Focus on the Ghost Knife

by Bronze Ickes

The African Knifefish is elongated and very laterally compressed. Its large mouth has two nasal tentacles. The anus is situated very far forward on the body. The dorsal fin is lacking but the anal fin is very long starting immediately after the anus and extending to the rear tip of the body where it fuses with the caudal fin. This fringe-like anal fin is the fish's main organ of propulsion, and its undulatory movements enable the fish to swim forward or backward. The general coloration is dark brown or dark gray to black with paler under-parts. This is a shy, retiring fish which comes to the surface from time to time to swallow air. A shoal of young individuals can be kept in a tank with subdued lighting, areas of dense vegetation, and a table of rocks and roots that will provide shelter. the fishes rest in a slightly oblique position with the head down. They come out at dusk and during the night to hunt for prey. The species has not yet been bred in captivity.

Personal observations of the Black ghost knife.

My sister has had a beautiful Black ghost knife for several years now. She recently moved and I inherited him. He is quite fascinating to watch. although I don't hold to naming my fish, she has named this one Satin. I can understand why she chose that name because the color of this fish is a beautiful satin black, and he has a white stripe on his tail. He is rather large and in fact I think larger that the size range listed in text books. I would dare to say that he is well over 10 inches long. He spends most of his time in a ceramic log but does come out at night to feed. He does not like bright light at all. We mainly feed him blood worms, he will eat some flake food , and from time to time we give him some feeder guppies. He is the only inhabitant of a 30 gallon tank, and I think he likes it that way. To watch this fish swim forward and backward is truly amazing. It surprises me that he can maneuver so well. He is quite sensitive to sound and vibrations. A heavy foot step will send him right back to the shelter of his log. These fish are rare in the sense you do not often see them in the local pet store, and if you do they will be expensive. I believe the cost is due to the fact that they are not commonly bred in captivity. They require significant space and I believe they do best in a tank by themselves. They are fascinating and very beautiful and they flow through the water quite gracefully, so if you want to try a fish that is unique as well as interesting you might consider a Black ghost knife.