Knifefish and Mormyrids

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Knives and Mormyrids can get along. Black Ghosts have been kept with Baby Whales and Elephant Nose, same with African Knives, Glass Knives, etc. It all depends on how aggressive the fish are to begin with, how long one has been in the tank then adding something new, the sizes, tank space, the usual.
All of the combinations said above I have tried with no problems at all.
 
Hoyo12;4250880; said:
Knives and Mormyrids can get along. Black Ghosts have been kept with Baby Whales and Elephant Nose, same with African Knives, Glass Knives, etc. It all depends on how aggressive the fish are to begin with, how long one has been in the tank then adding something new, the sizes, tank space, the usual.
All of the combinations said above I have tried with no problems at all.
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Thanks for the quick reply!

So if I understand correctly, all of these fish in any combination can get along okay if they aren't overly aggressive as individuals? They won't mess up eachothers electric radar?
 
For every good story, there is a bad one. I have a BGK that harassed an elephant nose to the point of death. I've often heard that certain fish that use electrical impulses for swimming, often clash, when placed in the same tank. I don't know if that's always the case, but I had a bad experience. I do keep clown knives and BGK's together and have no problem, but clown knives don't use electrical impulse.
 
phillydog1958;4251122; said:
For every good story, there is a bad one. I have a BGK that harassed an elephant nose to the point of death. I've often heard that certain fish that use electrical impulses for swimming, often clash, when placed in the same tank. I don't know if that's always the case, but I had a bad experience.
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Size of the fish? When each was added to the tank? Tank size?
These three things can be a problem depending on the answer. ;)
 
yeah i think tank size is a big part if you plan on putting more than one electric using thing together
 
Industrial;4251110; said:
Thanks for the quick reply!

So if I understand correctly, all of these fish in any combination can get along okay if they aren't overly aggressive as individuals? They won't mess up eachothers electric radar?
Click to expand...
There have been many agruements over the electric impulse of Knife fish being the reason that they are most aggressive towards other fish with an electric impulse. Many have proven that whether or not the fish have an electric impulse, it should not create conflict for that reason. It all depends on the aggression of the fish. Although, some people still disagree.
Buying them both at a small size, and adding them to the tank about the same time, should increase the chance of them getting along in the long run.
Now, as an example, some people have purchased a BGK, added it to the tank when young, let it grow out in the tank for a few months, then decide to add another BGK to the tank. The normally results in death to the newly added BGK, seems how the other has already established its territory in the tank. This makes some people believe that because they are both electric fish, the newly added Knife was killed, which is untrue. This is what exactly happened to a friend of mine. ;)

EDIT: Also, seems how you will be adding an African Knife with a Mormyrid, you should not have any issues. African Knife a fairly peaceful, and for anyone that is still on the electric impulse being an issue, they have a low electric impulse. ;)
 
I am still uncertain. Do BGKs actually visibly attack fish or do they just mess up their electrical impulses?

I am mostly worried about being unaware of any conflict in the tank. If I do get any problems with the fish not being compatible I am more than willing to try to move one or take one back to a LFS. But I want to make sure that I will know when something is up.
 
The way I understand it the electircal feild is just for navigation so BGKs will still visibly attack fish but they wont be a problem because they are south american;). The african brown knife is mainly a visual hunter and stays smaller, mine seem quite peaceful towards each other and the other fish in the tank so far but the are still young, only 4.5".

Regards

Ollie
 
Each Electic Fish has their own frequency. They will not cross or mess with another one. If there is a chance that they are on the same frequency, they can switch. It's simple. The EOD is for sensing their environment whether it's for navigation or hunting. It's fine to have multiple Electric Fish as long as their is plenty of territory.
 
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