Introduction

The Black Ghost Knife Fish hails from the Amazon River basin in South America. They are one of the most interesting tropical fish to watch due to their strange features.

In the aquarium, Black Ghost Knife Fish are known for their flowing movement and their unique body shape. They are similar to a graceful, rippling black curtain as they swim through an aquarium. You might also notice that their eyes are very beady, and they do not resemble “normal” tropical fish eyeballs. This is due to the fact that Black Ghost Knife Fish have a difficult time seeing.

In fact, Black Ghost Knife Fish have developed electrical organs that allow them to send out electric pulses to navigate through water. Aquarists should avoid placing other fish species that use similar electric navigation and Black Ghost Knifes together because their electrical pulses will interfere with each other confusing themselves in the aquarium.

Size

Otherwise, Black Ghost Knife Fish are very peaceful to other tropical fish in the aquarium, and they make great centerpieces for community tanks. That is, if the fish aren’t small enough to fit inside of their mouths. The Black Ghost Knife Fish are gargantuan beasts that grow up to 20″ (50 cm), and they should not be placed with smaller tetras or community fish because the Black Ghost Knife Fish will eat them. Not out of maliciousness, but they are small, moving objects that fit in the mouth; the fish doesn’t know better. Speaking of their large size, they should not be kept in tanks less than 75 gallons. Although their maximum size is 20″, they usually do not get to be this big in aquariums, and the average size in aquariums is just over a foot (12″+).

Water Parameters

Other water parameters that factor in the well-being of the Black Ghost Knife Fish are pH and temperature. The pH that can accommodate this fish is pretty forgiving, and it ranges from 6.0 to 8.0 (from slightly acidic to neutral to slightly alkaline). The temperature this fish can be kept at is forgiving as well, 76ºF to 82ºF (24-28°C). It can cover an array of water qualities, but this doesn’t mean the fish is necessarily hardy. The nitrites and ammonia should always read 0 ppm for this fish, and the nitrate should never rise too high.

Characteristics

When one first introduces a Black Ghost Knife Fish into an aquarium, the result can be pretty disappointing for the owner. They have been known to hide behind aquarium decorations, but owners should not remove the decorations in order to view their fish because it will only stress them out even more. They should be given time to adjust to their new environment which can take up to a couple of weeks. One idea is to use a large, plastic, see-through bottle that will allow the Black Ghost Knife Fish to enter and feel safe but still allow its owner to watch him from outside of the glass. Another way is to increase the amount of hiding places, and lower the lighting in the tank.

But after the Black Ghost Knife is accustomed to his tank, it can develop a strong relationship with its owners. Black Ghost Knife Fish owners are known to hand feed their Black Ghost Knife Fish beefheart. Additionally, owners are able to pet and stroke the fish, and the fish will actually run through its owner’s hands. A real interspecies relationship!

Food

Besides beefheart, Black Ghost Knife Fish can accept frozen bloodworms, shrimp pellets, brine shrimp, tubifex worms.

Medicine

Owners should be careful when medicating their fish tanks with Black Ghost Knife Fish inside. Since the fish are scaleless, they react differently to medication than fish with scales. They are more sensitive, so the doses of medication should be halved as to not endanger the Black Ghost Knife Fish.

The biggest changes are on the front page. On the front page, the latest article is highlighted in its own black box. The front page will also allow visitors to access detailed information about Tropical Fish Profiles, such as the most popular profiles, recently posted profiles, and the comments made on our articles and profiles. Visitors can easily check out this information by scrolling over the tabs on the right of the featured post. Finally, the bottom of the front page shows the latest posts from each popular aquarium fish species.

I hope you guys enjoy the new site layout. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.

German Blue Ram Photo © L. Curtis

Profile

Origin: Colombia and Venezuela

Behavior: Mostly peaceful and shy, but can become very territorial during the breeding process. Placing the German Blue Ram into a community tank will lessen its shyness because they will see that the it’s “safe” to come out.

Temperature: 78-85 °F (26-30 °C)

pH: 5.0 – 7.5

Size: 3″ (7 cm)

Diet: Accepts all types of food including flakes, sinking pellets, frozen and freeze-dried foods.

Breeding: Place one male German Blue Ram and one female German Blue Ram into the same aquarium, and they will usually become attracted to each other. Although, some owners report that getting a group of German Blue Rams will allow them to pick and choose their partners more easily if a pair do not become attracted to each other immediately. Emulate a natural setting by densely planting the aquarium. German Blue Rams prefer a softer water when breeding, around a pH of 6.5 should be fine.
Sex: Males have a longer, pointed dorsal fin. Females have a red or orange tinge on their bellies.

Notes

German Blue Ram Photo © L. Dasilva

A pair of German Blue Rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) will create quite a commotion in any tank from guests because they have one of the highly colored bodies of the South American Cichlids. They are perfect for a community tank with Tetras, Barbs, or Corys which allow the German Blue Rams to feel safer. The eye will surely be drawn to the German Blue Ram in an aquarium due to their breath-taking colors. Watching a pair of German Blue Rams guard their eggs is exciting because they are good tropical fish parents.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 4]
Temperament: [rate 4]
Breeding: [rate 5]
Overall: [rate 4.5]

Bronze Cory Photo © C.B. Agulto

Profile

Origin: South America

Behavior: Peaceful, community tropical fish. Will hover along the bottom of the tank to search for food scraps.

Temperature: 68–82 °F (20-28 °C)

pH: 6.0 – 8.0

Size: 3″ (7 cm)

Diet: Accepts all types of food including flakes, sinking pellets, frozen and freeze-dried foods.

Breeding: Easy to breed. Place a group of 6+ Bronze Corys in the same tank. This will ensure that both sexes will be present in the group. Lower the pH to around 6.5-6.8, and do a 50% water change. Pour in the new water (de-chlorinated, of course) slowly to simulate the rains found in the Bronze Cory’s natural habitat. Lower the temperature by 3-5°C. This should encourage the Bronze Corys to spawn.

Sex: Females appear larger than males.

Notes

Bronze Cory Photo © C.B. Agulto

Bronze Corys are one of the most popular fish in the tropical fish community because of its extreme peacefulness and its habit of constantly hovering the aquarium floor to find food. Bronze Corys must be the most peaceful fish any tropical fish enthusiast can keep. They should be kept in groups of 5+ since they love each other’s company. Owners of Bronze Corys should not be worried if their fish dash up to the top of the tank to grab some air since it’s part of the Bronze Cory’s nature.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 5]
Temperament: [rate 5]
Breeding: [rate 5]
Overall: [rate 5]

Dwarf Gourami Photo © C.B. Agulto

Profile

Origin: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh

Behavior: Peaceful, community tropical fish.

Temperature: 72–82 °F (22-28 °C)

pH: 6.5 – 7.5

Size: 3.5″ (9 cm)

Diet: Omnivorous, accepts flakes, vegetation (lettuce, peas, spinach), and freeze-dried or frozen foods.

Breeding: Bubble nest builder. Lower water to 6-8 inches, and raise the temperature to 28-30 °C (82 °F). The tank should be planted with much vegetation since the male Dwarf Gourami will use it to build its bubble nest. Feed with a variety of freeze-dried or frozen foods.

Sex: The male’s dorsal fin is pointed and straight. The female’s dorsal fin is slightly curved.

Notes

Dwarf Gourami Photo © C.B. Agulto

The Dwarf Gourami is perfect for being the main display of a tropical fish community aquarium because of its relatively small size and beautiful coloration. There should be one male and two females in a Dwarf Gourami tank. The male will be distracted by two females instead of continually beating up one single female Dwarf Gourami. Dwarf Gouramis are known to have unique personalities. Dwarf Gouramis can be the main attraction in a tank with smaller community fish.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 5]
Temperament: [rate 5]
Breeding: [rate 5]
Overall: [rate 5]

Serpae Tetra Photo © C.B. Agulto

Profile

Origin: Amazon River and Paraguay

Behavior: Generally peaceful, should be kept in schools of six or more. May nip fins of other fish if they are kept in small groups.

Temperature: 72–79 °F (22-26 °C)

pH: 5.5 – 7.0

Size: 1.5″ (4 cm)

Diet: Accepts flakes and most aquaria food.

Breeding: Egg layer. Easy to breed in aquarium. Plant the breeding tank with many fine-leaved plants (Myriophyllum, Cabomba) and floating plants. Adjust the water quality, so it has a pH of 6.5-7.0.

Sex: Females are rounder than males.

Notes

Serpae Tetra Photo © C.B. Agulto

The Serpae Tetra is popular because of its distinct red coloration and its hardiness in the community aquarium. There are many contrasting reports on the behavior of the Serpae Tetra. Some owners argue that Serpae Tetras are fin-nippers, while some owners claim they are absolutely peace in their community tank. The activity of Serpae Tetras may be hard to predict because of the different reports about their behavior.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 5]
Temperament: [rate 5]
Breeding: [rate 5]
Overall: [rate 5]

Rosy Barb Photo © C.B. Agulto

Profile

Origin: Bengal and India

Behavior: Usually peaceful, but can be semi-aggressive.

Temperature: 64–72 °F (18–22 °C)

pH: 6.0 – 8.0

Size: 5″ (12 cm)

Diet: Accepts practically all types of aquaria food.

Breeding: Egg scatterer. Easy to breed in aquarium. Place one male and two female Rosy Barbs in a tank, and they will begin the mating process. Remove the Rosy Barbs after they spawn because they are avid egg eaters.

Sex: Males are usually more red, while the females have a more yellow coloration.

Notes

Rosy Barb Photo © C.B. Agulto

The Rosy Barb is popular in a tropical fish aquarium because of its close resemblance to a goldfish. Rosy Barbs are a good fit for community tropical fish aquariums with larger fish since the Rosy Barb grows larger than many other species of tropical fish. Rosy Barbs prefer cooler water compared to many other tropical fish in the trade. Rosy Barbs are relatively peaceful, but they have been known to become semi-aggressive towards other fish to establish their dominance.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 5]
Temperament: [rate 4.5]
Breeding: [rate 5]
Overall: [rate 5]

Neon Tetra Photo © C.B. Agulto

Profile

Origin: Colombia, Brazil, and Peru

Behavior: Peaceful, and an excellent community tropical fish. Should be kept in groups of 6+ to exhibit shoaling behavior.

Temperature: 68–79 °F (20–26 °C)

pH: 5.0 – 7.0

Size: 1.5″ (4 cm)

Diet: Accepts flakes and live or freeze-dried food

Breeding: Egg scatterer. Hard to breed in aquarium. Gradually increase light from day to day. Feed mosquito larvae and other live foods. Allow the nitrate level to rise, and do a 50% water change to mimic a natural breeding scenario.

Sex: Females are rounder with a “bent” blue line, while males are slender with a “straight” blue line.

Notes

Neon Tetra Photo © C.B. Agulto

The Neon Tetra is one of the most popular community fish in the aquarium trade because of its red, white, and blue coloration and its ability to shoal in a tight formation. Neon Tetras should be placed in community tanks with similar sized fish, or they will display their timidness in their aquarium. For example, Angelfish are known to be avid Neon Tetra eaters. Neon Tetras are commonly affected by a disease named after them, the Neon Tetra Disease. The symptons are discoloration, difficulty swimming, fin rot, and bloating. There is no cure for the Neon Tetra Disease, so the best solution is the remove the Neon Tetras from the aquarium to prevent further spread to other inhabitants.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 5]
Temperament: [rate 5]
Breeding: [rate 2]
Overall: [rate 5]

Tiger Barb Photo © C.B. Agulto

Profile

Origin: Sumatra and Borneo

Behavior: Peaceful and active in groups of 6 or more, otherwise very nippy in smaller groups

Temperature: 68–79 °F (20–26 °C)

pH: 6.0 – 8.0

Size: 3″ (7 cm), should be kept in a minimum tank size of 20 gallons for adequate swimming space

Diet: Accepts flakes and live or freeze-dried food

Breeding: Egglayers, eggs are laid on broad leaf vegetation early in the morning. Tiger Barbs will eat the eggs after spawning, so it is recommended to remove them for the maximum number of offspring

Sex: Females have a rounder belly, while males have a bright red nose with a tinge of red on their dorsal fins

Notes

Tiger Barb Photo © C.B. Agulto

One of the most active community fish, the tiger barb features distinct black stripes on its diamond shaped body. The many varieties of Tiger Barbs include the Green and Albino variety. The Tiger Barb is best kept in groups of 6 or more, or it will furiously nip the fins of other fish. The long, swaying fins of the Angelfish are especially vulnerable to be nipped off from Tiger Barbs. I believe that Tiger Barbs are more active in larger groups, too. A tank full of a community of Tiger Barbs can create an exotic display by themselves.

Conclusion

Care: [rate 5]
Hardiness: [rate 5]
Temperament: [rate 3.5]
Breeding: [rate 4]
Overall: [rate 4]