I will be getting one of these guys shortly. Any tips on them?
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Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
P. afer
- Thread starter Charney
- Start date
I have two. One 5 incher and an 8 incher. They both just swim with each other all day. But i'm gonna have to sell one soon because they get more aggressive with conspecifics as they grow. Mine were pretty stubborn to get on frozen food. They didnt eat for about 2 weeks. I keep them with a very aggressive vieja synspila, jack dempsey pair, 2 lima shovelnose, senegal and ornate bichir. Few problems with their aggression. My smaller one chases my 4 inch female jack around the tank if she tries to intimidate him. The smaller one also chases the senegal if it is swimming alot back and forth. I feed them market prawns and working on giving them tilapia but they haven't taken that yet. I see them poking around the bottom of my tank for bloodworms as well. I think they are the coolest knifefish with a lot of personality. They way they swim is like no other knifefish either. Imagine an arowana that doesnt stay on the top of the water. The smaller one literally swims circles around the vieja to incite a chase. Definately troublemakers, as they like to steal food from all of their tankmate's mouths. I have a lot of caves for cover, as well as a grave vine driftwood/root looking thing.
Have a big tank. Get ready to move or lose tank-mates. ENJOY. Mines is 12" and I had it for several months now. It keeps my tinfoil barbs in check, good thing they are fast swimmers. I haven't lost one yet but suspect I will when my afer gets bigger. My p.afer is good buddies with my jag. They do this circling ritual, nipping at each other that I have yet to capture on vid.
lol.... All true!
My pair ( seperate tanks after near death of the smaller one) are full of personality!
Biggest is 17" and in a 125 now. greats me when I come home and always curious. finicky eater but when housed with my big oscars he was actually eating a massivore pellet or 2!!! Had him for a while, maybe a year? He has straight killed a green texas (6"?)and put a good whooping on my green sunfish (10") and kida pals with the biggest fish in the tank(now my Endi), hung with my oscar too, but no love...they 'talked' to each other, Oscar-mouth agape- and the knife goes sideways to flash size, all while chomping its jaw... No harm to either. I have a second more agro oscar that I am thinking about adding to the tank (now oscar free after rehousing to replace the tank... slowly binging the stock back to it.)
The Little one is 12" and is a little stunted. I added it to a bigger tank (50 tall)so I hope to change this. showing the same traits as the bigger one, but I am a little worried about adding the 2 to the same tank. The last time they were together, the big was was a clear and present threat and can not tolerate the little one.
Live, blood worms, shellfish (prawns etc), and tilapia is the best and pellet training will take time. They can go crazy long before they eat especially if they are stressed. Very inquisitive and clever fish!
My pair ( seperate tanks after near death of the smaller one) are full of personality!
Biggest is 17" and in a 125 now. greats me when I come home and always curious. finicky eater but when housed with my big oscars he was actually eating a massivore pellet or 2!!! Had him for a while, maybe a year? He has straight killed a green texas (6"?)and put a good whooping on my green sunfish (10") and kida pals with the biggest fish in the tank(now my Endi), hung with my oscar too, but no love...they 'talked' to each other, Oscar-mouth agape- and the knife goes sideways to flash size, all while chomping its jaw... No harm to either. I have a second more agro oscar that I am thinking about adding to the tank (now oscar free after rehousing to replace the tank... slowly binging the stock back to it.)
The Little one is 12" and is a little stunted. I added it to a bigger tank (50 tall)so I hope to change this. showing the same traits as the bigger one, but I am a little worried about adding the 2 to the same tank. The last time they were together, the big was was a clear and present threat and can not tolerate the little one.
Live, blood worms, shellfish (prawns etc), and tilapia is the best and pellet training will take time. They can go crazy long before they eat especially if they are stressed. Very inquisitive and clever fish!
While some people are here who have some, can I get some clarification on the yellow spots? I've read that they both gain them and lose them as they grow older.