# clown knife fish



## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

First off let me say hello. I am new to this site and was wondering if you guys could let me know if I am doing something wrong. I have had this clown knife fish for about a 2 weeks now and it is not eating. I have tried red rosey's, sinking pellets, shrimp and beef heart. He will take a nip at all of the mentioned foods but the live fish. As soon as he bites it he spits it out. What am i doing wrong? Also he dose not move around alot. Help please.

Ryan


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## mhertzfeld (May 19, 2012)

I had one of these a while back when I was first getting into the hobby. I had a lot of trouble with him too until he eventually died.

Is he in a tank by himself? If not then his tank mates are probably stressing him out. I'm sure you know this already, but these guys get huge. If he survives he's gonna need at least a 125g. Also, are you using sand or gravel?

They love blood worms. I would get some live ones and try feeding by hand. If you don't have luck with that try taking him to LFS and see if they will make a trade, or put on craigslist.


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

He is in a 55g with a pike cichlid and lima shovelnose cat. I will try what you said wish me luck


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

update checked ph levels and they were high treated tank and all is getting better. put in 3 rosey's pike ate one and the clown knife fish tried to eat one and it got away. so thats a plus. Anothe plus is i got to see my shovelnose cat smoke the other two rosey's.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

All of these fish in a 55 gallon? What sized tank are you upgrading to?


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## clgkag (Mar 22, 2008)

You know that knife fish will be a 4ft fish eventually right?


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

yeah right now they are all smallish. Pike is about 6" Clown knife is about 7" and my lima cat is 10". I have a 125 g in the works and also looking at a 200g.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

The 200 gallon is likely a minimum size, go big.


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

well I may not have to.  My clown knife has ick... Got it in a 10g trying to medicate him/her. Not looking so good every few min he will start to turn over than he rights himself. So on and so on....... not happy right now... And to top it off im going on 3 days of trying to get my ph down in the 55g and its not working. Its reading 7.6 plus and every day I check it there is no change.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

rshooch said:


> well I may not have to.  My clown knife has ick... Got it in a 10g trying to medicate him/her. Not looking so good every few min he will start to turn over than he rights himself. So on and so on....... not happy right now... And to top it off im going on 3 days of trying to get my ph down in the 55g and its not working. Its reading 7.6 plus and every day I check it there is no change.


Did he develop the ich in the 55g? If so then you need to treat the main tank.


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## NeptunesNeighborhood (Apr 19, 2012)

Do you fish *require* a lower pH than 7.6? The main thing with pH for most fish is to just keep it consistent. Agree with razor - you need to treat the entire 55 if the knife was in the 55 and got ick.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

NeptunesNeighborhood said:


> Do you fish *require* a lower pH than 7.6? The main thing with pH for most fish is to just keep it consistent. Agree with razor - you need to treat the entire 55 if the knife was in the 55 and got ick.


From the little I do know about knife fish the adults can handle a higher pH than can the juveniles. So I think mid 7's is probably fine.


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

well he isnt going to make it. He is hanging sideways floating around the tank and every few min. flops over. should i let him keep doing this or take him out?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

rshooch said:


> well he isnt going to make it. He is hanging sideways floating around the tank and every few min. flops over. should i let him keep doing this or take him out?


If you take him out he will die for sure or is that what you mean?


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

well i just dont know if he will make it just didnt know if fish suffer


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

rshooch said:


> well i just dont know if he will make it just didnt know if fish suffer


Doesn't sound good. The best thing you can do now is completely black out the room making it as dark as possible and see if he pulls through the night.


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## rshooch (Jul 2, 2012)

Well it is a sad day as my knife clown did not make it.  I realize now that he wasnt in 100% shape when I got him but I thought I could rescue him. I have done it with other fish but maybe this fish was alittle more advanced for my skill level. So with that being said I loaded up on every test kit 
I could find and also on treatments and meds. I also bought a book on clown knifes and I am getting a ton of info on chiclids on this site. Thanks to every one that chimed in. I am in it to win now. Hopefully I will be ahead of the power curve this time instead of playing catch up. Thank you 13razorback fan for all the help.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

rshooch said:


> Well it is a sad day as my knife clown did not make it.  I realize now that he wasnt in 100% shape when I got him but I thought I could rescue him. I have done it with other fish but maybe this fish was alittle more advanced for my skill level. So with that being said I loaded up on every test kit
> I could find and also on treatments and meds. I also bought a book on clown knifes and I am getting a ton of info on chiclids on this site. Thanks to every one that chimed in. I am in it to win now. Hopefully I will be ahead of the power curve this time instead of playing catch up. Thank you 13razorback fan for all the help.


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## joerjoe (Mar 19, 2013)

It sounds bad for you. I think you should take care your fish the next time you want to have it again.
Sometimes they are hard to take care especially when you dont know their styles of living.


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## jondregoz (Mar 24, 2013)

That species requires a very large well planted aquarium. It is best not to keep more then one of these fishes together in an aquarium unless it's big enough for several territories to be formed.
Love your fish.


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## joerjoe (Mar 19, 2013)

jondregoz said:


> That species requires a very large well planted aquarium. It is best not to keep more then one of these fishes together in an aquarium unless it's big enough for several territories to be formed.
> Love your fish.


You're right. :fish:

_____________________________

Military knife that is intended primarily for use in a role other than combat is typically referred to by their primary role.


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