Help my Black Ghost Knives not getting along
- Thread starter BTB0923
- Start date
The problem is that the old knife considers the tank his territory if you rearrange some of the decor and hiding spots it will be new not only to the new knifes but also the old ones that usually can disperse agression and if not you could put in some small fish that they could harrass instead of harassing eachother like feeders.
Unless your working with hundreds of gallons and have tons of hiding spaces, 2 black ghost knives will eventually become 1.
They fight, to the death.. they are electrical fish. They could care less about non-electrical fish like feeders, they only care about conspecifics. When they are young they will leave each other alone because they are less territorial/mature.. as they grow, they will kill each other.
They fight, to the death.. they are electrical fish. They could care less about non-electrical fish like feeders, they only care about conspecifics. When they are young they will leave each other alone because they are less territorial/mature.. as they grow, they will kill each other.
yeppersMiles;2097647;2097647 said:
you will think everything si "fine"...
then you will wake up one morning the only one will still be alive. One of them will finally just snap.
overcrowding will work for a while, but when they grow they get more and more aggressive.
Just a few weeks ago, we had an overcrowded bgk tank in the lab. It was perfectly peaceful for 6 months (these guys are babies). Came in one day, and every single bgk was killed except for 2. This was just overnight, the tanks are checked everyday. One of them just snapped and said it was his tank now.
angeltc;2132838; said:
180 gallons. The Bk's are varying in sizes (9" - 4"). The elelphants are about 9" also. Each elephant in my tank share his/her cave with a Bk. There is also a bushy nose pleco in the tank. None of them are fighting with each other, not even at feeding time. Each will go up, grab the food and then go back to his/her cave.
1 year later (almost)......the three black ghost knives are still living together peacefully, but they are in a bigger tank now. They moved into a 180 gallon about two months ago. They have all grown at different rates, in fact the smallest has now become the largest. They are about 6", 8" and 11". I will admit the large one sometimes chases the smallest one if he gets to close to his hiding spot, but I still say they really get along just fine.
I have 4 BGK - but not all in the same tank.
My 14 incher is in his own 72 gal bowfront - has been since he was 3 inches long.
I have 2 6-inch BGK living together now and growing like bad weeds in a 55 gal - desparately looking for a larger tank. I would like a 210 but we will have to see what I can find/afford.
I also have one more 5 ish inch BGK named Corky. He has some sort of spinal problem - his tail curls up like a cork screw and loops a couple of times. He is in a 65 Hex with an Angel fish and few upside down cats. He eats well, seems to be able to swim fine - although not as fast as the others can, and does not seem to be any the worse for the 'piglet' tail.
The largest is a little over 2 years old now. I would NOT think about adding any more BGK to his tank. He is quite happy with the fact that he does not have any competition in that tank - he is simply the King and the likes it that way. He does not hurt/eat his tank mates and they don't bug him... it works well and I would not want to do anything to upset that balance.
The other 4 BGKs I bought about 8 months ago. All about 3 inches long. Then Corky started to develop his curly tail and I moved him out. I was trying for a breeding pair so I didn't really want to pass on his deformity and he was starting to get picked on a bit because he was not as fast as the others.
It is amazing to sit and watch them play... and they do play. The 3 in the 55 gal would play tag or a version of it. One of them did not grow as quickly as the others. She (my description - not scientifically proven) would take little 'runs' at the larger two males (again just my own description). They would move out of the way just before she got there and then they would almost 'dance' across the tank together.
I was really hoping it might be some sort of mating dance, but it just seems to have been play.
The littlest one had a slight crook in her tail when I got them. I did not see this in the store as the lighting was not overly bright - and I was excited
As she got older the crook became more pronounced and she did not seem to be growing at the same rate as the other 3. She stayed significantly smaller - on all fronts - height, weight, width, everything... it was like she did not grow. I know she ate well - I watch them every night. There were just the 3 ghosties and 1 naughty Angel in the tank.
Then one morning last week I come down to my office to see the little one laying on the floor of the tank. She never did that. She had to have the 'primo' spot at all times... the one with a little bit of water movement from the filter but not too much so that she could just hang there and sleep. I had seen her chase the larger ghosties out of their spots several times - and they never seemed to fight back... just obeyed.
I checked the tank and everything was fine - everyone else was fine. She looked a little bloated and I hoped that perhaps she had just 'pigged out' a little too much and would be back to herself soon. I kept an eye on her most of the morning and then I checked one more time and she was up and swimming around - perfect.
I checked back in about 2 hours time and she was on the floor again - this time she was having a hard time breathing. I also noticed that the very tip of her tail was red. I suspect some sort of internal problem - there were no signs of a problem outwardly - not even a nipped fin. She was gone within an hour. The other ghosties did not even go near her the entire time - they just stayed in their caves so I don't suspect she was beat up at all - no marks on the body at all.
In regards to keeping multiples:
1. make sure they have enough hiding places/territories - and ones that fit them. They grow and the caves have to change to match their new size... I had one of them get stuck inside a pagota ornament in the tank... they used to be able to swim in and out of the windows... then one day ... stuck in side...
2. make sure they have enough food - Ghosties are rarely nasty when they have a full belly (and a place to turn upside down and sleep).
3. watch them.... often and closely. If you see any chasing or territorial issues - it is usually because someone has outgrown their old cave and needs a new one. I have seen this a couple of times and now I make sure there are at least 2 caves for each ghostie... it cuts down on the issues.
I hope to get a large tank this summer and will be customizing it with some 'built in caves' (PVC pipe) and getting it ready for these two. I thought about moving my 'big boy' but he is happy and thriving where he is... why mess with a good thing.
You can keep multiples. Enough room, enough food, and enough attention (new caves - better hidy holes - etc) and they do fine.
Miss on just one of these and you can end up with just one....
My 14 incher is in his own 72 gal bowfront - has been since he was 3 inches long.
I have 2 6-inch BGK living together now and growing like bad weeds in a 55 gal - desparately looking for a larger tank. I would like a 210 but we will have to see what I can find/afford.
I also have one more 5 ish inch BGK named Corky. He has some sort of spinal problem - his tail curls up like a cork screw and loops a couple of times. He is in a 65 Hex with an Angel fish and few upside down cats. He eats well, seems to be able to swim fine - although not as fast as the others can, and does not seem to be any the worse for the 'piglet' tail.
The largest is a little over 2 years old now. I would NOT think about adding any more BGK to his tank. He is quite happy with the fact that he does not have any competition in that tank - he is simply the King and the likes it that way. He does not hurt/eat his tank mates and they don't bug him... it works well and I would not want to do anything to upset that balance.
The other 4 BGKs I bought about 8 months ago. All about 3 inches long. Then Corky started to develop his curly tail and I moved him out. I was trying for a breeding pair so I didn't really want to pass on his deformity and he was starting to get picked on a bit because he was not as fast as the others.
It is amazing to sit and watch them play... and they do play. The 3 in the 55 gal would play tag or a version of it. One of them did not grow as quickly as the others. She (my description - not scientifically proven) would take little 'runs' at the larger two males (again just my own description). They would move out of the way just before she got there and then they would almost 'dance' across the tank together.
I was really hoping it might be some sort of mating dance, but it just seems to have been play.
The littlest one had a slight crook in her tail when I got them. I did not see this in the store as the lighting was not overly bright - and I was excited
As she got older the crook became more pronounced and she did not seem to be growing at the same rate as the other 3. She stayed significantly smaller - on all fronts - height, weight, width, everything... it was like she did not grow. I know she ate well - I watch them every night. There were just the 3 ghosties and 1 naughty Angel in the tank.Then one morning last week I come down to my office to see the little one laying on the floor of the tank. She never did that. She had to have the 'primo' spot at all times... the one with a little bit of water movement from the filter but not too much so that she could just hang there and sleep. I had seen her chase the larger ghosties out of their spots several times - and they never seemed to fight back... just obeyed.
I checked the tank and everything was fine - everyone else was fine. She looked a little bloated and I hoped that perhaps she had just 'pigged out' a little too much and would be back to herself soon. I kept an eye on her most of the morning and then I checked one more time and she was up and swimming around - perfect.
I checked back in about 2 hours time and she was on the floor again - this time she was having a hard time breathing. I also noticed that the very tip of her tail was red. I suspect some sort of internal problem - there were no signs of a problem outwardly - not even a nipped fin. She was gone within an hour. The other ghosties did not even go near her the entire time - they just stayed in their caves so I don't suspect she was beat up at all - no marks on the body at all.
In regards to keeping multiples:
1. make sure they have enough hiding places/territories - and ones that fit them. They grow and the caves have to change to match their new size... I had one of them get stuck inside a pagota ornament in the tank... they used to be able to swim in and out of the windows... then one day ... stuck in side...
2. make sure they have enough food - Ghosties are rarely nasty when they have a full belly (and a place to turn upside down and sleep).
3. watch them.... often and closely. If you see any chasing or territorial issues - it is usually because someone has outgrown their old cave and needs a new one. I have seen this a couple of times and now I make sure there are at least 2 caves for each ghostie... it cuts down on the issues.
I hope to get a large tank this summer and will be customizing it with some 'built in caves' (PVC pipe) and getting it ready for these two. I thought about moving my 'big boy' but he is happy and thriving where he is... why mess with a good thing.
You can keep multiples. Enough room, enough food, and enough attention (new caves - better hidy holes - etc) and they do fine.
Miss on just one of these and you can end up with just one....
if you want a comm. of knives go for brown knives.
kept a trio before, super active.
Just realized this threads a year old.
My bad...lol
kept a trio before, super active.
Just realized this threads a year old.
My bad...lol
