| Black ghost knifefish | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gymnotiformes |
| Family: | Apteronotidae |
| Genus: | Apteronotus |
| Species: | A. albifrons |
| Binomial name | |
| Apteronotus albifrons (Linnaeus, 1766) |
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The black ghost knifefish, Apteronotus albifrons, is a tropical fish belonging to the ghost knifefish family (Apteronotidae). They originate in South America in the Amazon Basin in Peru and from Venezuela through Paraguay in the Paraná River. They are becoming popular in aquaria. The fish is all black except for two white rings on its tail, and a white blaze on its nose, which can occasionally extend into a stripe down its back. It moves mainly by undulating a long fin on its underside. It will grow to a maximum length of 20 inches (50 centimeters). It does not have scales.
They are nocturnal. They are a weakly electric fish which use an electric organ and receptors distributed over the length of their body in order to locate insect larvae.[1]
The black ghost knifefish natively lives in fast moving, sandy bottom creeks in a tropical climate. South American natives believe that the ghosts of the departed take up residence in these fish,[2] hence the name.
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Black ghost knifefish require a medium sized tank of 30-40 US gal (95-110 litres) when smaller, though as they grow larger will require a much larger tank of around 75+ US gal [3]. A lid is needed as they have been known to jump out. Black Ghost knifefish get to a maximum size of 20" in the wild, but usually stop growing at 12" in home aquaria. They should be provided with a shelter (such as a plastic tube or driftwood) in which to hide. They prefer a dimly lit tank as their eyesight is optimized for low light. To help them see, they are a weakly electric fish. They will eat smaller fish in the tank and are intolerant of conspecifics. As with other scaleless fish, they are vulnerable to parasite infestations such as ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis). They can reproduce in captivity.