# Ghost Shrimp With Black Ghost Knife Fish (question)



## broujos

*black ghost knife fish with ghost shrimp (question*

i have an aquarium Broujos's Tank - 4 gallon Freshwater fish tank and i want to add 1 or more ghost shrimps but i am afraid that my black ghost knife fish (4 inch, 10 cm) will eat it :-( , can i do something to avoid it? also if u want tell me about important things that a ghost shrimp needs! Thank you :-D


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## Christople

That fish reqquires a 65 gallon fish tank, and the pleco also does... 4 gallons doesn't how much


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## broujos

Christople said:


> That fish reqquires a 65 gallon fish tank, and the pleco also does... 4 gallons doesn't how much


thank you! my fish are really small , the bgkf is only 4 inches and the pleco 3! when they grow up, i will buy them one!! but what about ghost shrimps?:roll:


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## Byron

The knifefish is a predator, so that answers the shrimp question. But you have a serious problem already by having a potentially large fish in too small a space. When fish are like this, they do not grow properly, the internal organ development is hindered and deformation occurs, and can lead to stunting. The fish will be highly stressed, with a weakened immune system, and various health problems and liely premature death. It may seem OK now but I can assure you it is not.

There is also the issue of a proper environment for this species; it is nocturnal, and requires hiding spots and dim light. These issues can also affect a fish's health and growth.

I'm thinking of the fish, so please understand my comments in that light.

Byron.


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## broujos

Byron said:


> The knifefish is a predator, so that answers the shrimp question. But you have a serious problem already by having a potentially large fish in too small a space. When fish are like this, they do not grow properly, the internal organ development is hindered and deformation occurs, and can lead to stunting. The fish will be highly stressed, with a weakened immune system, and various health problems and liely premature death. It may seem OK now but I can assure you it is not.
> 
> There is also the issue of a proper environment for this species; it is nocturnal, and requires hiding spots and dim light. These issues can also affect a fish's health and growth.
> 
> I'm thinking of the fish, so please understand my comments in that light.
> 
> Byron.


thank you so much!! i will save some money to buy some equipment to make my fish's life better! really usefull information! a 30 gallon tank would be also small?? im going to buy any size that my fish needs.. but im not so rich that i can afford a 100 gallon tank.. can you please suggest me a minimum size of tank for this BGK and a Pleco? thanks!


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## bigehugedome

Christople said:


> That fish reqquires a 65 gallon fish tank, and the pleco also does... 4 gallons doesn't how much


65 gallon minimum. I have read elsewhere that it should be bigger. Don't stress your self and the fish by trying to make this work untill you get a bigger tank. Your best bet is to re-home the fish( return to store you got it from, see if a store will take if off you, maybe for a credit or craigslist) and get something that you like that fits your tank and water parameters. If it's a 4 gallon you can really only fit one betta. Or some shrimp. When you get a bigger tank, see what you like in there store, write down their names ( scientific if possible) and then post on here and we will tell you what does and does not work.


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## Byron

Yes, a 500 litre (130 gallon) tank is what you should have for the knifefish and sailfin pleco together. They would do fine together, with space to be themselves. If this is unrealistic for you (as it would be for me), I agree with bighugedome's suggestion to return the fish and select others that are better suited to your tank space.

This is a problem may aquarists find themselves in, especially as they first enter the hobby. All these beautiful and fascinating fish, 2-3 inches long, swimming around in a 20 gallon tank in the store--why not? But they grow, and grow fast some of them, and without sufficient space during that entire growing period, bad health is almost a certainty.

The sailfin pleco attains 15 inches, the BGK can attain 20 inches though usually slightly under that in aquaria. The former lives up to 20 years, the latter up to 10 years; so we are talking about rather long-term investments.


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## Christople

what he said ^^


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## broujos

guys thank you so much about all this information! i am not going to return the fish back, because i love it and it loves me too, withing 2 weeks it eats from my hand! i will buy tank with more than 70 gallons size and anything it needs! thanks


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## Christople

70 gallons is just while it grows up and that tank needs to be bought right now or else you'll have a deformed and unhappy BGK,I think four gallons shouldn't really house any thing IMO, bettas work but I'd prefer a 10 gallon.


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## broujos

Christople said:


> 70 gallons is just while it grows up and that tank needs to be bought right now or else you'll have a deformed and unhappy BGK,I think four gallons shouldn't really house any thing IMO, bettas work but I'd prefer a 10 gallon.


do we speak for imperial gallons or uk gallons?? well.. i found many different information.. they some say minimum tank size 50 gallon, other say 65, other 100, and other 135.. i will buy one 70, until it grows a little more, and if it is ok i will buy a bigger .. anyways Thank you really much guys!! :-D


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## Christople

We were talking U.S. gallons


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## broujos

Christople said:


> We were talking U.S. gallons


ok


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## broujos

*Can i plant my aquarium anytime i want?*

i have bought a new 50 gal tank, and i wonder if i can add my fish, and then put some plants after some days.. can i do it?:roll:


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## Byron

broujos said:


> i have bought a new 50 gal tank, and i wonder if i can add my fish, and then put some plants after some days.. can i do it?:roll:


Plant it first. With enough plants from day one, you can add a few fish/small fish and the plants will easily handle the ammonia. Without the plants, you will have "new tank syndrome" and risk ammonia and then nitrite issues harming if not killing the fish.


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## broujos

Byron said:


> Plant it first. With enough plants from day one, you can add a few fish/small fish and the plants will easily handle the ammonia. Without the plants, you will have "new tank syndrome" and risk ammonia and then nitrite issues harming if not killing the fish.


ok! thank you very much :-D


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## Christople

50 gallons still isn't big enough, you will have to buy a 70 and then a 90 and see after the 90


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## broujos

Christople said:


> 50 gallons still isn't big enough, you will have to buy a 70 and then a 90 and see after the 90


why?


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## Christople

the fish simply wouldn't be able to turn around in the 50 gallon and it would still cause stress


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