# Listless/dying Black Ghost Knife. Help!



## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

I fed my BGK A little bit of cucumber a couple of nights ago. He was doing great and was munching on it for the rest of the night. I didn't pay attention to him yesterday because I was busy breaking down my 75 gallon. Last night I tried to look for him but couldn't find him which is odd because he always comes up to me when I put my hand in the tank. This morning I found him lying on the substrate listless and breathing heavy. His body looks great no bacteria infection or fungus. 

The only thing I could think of is either c02 poisoning because two days ago i added a c02 glass diffuser and forgot to pull it out at night or he ate too much cucumber. I can't test how much c02 is in my water because I don't have a kh tester =( Anybody else ever experienced this? I'm really upset cause I really enjoy this fish.

Oh yeah I pulled out my c02 and I am currently aerating my water with a powerhead

water parameters
ph 7.0
Nitrate 10ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

since the CO2 got removed has he improved?


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

no =( still the same. I'm pretty sure he's going to die but man... how can a fish go from great to bleh in a couple of days. I have other fish in the tank too and they all seem fine... no heavy breathing.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

its a black ghost knife, they are known in the industry as a fifteen day fish... being that you have had it so long i gotta give you credit, they are just funny with EVERYTHING...

it is the equivilent of a moorish idol, eats, looks great for months, then one day it acts funny, the next day its a flush job...


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

lol yeah I think I am done with this fish. I get one every year thinking it'll be different this time around but I guess not. Thanks for replying though! I think I just needed to vent and get some reassurance that its not only me that can't keep these fishes.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

in the aquarium I manage I don't order them... EVER, if someone who works here does, they have to pay me for it...


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

So I woke up this morning to find him still alive... maybe he'll make it? He's moving a lot more today.

Quick question... will my plants start dying if I aerate the water for the rest of the week?


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

no, you will have little new growth though...


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

okay thats fine, as long as I can keep this BGK alive


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

there were other stories of fish getting sick and dying after feeding cucumber. We guessed it was pesticide residue on the skin.


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

yeah thats what I suspected because he was really munching on it. I gave some to my royal pleco too but he seems to be okay


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## CichlidFL. (Oct 13, 2009)

most ppl dont feeg bgk's veggies, theyre primarily carnivores, so maby some nutritional deficiency? try blackworms or teeeeeeeeennnnnnyyyyy guppy fr


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

I feed him a variety of food from brine shrimp, blood worms, flake food, and just recently the stupid cucumber. He's still alive but hanging by a thread, should I euthanze or wait it out another night?


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## paludarium freak (Jan 26, 2010)

Wait another night


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## Delslo (Feb 5, 2010)

I had a BGK "Chester" I had him for 6 months he grew to 10" I was hand feeding him for awhile too. Amazing fish. I lost countless shrimp and small fish to him, but that was alright with me. I looked in the tank the one day and he was acting funny. i immediately checked the water quatlity and everything was just fine. I woke up the next morning and couldn't find him, until I found him passed on the bottom. Great fish, unfortunate and unknown end.


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## susankat (Oct 14, 2007)

I had one that I kept for 6 years and was almost 15 inches. Feed mainly proteins and you will find that he will do better. I fed mine, brine shrimp, bloodworms and even guppy fry. They do appreciate some veggie matter, which I usually just used spirulina tabs.


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

he ended up dying after I posted last =( I will wait awhile before I try again. But I must say they are really awesome fish


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

Hmmmm, I'm sure there are some other awesome options. However, after a night of drinking they escape me. Lolz. I will post something useful tomorrow!


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## mawar (Dec 7, 2009)

lol good idea! i'm going to drink a glass of wine now =)


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## RianS (May 12, 2009)

That's so strange how you buy one each year and it ends the same each time. I bought one about a year ago when it was like 2 inches and it was kept in a heated tank 82*F fed mostly bloodworms, hikari, and dainichi and he grew up fine. He now lives outside in a pond where he measures close to a foot. Every three months we'll do a 100% water change and the temp will drop a lot and he's never been affected.


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