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Fishmonger Newsletter

June 2021

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Fish Warehouse Build Update

The subdivision has been finalized and we have received permission from the city to go ahead and begin construction on our new fish warehouse. We met with the contractor and engineer a couple of days ago, and they plan to break ground soon. Below is a conceptual ground plan showing the basic outlay of the warehouse. We will be showing the construction process in the “Building Dan’s Fish” video series.

Featured Article: African Brown Knifefish

Native to a wide range of still waters, the African Brown Knifefish (Xenomystus nigri) sports a unique fin structure, a bold sense of character and intelligence, and makes a perfect wet-pet. Their relative ease of care makes this a natural choice for hobbyists looking to expand their collection with a unique “oddball” that is sure to get the attention of anyone who sees it.

The African Brown Knifefish is a member of the family Notopteridae, which contains ten unique species of Osteoglossiforms; more commonly known as bony-tongued fish. All ten species of Notopteridae are found either in Africa or Southeast Asia. Despite similar looks, they share no lineage or connection with the Black Ghost Knifefish (Apteronotus albifrons) and other knifefishes found in South America. The African Brown Knifefish does not possess any “electric”qualities like the black ghost knifefish, and likewise has entirely different care requirements.

This species inhabits slow-moving and still waterways throughout much of Central Africa. Ours were collected in Nigeria. The waters in which it is found range widely in parameters such as ph, tds (total dissolved solids), and temperature. Therefore, the species is quite adaptable and generally does well in aquarium water as long as extremes are avoided. It is commonly found among dense plant growth, and regularly uses the overgrowth for safety and comfort. This fish is reported to be nocturnal, but here at Dan’s Fish we find that they are out and about all day long. They are curious and, even though we provide them with lots of hiding places, are constantly out exploring and looking for food during the day. They rush to the front of the aquarium when we approach in the hopes they will get fed. When we put our hands in the aquarium, they come to our hands and swim around them as they explore us. They need lots of hiding places in the aquarium, but don’t use them unless they feel spooked.

When raised in an aquarium, African Brown Knifefish commonly reach about 8in in length, although in the wild they have been recorded at just over a foot. As with all species in the family Notopteridae, they are ventrolaterally flattened and their caudal and anal fins are fused into one large fin running the length of the fish; giving the fish it’s quintessential “knife” shape. Unlike the Asian Brown Knifefish, the dorsal fin is absent in the African Brown Knifefish, as it is not needed to provide stability and balance in a fish as tall and narrow as the Knifefish. The scales on the fish are incredibly small, giving it a skin-like appearance. All Notopteridae species have a unique swim bladder, extending the length of the fish’s body. Being from still water, the fish often needs to supplement its oxygen intake. The swim bladder allows the fish to gather air from the surface and store it for long periods of time.

It is commonly thought that, although African Brown Knifefish may be raised together as juveniles, they should be separated before they reach adulthood as they become extremely territorial and exhibit great amounts of conspecific aggression once they reach maturity. However, our experience with these fish tells a different story. We are keeping our group of about 20 fish in a 75 gallon aquarium. Most of our specimens are sexually mature. While we do see a social hierarchy, we don’t see any meaningful aggression. The fish seem to enjoy grouping together. From what we have observed, it appears that when kept in sufficient numbers, aggression is less of an issue than is commonly believed. Of course, if insufficient numbers are kept together, aggression could become a concern as in many species of African Rift Lake Cichlids, but our group is getting along famously. These knifefish can be kept in a community aquarium with other peaceful species of an appropriate size and demeanor.

This fish is a carnivore, and therefore requires protein-rich foods. Knifefish have a reputation for being difficult to feed, requiring live and/or frozen foods. We have not found this to be the case. Here at Dan’s Fish, they transitioned easily to prepared foods and are currently doing very well on a rotation of various sinking pellet foods which is supplemented by frozen and live foods. If keeping this knifefish in a community aquarium, it might be necessary to target feed as they tend to eat from the mid-bottom water level and other faster-swimming species might consume the food before the knifefish can eat their share.

Want a breeding challenge? To date, there has been little success spawning this fish in captivity. However, it remains an interesting breeding challenge for the right hobbyist. If you do end up figuring out how to breed it, please do share your experience! The rest of us mere mortals would love to know how it is done.

Overall, this is one of the most unique species of African fish to have made its way to Dan’s Fish. They are so full of personality, and we know you’d have just as much fun with them as we are! If you want to see our group of knifefish eating pellet food and interacting as a group, you can check them out on video HERE.

These knifefish are available for purchase HERE.

What Should I Feed My Aquarium Fish?

If you do not subscribe to our YouTube channel, you may have missed a recent video where Dan shows how he selects fish foods. And, no, it is not always the food with the finest ingredients. You can watch the video HERE.

What Should I Feed My Aquarium Fish?

New Fish Have Arrived

We recently received a new group of fish including rainbowfish, L# plecos, gobies, tetras and more. They are nearing the end of quarantine and should be available for sale at dansfish.com by the end of this week.