Black ghost knifefish
Apteronotus albifrons
- Tank length
- 180 cmabout 6 ft (71 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C73–82 °F
- pH
- 5.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 40 cm16 in
- Lifespan
- 10–15 yrs
Nocturnal and grows large; needs a long tank, a tube to hide in, and no small fish it can swallow at night.Nocturnal and grows large; needs a long tank, a tube to hide in, and no small fish it can swallow at night.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Black ghost knifefishAlligator gar may eat Black ghost knifefish
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Black ghost knifefishArapaima may eat Black ghost knifefish
- Channel catfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Hogchoker
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Longear sunfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Orange chromide
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Paroon shark
Paroon shark may eat Black ghost knifefishParoon shark may eat Black ghost knifefish
- Piraiba
Piraiba may eat Black ghost knifefishPiraiba may eat Black ghost knifefish
- Pumpkinseed
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Sailfin cory
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Shovelnose sturgeon
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Warmouth
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 23–28 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.5–7.8 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Origin | Amazon and Orinoco basins | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | semi aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 10–15 | curated-v0 (needs expert review); agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Months to adult size | 30 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 180 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |