Sick Black Ghost Knife   1/23/07
Hi there,
<Ho there>
I have a black ghost knife who is my little buddy.  He's about 6-7 inches long now.
Just recently, he's started being active all of the time, and he's started to get a white film on him.
<Mmm, not good>
I can't figure out what's causing this.
<Could be a number of things... categories... Most likely a/the presence of a contaminant... metal in the system... the water>
Most water levels are fine, but I've just noticed that my ph and hardness levels have dropped dramatically.
<Indicative>
I haven't changed my water change technique in 2 years, but maybe my local water quality has changed.
<Oh yes... very common nowadays>
Also in the tank are 2 angelicus cats, and 1 gold Gourami.  It's a 29 gallon tank with light planting (lots of java moss, though), one big piece of faux rock, and 2 pieces of driftwood that have been in there for 3 years and 2 years, respectively.
<Could be the rock or the driftwood...>
The only thing I can think of that has changed lately is I started giving the fish in this tank some frozen krill as a treat.  Maybe that wasn't such a good idea.
<Even this Krill may have a metal preservative... likely copper, added... see the packaging, list of ingredients re>
What else can I look at to determine the cause of this fish's newfound while film?
<Mass spectrophotometry... Actually, I'd avail myself of a chemical filtrant... activated carbon likely... changed out once a month... or PolyFilter... in your filter flow-path...>
Other fish in the tank seem more active, so maybe it's an overall water quality issue that is just more prominent in the knife.
Thank you for your help!
Sean
<I'd still use the chemical filtrant. Bob Fenner>

Black Ghost Knifefish - swelling    12/26/06
I have two 7 inch long black ghost Knifefish that have been in a 40 gallon tank for about a year.
<Mmm, not social animals... should be kept singly>
They are separated by a perforated divider so that they do not fight.
<Might actually... electrically>
Recently I noticed that one of them has developed a swollen belly. Its behavour seems normal though. They are in RO water (pH = 5) and ammonia and nitrite is zero. Nitrate is about 5 ppm and I expect that hardness is negligible. I perform 5-10 % water changes on a weekly basis and they eat bloodworms exclusively (about 1/2 cube per day per fish).
<Might want to expand the diet here>
I'm concerning about the
swelling. Is it due to overfeeding or is the fish sick (Dropsy ? Edema ?).
<These are symptoms... what might the primary cause/s be?>
Should I add salt (NaCl) or perhaps Epsom salt ? Should I try to raise the pH ?
<I would do none of these>
I've
heard that the water in the Amazon Basin is soft and of high pH so maybe my water is ok.
<I think so, yes>
How should I deal with the swelling ?
Thanks
<I would try expanding the types of foods offered here... perhaps soaking them in a vitamin prep. before offering... One exciting possibility here is that the one fish is producing eggs... If the one fish doesn't appear or behave otherwise ill I would not be concerned. Bob Fenner>

BGK with Irritation  - 09/07/06
<Hi Kelli, from what I could tell, it looks like a slight irritation on your fish,  Try adding Melafix to the tank.  Be sure the water quality is good.  No nitrites or ammonia, nitrates <20.  They grow huge, so you'll need at least a 90g tank for it.  ~PP>
Sorry that the picture is so big, I don't know how to make it  smaller.  
Thanks, Kelli

Re: BGK with Irritation Melafix  9/7/06
Great, thanks so much.  Do I add that at full strength as  directed?
<Yes, Melafix is a natural medicine that will not harm your tank or fish, if used as directed.  I also recommend adding an airstone when medicating.  ~PP>
Kelli

BGK, crayfish, and bumblebee catfish Nocturnal Animals Need More Places To Hide  9/8/06
These three fish are not getting along very well. I think that the crayfish just wants to be left alone but the bumblebee and the Black Ghost Knife keep fighting over a cave and run into the crayfish. My tank is 55 gallons but I think I just need more hiding places is this correct?
< More hiding places will be just fine.-Chuck> <<... NO! Separate these fishes from the Crayfish. Chuck! RMF>>

Re: Black Ghost Knife With Diseased Tail   9/11/06
Hello again, I spoke to you last week about my BGK now it looks at his tail is rotting away and has some fuzzy stuff on it. Will the Melafix help that as  
well?  I don't want to lose him. Thanks for all your help. Kelli
< Do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. Treat with Nitrofurazone. The tail will not grow back but the disease can be cured if treated quickly.-Chuck>

Black Ghost Knife Missing Tail  - 09/14/06
Another question is I think that the crayfish got ticked and bit the tail off of the ghost knife up to the white part will it grow back?
< Probably not. If is does it is usually not as long or as nice as the original.-Chuck> <<Separate these animals! RMF>>

Death of My Black Ghost Knife  8/25/06
Dear Crew,
<Thea>
I recently got my first fish tank; a freshwater 34L AquaZone AR-380 aquarium with a 50W heater. I set up my tank with gravel as the substrate and added Bio Booster (concentrated beneficial bacteria) and left my tank running for 8 days before I added any fish. The first fish I added were 3 male guppies, a silver shark,
<Yikes... is this a pangasiid catfish? Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/pangasiids.htm>
a rainbow shark,
<And this fish will likely "go after" your male guppies tails...>
and a 3.5cm Bristlenose Pleco, as well as a golden mystery snail, 2 plants and a ornament for the fish to hide in. I also really wanted some clown loaches, so the people at the aquarium shop told me to wait a while
<Very good advice>
so the fish I already bought could establish themselves in the tank before adding the clown loaches. So 4 days after adding my first lot of fish, I bought 3 5cm clown loaches and a 6-7cm black ghost knife,
<Mmm, your tank is too small for this fish really>
which I fell in love with. I was advised that the growth rate of the black ghost knife and the clown loaches was really quite slow so the size of my tank would be big enough for a fair while,
<Mmm, not likely>
and that I could trade the fish in a few years if they became too big. I was given some frozen blood worms to feed my ghost knife, and was already feeding my other fish with shrimp pellets (which the clown loaches love) and Omega One freshwater flakes. Four days after I added the loaches and ghost knife, one of my guppies stopped eating, became bloated and remained at the top of my tank,
<... this tank/system is not likely very/fully cycled...>
also he would very occasionally swim down a little. I searched the internet and rang up my aquarium shop, but they advised me that he most likely had some sort of intestinal infection and that there wasn’t much I could do. The day before my guppy died, I noticed my loaches had developed ich,
<Not good, fun...>
so after reading your FAQ pages on ich I  raised the water temperature from 26 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius, did a water change, removed the carbon from the filter, added Aqua Mater White Spot Remedy (with formaldehyde and malachite green) at the reduced dosage for the loaches and added rock salt.
<Good>
It’s now 5 days later and the loaches white spots appear to be disappearing. But tragedy struck yesterday when I arrived home to find that me beloved black ghost knife had died.
<... yes, very sensitive to formaldehyde, Malachite Green... even salt>
One to two days before he died he was sitting up the top in the back two corners of the tank during the day
(I have my tank light on a timer to be on for 8 hours a day, during the daytime), which I thought was natural as he’s nocturnal. He also stopped eating around this time (before this he would eat some blood worms which he was given every second day and nibble on the shrimp pellets when I fed the loaches). He has several hiding spaces (a “two rusty pipes” ornament and a piece of glass propped up against the side of the tank, which he used before he went up to the top. He spent a bit of time at the top sitting next to the impeller, and I wondered if he felt any vibrations from this which he may have liked. Before he died he was quite active during the day (which was odd as he’s supposed to be nocturnal) and swam around with the clown loaches.
R.I.P. Ghostie.
So, to my question: I was wondering why my ghost knife died. Was it stress from overcrowding or something else?
<Some stress as you state from being in a new system, being crowded, but mostly the medication ingredients>
After trawling through your site, I now realize that my tank might be overcrowded, although the people at the aquarium shop advised me that because of the quality of my filter I would be able to have the number of fish that I do.
<My opinion differs from what you state theirs is... is/was too crowded for sure>
I would really love another black ghost knife as he was my favourite fish, but I’m unsure whether it would be advisable to try another one in my tank. Any advice you could give would be most appreciated.
<I would hold off on trying another Black Ghost Knife till you have a system of at least three or more volumes than present>
Thanks for the fantastic site and all your help (especially with the course of action for treating my clown loaches’ ich – fingers crossed they’ll make a full recovery).
Thanks again for all your help so far,
Thea - Brisbane, Australia.
<Thank you for writing, sharing. You have saved many other Knifefishes from trouble. Bob Fenner>

Black ghost problem... poisoning with Malachite   4/28/06
Hi
<Hello>
I really hope you can help me.
About 2 weeks ago my Clown loaches and blue rams started to show signs of Ich.
<No fun>
After being given advise by my local fish store, I purchased WS3 medication to cure it.
<... malachite green, acriflavine and quinine sulphate (WS3®, King British)>
Only after reading your site have I found out that Black Ghost Knife Fish are sensitive to medications
<And the Clown Loaches...>
and I have started to notice that my BGK is swimming lazy, has greyish white patches down the side of him and his fins have become torn and have red patches. I don't know if this is Ich, Slime disease or a fungus growth with fin rot.
Please could you help me..
Many thanks.
Steve.
<... with what? Malachite Green should be dosed at most at half concentration with the loaches, Knifefish... This, along with temperature increase should effect a cure for ich. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwich.htm
and the linked files at top and on WWM re these fishes "Health FAQs". Bob Fenner>

Brown Knifefish, wrong env., tankmates  - 02/27/06
Hello!  I have a quick question regarding my brown ghost Knifefish.  Some background, I have a 29gal tank with a Eclipse 3 hood/filter;  20-25% water changes weekly, with tank salt added each time as well as conditioners.
<Don't like salt>
(The filter is changed every 3-4weeks);  Livestock:  Bala shark (approx 3yr old, 7in),
<Too small a tank for>
albino cat (about 4-5in); a blue white striped cat (about 3in); 4 ghost catfish (about 3in each); 1 pleco (unsure the type-about 2 in); 1 pearl gourami (3-4in); and the newest arrival (2mo.) a 4 in brown ghost knife- Charlie Brown; Ok, here's the problem.  I have provided plenty of cover for the BGK with (silk) plants and a 6in clear glass hurricane piece for cover/protection (which is completely ignored by him!) as well as a castle figure.  My question is regarding his health and behavior.  Charlie Brown (and the crew) is fed a mix of frz. blood worms or community mix (of krill, shrimp, etc) 1x/day, although I do not actually witness him eating very much at all. He spends most of the day (vertical) in the light  b/w the bubble wall and driftwood that is situated along the back. He has recently developed red spots in the gill area, and has lost some coloration. Can you please tell me if he is ill and is his behavior normal?
<Is ill... poor tankmate choices (can't compete), likes different water than much of what you list... and the salt...>
  And what, if anything, would need to be done?  Thanks!
Rachel S.
<Place this animal in an appropriate environment. Read re this per species on WWM, fishbase.org.
Bob Fenner>

Treating discus with other fish... BGKs and med.s...   2/10/06
Hi to the WWM crew from the Philippines!!!!!!!!!!!
<Hello to you my friend>
   i am glad i saw your site!!!!    i currently have a 35gallon tank with 5 discus(2-3.5in), 2 algae eaters,
<Keep your eyes on these... may "ride" your discus, sucking on their sides...>
3 neon tetras and 4 black ghost knives.
<Yikes... crowded>
   my concern is that i have been using a medication called "Rid All" which i used to use in my Arowana to treat my discus if they're showing any form of infection or sickness.
<Contains Malachite Green if memory serves....>
the thing now is that i added the 4 BGK's last week, and i just added my medication to the tank 2 hours ago!!! some sites said that BGK's are sensitive to medication,
<Most types yes>
do you think what i just did will kill my BGK?
<Didn't help them>
do you think i should just remove my BGK's from the tank every time i have to treat the other fish (especially the discus)?
<I would treat the discus elsewhere... Bob Fenner>
Arvin Jasper A. Cristi

Knifefish Fin Problem   1/10/06
Hello,
I've had my Black Ghost Knifefish and Blue Gourami for well over a  year now. My water parameters are all normal. The Temp. is 79 degrees. They are  in a
29 gallon soon to be in a 55. My problem is that I have just noticed that a   few of his fins are torn right near his tail. Is this a result of fighting?
<Possibly>
Will  it heal on it's own?
<Should... with the move to larger quarters, good care>
Will he be all right or will he need any kind of
medical  attention?
Thank You
<Be careful with treatments around the Apteronotid Knife... often more toxic, hazardous than worthwhile. Good clean water, decent nutrition should cure all here. Bob Fenner>

Clown Knife With Problems  12/24/05
Hello, I've skimmed over the articles on clown knife fish and haven't really seen anything about what I've got to ask .Recently I purchased two clown knives. Each is now no more than six inches long. For now, each is in a separate tank until I can get one larger tank at the beginning of the year. Both are fed live feeders , which I'm beginning to learn isn't the best idea , but one will take shrimp pellets at times . I have been unable to find squid  ( other than at the grocery store and am not sure if that's the correct way to feed them) or live krill in my area.
  One seems to be getting a little fatty in the belly. At first I simply took this to be a by product of  healthy feeding because this fish can put away the little live feeders . Only now the seemingly distended belly remains . I don't recall it's sides poking out so when I first got it. But at the pet store both of the fish were in the same tank with several other kinds and now it has much more elbow room.
  I also keep my tanks and filters clean on a bi-weekly basis. I haven't had any outbreaks of any kind among any of my fish for a long time.
  My question is : Is my fish healthy?
<A fish that has a distended belly doesn't sound too good.>
Overfed?
< Clown knife fish can be real pigs. It is easy to over feed them.>
Or ,possibly , infected by some internal parasite and ,if so, how can I be sure and what treatments would be necessary?
< It could be an internal bacterial infection. If it is it needs to be treated with Metronidazole .>
And if the fish is healthy - does that mean the slimmer one isn't and I should up it's rations?
< I would feed no more than can be consumed in two minutes once each day.>
Something which may be related : How often should Clown Knives be feed ? Daily ?Or just every other day ?
< Bigger knifes can be fed a couple times a week as their metabolism slows down as they grow.>
On a side note , Do you receive many complaints about pet shop owners either giving less than knowledgeable advice or just not giving any to people ,especially those just getting into the raising fish , purchasing the more exotic fishes - outside of the guppies , goldfish , mollies Etc.?
< If pet shops and fish store were giving good advice all the time then we would not be answering questions.>
       It's just that I've had to make major tank purchases and accommodate them within my home simply because the seller did not elaborate on just how big some of these fish can get. I know they are in business to stay in business through sells and I have gotten better informed since I began but in listening to other customers when making their choices I rarely hear the seller say ' How big of a tank do you have ? or What other kinds of fish do you have in it ?'
      I've come to deal with only one seller in my small area and I've learned and am still learning the  right questions to ask but even then I don't get the entire story .
      What worries me is that most people I meet can tell you ' Yes , an Oscar can get very big ,' but they couldn't tell you  how large a clown knife can get or an electric catfish  and yet when they step into the pet store and see that fish and think to themselves how neat it would be in their tank , the seller does little to inform or dissuade . I've grown to enjoy and love fish in the last year  but  if  I'd never messed up and purchased an electric catfish when I was just starting out  I'd never would have learned what I have. However there must be so many fish that get flushed or die from lack of proper care  simply because the buyer wasn't informed and was ignorant of the fact he/she needed to be . It may be different in a large city or other areas but I think there should be some movement towards having the tanks at the pet stores labeled as to level of care , mature size/ min. tank size , proper food and  feeding because often the owner maybe absent and the clerk may just not know and the customer as well as the fish deserve better. Thank you for your time,
Thomas Tuck
<It is a business, like any other, to make money. Unfortunately ignorance at all levels of this hobby is something that we here at WWM try to overcome everyday. Find a store that gives you good service with a friendly knowledgeable staff and continue to patronize that store even if their prices are not the lowest. Nobody knows everything. That's why we have a crew here instead of just one person. Next time you see a fish that looks interesting I would recommend that you go over to the book section of the store and try to find out some info about it before purchasing the fish.-Chuck.>

Black ghost knife problems?
Hi Robert,
I'm a bit worried about my new BGK (my new favourite fish!). I am currently setting up a new tank after becoming addicted to my boyfriend's set up! New tank is 80 litres, planted and has a fine gravel substrate. It is currently stocked with 2 Pearl Gourami, 2 Angels, 3 Tiger Danios, 2 Corydoras sterbai and a small (2.5 inch) BGK.
<This IS small!>
Tank is two weeks into its first cycle.
<Yikes... knifefishes don't "like" new systems... Hard on them to go through their initial chemical, biological changes>
The BGK has been in for 3 days and while it seemed happy in the first two (hiding amongst plants) but I have come home from work today and it doesn't seem right. It is sort of hovering around the bottom of the tank, moving around almost like a drunk person. It kind of wobbles around a bit, then rests and then wobbles around again. It has plants to hide in, as mentioned, and also a piece of driftwood to go under but it doesn't seem interested in this.
<Mmm, well, this is pretty standard behavior for the species... but... do you have another, older system you can/could move it to?>
At the LFS it was happy hiding amongst Java Moss and seemed unconcerned with the lit tank (I'd watched it there for a couple of days and it seemed very strong and healthy). There are really no other signs/symptoms except this apparent listlessness and my gut instinct (and it appears to be easily caught in the relatively light current and moved along which wasn't happening yesterday). I checked the water parameters and everything was fine - Ph 7.0, temp 26C. Nitrite was very slightly elevated but not of note (I have added Amtrite down to fix this.)
<Mmm, only temporarily and at a "cost"... as stated, Apteronotus don't like "going" through cycles>
Is it just acclimatizing or do I have a problem??
<Perhaps both>
Please help, I was really impressed with what I've seen on the site and decided you're the man to ask!
Thanks.
Alia
<Best to move the specimen to an established, similarly peaceful setting, second best to be very careful of not feeding much, urging your completion of biological filtration (Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm.  Bob Fenner>

Black ghost knife fish
I have a BGK fish and yesterday noticed three splits in the fin under his
body, today there must be about thirty of these splits, could you help me in
finding out what this is and what I can do. Yesterday I bought a new African
Knifefish and wondered if this may be the cause, I'm not sure because the
splits were already there  before I added the new fish.
Thank you Anita
<These two may well be fighting... during the night probably... I would separate them... the Black Ghost will heal on its own otherwise. Bob Fenner>

SICK JACK THE KNIFE
I have an African Knifefish and it is pretty hard to find useful information about this species. I have a 55 gallon tank that recently got ich as a result of a fairly new clown loach. The loach died and gave it to a danio and another loach I had. I raised the temp to 85 degrees and I have raised the salinity to 1.003. (Over a period of a few days of course). The loach's spots went away as well as the danios and I haven't found any other traces of ich. 
Things have not been going well however. Yesterday, I found a dead African dwarf frog and today I found a heavily bloated danio who is probably dead by the time you read this. My other danio looks like his stomach is protruding a bit as well. I checked my knife and he has these two big patches of white. I didn't know if it was ich because it isn't small dots it is a very large patch (about 3cm) and another patch (about 1 cm). 
I have two small Plecos that I haven't noticed any problems with and I really don't want anything to happen to my knife. Are the large patches ich or something else? They have just showed up today and were not there yesterday so I am
catching it pretty early. Any suggestions? Thanks for any help and great site.
< Your tank is breaking down from the water treatments. Drop the water temp to 78 to 80 degrees. The high water temps are stressing your danios and causing the bloat. Do a 30% water change, and vacuum the gravel. Service the filter too. Check the ammonia and nitrite levels, they should be zero. Check the nitrates. They should be lower than 25 ppm. Now that the tank is cleaned up you need to treat those bacterial infections on the knife fish. Use Nitrofurazone and back off on the salt. This medication may affect the good bacteria that breaks down fish waste so watch for ammonia spikes.-Chuck>

Black Ghost Knife
I read that a BGK likes tank temp.s up to 82 degrees. I've raised the temp. to help cure him of a series of illnesses and he's been in an 84-85 degree tank for about a month and a half now. How long can he tolerate the higher temperatures?
<Indefinitely actually... will shorten lifespan a bit... but the only real worry here is aeration... dissolved oxygen is less soluble and metabolic rates elevated at higher temperatures...>
I'm still treating him (with Paradigm for flukes, worms etc) so I wasn't planning on dropping the temp until this one hopefully goes away. Thanks so much for all your great info - you've been a really wonderful resource.
<Glad to help. Bob Fenner>

Freshwater Question... Knife disease
How long does it take for ich to kill fish?
<Sometimes mere hours from the appearance of "spots", other times "never", the infestation existing as recycling generations...>
I have a BG Knifefish and I
thought it Had Gotten ich a couple of months after I got it. It has been 4 months
that I see Some symptoms( green-like flour on him, yellow head stripe). When I
got him his stripe was white I have raised the temp to 84, did many water
changes and used medication at half strength. All water parameters are fine and the
only other thing is that he is not that active from when I had him for the
first 2 months( he is in a 30 gallon tank, about 5.5" long). His tank mates are a
3" Blue Gourami and a 4" Pictus cat( The cat showed symptoms but when I
raised the temp. they disappeared).
<They are VERY susceptible>
I am Planning to move the 3 of them to a 55
gallon in the future (when should I get the 55 to move him into)?
<Whenever you can afford it>
What could this
be ( Can you give me all the info you can)?
<Perhaps "nothing" in the way of a biological disease... maybe another type of (internal) infestation... could be largely "untreatable"... If you have treated the system as you describe, I doubt if this is/was "ich">
Do BGK eat fish like angels, rams,
Butterfly fish? Finally my friend wants to know, How many rams can you put in
a 29 gallon tank?
<This Knifefish does not consume any but the smallest of fishes... A twenty nine can house two pair of Microgeophagus. Bob Fenner>
Jahner

Ghost Knife with red spot on tail
Hello again,
I contacted you earlier with an Ich problem with my BGK (see below). He's been recovering beautifully thanks to your help and I've been lowering the tank temp down to 81 from the 86 it was at. However, for some reason, within the last 24 hours he has developed a red spot, like a blood spot on the white portion of his tail. It's not very large and doesn't span the width of his tail, only a small portion, but enough to notice clearly. I'd attach a picture but I'm unable to get a decent enough shot. His appetite is off a little also. He's eating the brine shrimp but not as voraciously as usual. Water is still testing same as listed below. Could he have hurt himself.
<Yes. This is the most likely explanation>
He has no tank mates at all and only items in tank are a large piece of wood and a ghost house (which he loves). He also spends a lot of time by the surface and seems to enjoy running up and down one of the powerhead tubes in the
corner.
<All normal behavior>
I installed a bubble wall to increase oxygenation since we were upping the temp so much and have left it going full on even with the tank temp lower.
<Good>
Could that have anything to do with this?
<Not likely>
I'm also still treating with half doses of the Aquarisol but only every other day now.  Any suggestions? Thanks so very, very much!  Jennifer
<Just to keep on doing what you're doing... all will likely be well. Bob Fenner>

Re: Ghost Knife with red spot on tail UPDATE - TAIL ROT
I have an update to this last note - the red spot must have been the onset to tail rot. I'm completely at a loss on this one. We just got him over Ich and now this - I don't understand. The water levels are very good... pH 7.6 - ammonia was at 0 - Nitrates were very low - water hardness is 60. About 1/8th of his tail has disappeared since yesterday. I did a 30% water change, added 2 tbsp of salt, Pimafix and increasing the temp again. This tail rot problem didn't rear it's ugly head until the temp had gotten back down to 81. His appetite was good tonight - he loves bloodworms. Can I use an antibiotic like Maracyn or tetracycline with a BGK? What else can I do for him? Thank you!
<You can use an antibiotic... I would go with the Maracyn/Erythromycin... is mixable with all else you're doing... and I would re-elevate the water temperature till this problem is gone. Bob Fenner>

Re: Ghost Knife with red spot on tail, now white "worm" hanging from gill
Good Afternoon Crew,
Sorry to inundate you with issues with this one BGK but things just keep going wrong. After curing him from Ich, he got tail rot, that seems to be under control now as it doesn't seem to be deteriorating any more. I've started him on the Maracyn-two tablets as of 36 hours ago per your instructions. However, this morning I came down to check him and he has this long white wormy looking thing hanging out from his left gill. (pls see attached pic) What on earth am I doing to this poor animal? I've rechecked the water and Ammonia is 0, PH is 7.6, Nitrates are less than .25. And I had the water checked at the local fish store to verify my results and they also concluded that my water tests fine. He's the only fish in this 55 gal tank. His appetite is a little off. He used to love brine shrimp but last night he'd suck them in and spit them back out. Then I added some blood worms because I wanted to make sure he was eating and he ate those although less than usual. I've researched gill disease etc and can't find anything that denotes a while long wormy thing coming out through the gills. Any ideas as to what it could be? I'll continue on the Maracyn for the duration, but is there anything else I should be doing to the tank to "Cleanse" it so to speak of anything else I could be harboring?  Thank you so very much for all your help.
< Your poor Black Ghost Knife also has gill flukes. He should be treated with Fluke-Tabs.-Chuck>

BGK Question
I have a Black Ghost Knifefish (4-5") for almost 6 Months now. I have noticed that his Black Body looks like it is now covered in a off-black to grey slime or flour-like coating. I think it's ich and I know that ich is hard to treat on these fish.
<Yes>
I raised the temp. to the mid- 80's like your site suggested.
<Good>
His tankmates are a Pictus Cat (3-4") and a Blue Gourami (2-4"). The cat showed dome cysts, but after the temp increase they disappeared. I can't afford a quarantine and he is in a 29 gallon, which is to be upgraded to a 55 as soon as space in my house becomes available and I can get more money. I have bought Rid-Ich+ just in case it can be used. Should I use the medication?
<Yes... at half strength... removing any carbon, chemical filtrants... keeping close watch on all, being ready to change water...>
What else can I do? I love and have become attached to this fish and I don't want to lose him. Can you help me, I want to save him, raise him up and have him for a while? Thank You, John
<Read re: this disease, these fishes... treat carefully and all should be well. Bob Fenner> 

Black ghost knife with ich
Hi
I have a Black ghost knife fish who is a new addition to my tank - though I have owned them in the past and have learned the * hard way* that these fish need a lot of individual care.
<And don't "like" ich medications>
through research and experience, there has been a great learning curve for me -  My tank is 29 gal with only 5 other fish who have been stable and healthy ( 2 are Discus and healthy).
<This tank is way too small for even just the Knife... or one Discus>
2 days ago, I bought a 4 inch BGKF who has a great personality but the aquarium shop I got him is only 75% reliable  - has a fair number of unhealthy fish)- my tank has been quite healthy and I do 30% H2O changes every 2 wks w/ gravel vac.
<I take it you did not quarantine this new addition>
  Today, my BGK started to show a number of ich spots - I killed my last BGK with Rx in the main tank for another sick fish -
<Very common>
(ironically - the 1st discus I got had a good case of hole in head!) I bought this fish because I loved the personality of this fish... - I need to *save him* - what should I do? all readings on my tank are normal ; ph is 7.8, Soft H2O, lots of hiding places sterilizer always running.
Peggy
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwich.htm
and the Related FAQs (linked, in blue, at top)
and: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/knifefishfaqs.htm
I would use half doses of AquariSol, elevate temperature to the mid-80's F... And get a larger system for this life ASAPractical. Bob Fenner>

Parasitized Knife? Questions about life
have a Black Ghost Knifefish (4.5") that I suspect has ich or velvet because
I see a light (dull white) flour-like  on one part of his body. He also has
it under his gill area, his head stripe is also yellow?
<Do come this way>
Is this Ich or Velvet?
<Could be either or neither>
His tank-mates are an angel and a gourami at the moment. How long does it take
them to grow to their final height?
<Years>
How long should I wait to upgrade from a
29 to a 55 gallon tank.
<As soon as practical>
I also have a  common silver angel that's tail fin is
torn, I suspect a newly added Blue Gourami did it, will he be fine or is
medication needed?
<Not needed>
I'm curious, how long do fish live without water?
<Some species for hours... others for minutes>
Also my
Birthday is coming up (12/25 how exciting for me)
<Yes, happy birthday!>
and I am trying to persuade my
parents to buy me a 65 gallon tank to start my first saltwater tank. Do you know
any words that can help me convince them, because I love fish and I always
wanted my own saltwater tank?
<Perhaps tie the request with a wish of their own. Pledging yourself to study diligently maybe>
I mean this is my only hobby and I also want to
become a Marine biologist (will be taking a marine biology class in my senior year
of high school which is in 2 years) Can you help me with everything listed
above? Thank You and Happy Holidays
Sincerely,
John
Queens, New York
<Mmm, do make the effort to look into volunteer work at Public and private aquariums... perhaps even working a bit for a local fish store. Bob Fenner>

And the Crystal Ball Says....
I have a 29 Gallon freshwater tank and I think my Black ghost Knifefish has either ich or velvet. I'm not really sure if it is sick, but I bought medicine anyway. I don't have a Quarantine and I can't afford one. What should I do? I
know I shouldn't but should I add the medicine In the tank he is in, because one or two of my other fish don't look good either? I want to  save my fish, especially my Black Ghost Knifefish, can you help me?
Jahner
<Will try, but we need more info. For now do large daily water changes. Use a gravel vac. Do not add the meds until we find out what's wrong. Why do you think he is sick? Is he showing spots? Do you test the water? If so, what are the readings? How often do you change water? What % do you change? Type of filter? How long has it been set up? Add any new fish lately. How about feeder fish? The more you tell us the better we can help. We know nothing at this point except you think he has Ick or Velvet. Sorry, we need more. Don>  

....Black Ghost, White Spots
Well I do regular water changes (once very 2 weeks). I just did a 100% water
change
He is showing something like he is a little spot of flour. The head stripe is
yellow and it is white under the gill area. I tested the what everything is
normal Ph is 7.6. Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite is 0. I have had the tank since may
and my ghost for 4 months. I added a fish 2 weeks ago. I have a bad filter
(don't laugh) aqua-tech( any filter is better than none), and what do you mean by
feeder fish?
<Check closely for other white spots . The new fish may have introduced a disease called ich that may be somewhat tricky to treat on Black Ghost knife fish. You filter should turn the water volume of the tank times three every hour, with five times per hour being better. Feeder fish are small inexpensive fish used to feed large fish eating fish,-Chuck>
Jahner

Ghost knife fish
Hi,
    I'm totally new to keeping fish ..... Recently, (about 2 days ago) I
bought 2 knife ghost fish and a new fish tank for them .... I did not
do research before buying them. So here's the problem ... the new tank
is totally empty .. I haven't had time to go get those "hiding" places
for them .... Only place they hide is behind a pump in the tank and
they seems to be fighting for the space ..... Do I have to separate
them using a partition in the tank ? Also one of the them had the fin
like "broken" that like hair .. not in one whole piece as like the
other... is there any wrong with it ? and what should I do ?,
< Black ghost knife fish are nocturnal (feed at night), so they don't thrive in brightly lighted aquariums without suitable places for them to hide during the day. You really don't have to separate them as long as you give each of them their own shelter to go to  during the times you have the lights on. Get a couple pieces of PVC pipe from the local hardware store and throw it in there for now and they will be fine . Although the tank will not look to good with a couple pieces of white pipe in it.-Chuck>
Thanks a lot
Chasel

Re: Attempt to save Ghost knife fish
Hi,
    Thanks for the last reply. However, I'm sending this out in
attempt to save my fish. I now have a tank with some plant and a log
inside, 2 black ghost knife fish and a swordtail. They live fine with
each other and I had been feeding them with flask and they ate them.
< Sorry . don't know what flask is so I don't know the significance is if the black ghost knives ate them>
But just yesterday, I notice my 2 black ghost fish are not doing well.
They aren't moving much even when I turn the light off ....and not
feeding either. I have no idea why this is happening. I don't have any
tester to test the water condition. My last water change of 30% was
5 days also. They were still fine then. I don't know what else I can do. All
I did was a 30% water change this morning hope to save them. Any
similar situation to help ?
< Well I guess we need to determine if their behaviour change is a symptom of something more serious. Try feeding some California blackworms, often called Tubifex still at some pet shops across the U.S. If they don't go for this look carefully for signs and symptoms of some things we can specifically treat. I really don't like to medicate a tank if it is not needed. In the meantime make sure that the water is up about 80 degrees F and the filters have been serviced and do another 30% water change. This should take care of any water quality problems. If the fish don't respond then I would remove them to a hospital tank were they can be observed more closely and look for symptoms.-Chuck>
Thanks
Chasel