Species Profile
Black Ghost Knife
Apteronotus albifrons
Also known as: BGK, Black Ghost
Oddballspeaceful
Adult size
18″
Minimum tank
100 gal
Temperature
75–82°F
pH
6.5–7.5
Schooling
Solitary OK
Water level
bottom
Grows from juvenile
Typically sold at ~4″ and reaches 18″ over ~2 years. Plan tank size for the adult, not the fish at purchase.Diet
Frozen bloodworms, mysis, krill — eats anything small enough
Notes
Solid black eel-shaped electric fish — generates a weak electric field to navigate. Nocturnal. Peaceful with similar-sized tankmates but will eat any fish small enough to swallow. Needs a hiding tube and dim lighting.
Photo: Photo by and (c)2005 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man) / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-2.5