so much fun together chasing each other and hiding and i can now feed them by hand its amazing i love them lol!!

 

[dbcb314]

unless you get extremely lucky and hit a pair off (aka male female and they don't hate each other) or you have a huge tank...


then one


Eventually, one of them will start to hate the other and kill it