An aquarium fish that instantly provokes interest is the white-fronted ateronotus (or knife-fish). She is unusually graceful, mysterious, with unusual behavior and high intelligence. The "black ghost", as it is also called, is a real find for lovers of exotic fish species. However, mainly professionals prefer it, because the she is demanding of the conditions of detention. If they are neglected, the pet will constantly hurt or die.
View Features
The name of the fish was due to its shape resembling a knife blade (the elongated and flat side). And the presence of a black long fin from the bottom further enhances the similarity. This representative of the aquatic fauna does not have the usual dorsal and ventral fins, which makes it different from other aquarium fish. Due to the large anal fin from head to tail and two small pectorals, the fish-knife can swim in the water. The movements are plastic and soft.
The habitat of the white-fronted ateronotus is the Amazonian reservoirs with a mild course and overgrown places where you can hide. One of the features of the view is presence of poor vision. But the fish-knife is a predator, perfectly guided in muddy water. Despite her vision problems, she is an excellent hunter thanks to the weak electromagnetic field that forms around herself.
This ability makes it possible to hunt, defend, recognize objects around, communicate with other representatives of their kind.
In its natural environment black knives in length can reach up to half a meter and live up to 15 years. The second feature of the species is the complete absence of scales. The skin is velvety, jet black. There is a white spot on the head that passes into a thin strip and stretches along the entire ridge to the tail, ending with two vertical rings of white color. Such an unusual structure allows the fish to move in various ways (on the side, up, down, back, forward, upside down, hang in one place).
The Indian eye-shaped knife differs from its congeners by its external coloring (gray-silver color), the presence of small scales and a miniature dorsal fin. In the lower part of the body there are a number of black spots resembling eyes.
How to care?
Mostly all aquarium fish offered by pet stores are foreigners. Knife fish is no exception, therefore, requires certain rules in the content. It is important to create conditions as close as possible to the natural habitat.
- Give preference to large, spacious aquariums (approximately liters per 150-300). In such a water inhabitant it will be much more comfortable and calmer. She also needs space for growth and strong immunity.
- Water temperature is 23–28 degrees Celsius, hardness is 5–19 dGH, pH is 6.0–8.0.
- The black knife spends most of his life at the bottom, hiding in cover. Fine gravel or sand is ideal as soil. For shelter, choose driftwood, purchased castles or caves, broken clay pots, transparent pipes, stone grottoes.
- Do not forget about the external filter with an ultraviolet sterilizer that prevents the occurrence of many diseases. This fish species is sensitive to any changes in water parameters, especially copper, zinc and large doses of drugs.
- The black ghost leaves a lot of waste products, so the water in the aquarium needs to be changed once a week.
- The fish will appreciate the aerator, creating a weak stream of water installed in the aquarium.
- Lighting should be soft and dim. Turbid water is best.
- Remember, the black ghost is a predator of the night: it goes hunting in the dark.
What to feed?
Although white-apronotus is quite whimsical to the conditions of its maintenance, this cannot be said about nutrition - the fish is undemanding to eat. She can eat both dry and frozen food. The main thing is that the diet should be varied and balanced. This is the key to good development and good health of the pet.
The basis of the diet is protein food: bloodworms, tubule, artemia, krill, squid or shrimp meat, small fish, worms, larvae, fish fillets, various insects. Regarding dry food, the black knife eats it very rarely and reluctantly. As a hunter, he prefers live food. The main thing is not to overfeed, otherwise there will be problems with the intestines, which can lead to the death of afteronotus.
Knife fish should be fed once a day, either early in the morning or in the evening at sunset with the lights off. Best of all at night, then it is more active. Try to feed at about the same time.
With whom to settle?
The character of the black knife is quite peaceful. He is practically indifferent to who his neighbors are. However, his flexible disposition is poorly compatible with many aquatic inhabitants. He perceives small fish such as guppies, cardinals, neons, swordsmen as food and can readily eat. Large, brightly colored scare the fish-knife with excessive active movements.
For instance, compatibility with ophthalmic astronotus is zero. He possesses pugnacious in nature and can go around fins. The same goes for to the barbswho also do not mind pinching them. In addition, black ghosts categorically do not tolerate each other. Apteronotus It gets along well with clowns, stingrays, angelfish, kissing gouras, discus fish and other similar fish.
If you want to become the owner of two, three knives, then take care of a large aquarium and more shelters so that they do not fight for the territory.
This is especially true of Indian knives, arranging real fights, which result in serious damage or death of the individual.
How to engage in reproduction?
At home, breeding black knives is quite difficult. The process is extremely time-consuming, requiring some experience. It is necessary to prepare a spawning tank with a volume of 150-200 liters. And also have 3 individuals (2 males and 1 female). As such, there are no external differences between males and females. Usually the females are smaller and the males have a small fat cone on the back of the head.
Knife fish is a tropical inhabitant and propagates in nature in the rainy season. It is necessary to simulate natural conditions for effective spawning. It is advisable to create greater humidity and set the water temperature at around 28 degrees. To stimulate spawning, the water level in the aquarium is lowered, which is then added in small portions over several weeks.
Take care of the course: it should be moderate. Females of a black knife throw eggs under a stream of water, laying them directly in the ground. The female can lay about 500 eggs at a time, but most die. As the spawning ends, the female should be put in a separate container and one male should be left, who will look after the eggs until the fry appear. After their formation, the parents are also precipitated, otherwise they will become food.
Within 2-4 days, the roe of a fish-knife ripens. Care for fry is not easy. The light must be diffused, since they absolutely do not tolerate bright lighting and hide in all the cracks. Water required clean, you need to change it every day by half. For the first few days, fry feed on the yolk sac, then crushed zooplankton is introduced into the diet. Kids are taught adult food gradually. The main thing is to feed often and in small portions.
If everything is done correctly, then in the first month the fry will reach 5–7 cm in length and will not be any different from adult knives.
What is sick and how to treat?
With proper maintenance and care, black ghosts practically do not get sick. The only ailment that overcomes them is ichthyophthyroidism (an infectious disease caused by ciliary infusoria). This is due to the lack of scales on the body. The main symptom is the appearance of white dots in the form of semolina on the body.
For treatment, salt or special medicines without zinc are used. Salt water solution is added in small concentration to the aquarium. After such simple manipulations, the fish recover very quickly after the disease. The main thing is to help in time.
See even more information about the features of this fish in the next video.
