African knifefish
Xenomystus nigri
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The African knifefish, the only member of its genus, lives in the Chad, Nile, Congo and Niger basins and coastal rivers of West Africa, in calm, vegetated waters. It has no dorsal fin. Nocturnal, it eats worms, crustaceans, insects and snails. It rises to the surface to gulp air and makes barking sounds. The female lays 150 to 200 eggs. Adults become territorial towards their own kind. It reaches 30 centimetres.
- Scientific name
- Xenomystus nigri
- Family
- Notopteridae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Notopteridae
- Order
- Osteoglossiformes
- Synonyms
- Notopterus nigri, Notopterus nili, Xenomystes nigri
Origin
- Native region
- África
Water
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C
- pH
- 5.8–7.5
- General hardness (GH)
- 1–20 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 30 cm
- Lifespan
- 11.4 years
- Minimum tank (volume)
- 205 L
- Minimum tank (length)
- 120 cm
Behavior
- Swimming level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
Care
- Care difficulty
- Easy
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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