Freshwater
African knifefish
Xenomystus nigri
Notopteridae, Xenomystinae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 30 cm
- Body shape
- Streamlined
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 648 liters
- Diet
- Missing
Know what is missing? Suggest it in the app.
Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Native
Lives wild in Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Egypt, Gabon, and 5 more countries.
More about the species
Description
Prefers quiet waters with vegetation. Females lay 150-200 eggs of 2 mm diameter. Can produce barking sounds. Comes to the surface from time to time to swallow air. Feeds at dusk and during the night on worms, crustaceans, insects and snails.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Notopterus nigri
- Notopterus nili
- Xenomystes nigri
In other languages
- Afrikansk knivfisk
- Barrygget knivbladfisk
- Teräkala
- African knife fish, African knife-fish, False featherback
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up an African aquarium5 min read
Two completely different aquariums: forest rivers with soft, brown water, roots and leaves, and Rift Valley lake cichlids in hard, alkaline water with big rock piles.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.