General Aquaria Discussion • clown knife fish

[rshooch]

First off let me say hello. I am new to this site and was wondering if you guys could let me know if I am doing something wrong. I have had this clown knife fish for about a 2 weeks now and it is not eating. I have tried red rosey's, sinking pellets, shrimp and beef heart. He will take a nip at all of the mentioned foods but the live fish. As soon as he bites it he spits it out. What am i doing wrong? Also he dose not move around alot. Help please.

Ryan

[mhertzfeld]

I had one of these a while back when I was first getting into the hobby. I had a lot of trouble with him too until he eventually died.

Is he in a tank by himself? If not then his tank mates are probably stressing him out. I'm sure you know this already, but these guys get huge. If he survives he's gonna need at least a 125g. Also, are you using sand or gravel?

They love blood worms. I would get some live ones and try feeding by hand. If you don't have luck with that try taking him to LFS and see if they will make a trade, or put on craigslist.

[rshooch]

He is in a 55g with a pike cichlid and lima shovelnose cat. I will try what you said wish me luck

[rshooch]

update checked ph levels and they were high treated tank and all is getting better. put in 3 rosey's pike ate one and the clown knife fish tried to eat one and it got away. so thats a plus. Anothe plus is i got to see my shovelnose cat smoke the other two rosey's.

[Fogelhund]

All of these fish in a 55 gallon? What sized tank are you upgrading to?

[clgkag]

You know that knife fish will be a 4ft fish eventually right?

[rshooch]

yeah right now they are all smallish. Pike is about 6" Clown knife is about 7" and my lima cat is 10". I have a 125 g in the works and also looking at a 200g.

[Fogelhund]

The 200 gallon is likely a minimum size, go big.

[rshooch]

well I may not have to. My clown knife has ick... Got it in a 10g trying to medicate him/her. Not looking so good every few min he will start to turn over than he rights himself. So on and so on....... not happy right now... And to top it off im going on 3 days of trying to get my ph down in the 55g and its not working. Its reading 7.6 plus and every day I check it there is no change.

[13razorbackfan]

well I may not have to. My clown knife has ick... Got it in a 10g trying to medicate him/her. Not looking so good every few min he will start to turn over than he rights himself. So on and so on....... not happy right now... And to top it off im going on 3 days of trying to get my ph down in the 55g and its not working. Its reading 7.6 plus and every day I check it there is no change.

Did he develop the ich in the 55g? If so then you need to treat the main tank.

[NeptunesNeighborhood]

Do you fish *require* a lower pH than 7.6? The main thing with pH for most fish is to just keep it consistent. Agree with razor - you need to treat the entire 55 if the knife was in the 55 and got ick.

[13razorbackfan]

Do you fish *require* a lower pH than 7.6? The main thing with pH for most fish is to just keep it consistent. Agree with razor - you need to treat the entire 55 if the knife was in the 55 and got ick.

From the little I do know about knife fish the adults can handle a higher pH than can the juveniles. So I think mid 7's is probably fine.

[rshooch]

well he isnt going to make it. He is hanging sideways floating around the tank and every few min. flops over. should i let him keep doing this or take him out?

[13razorbackfan]

well he isnt going to make it. He is hanging sideways floating around the tank and every few min. flops over. should i let him keep doing this or take him out?

If you take him out he will die for sure or is that what you mean?

[rshooch]

well i just dont know if he will make it just didnt know if fish suffer