Banded Knifefish

The banded knifefish is a knifefish that lives across a very wide region of Central and South America and carries slanting light-colored bands on its olive-brown body. It has no dorsal or tail fin; it glides using the long fin on its belly. It navigates by weak electric signals and can take air from the surface in oxygen-poor water. It reaches 40–50 cm in the aquarium and grows longer in the wild. Scientifically it is a species complex that includes many similar species.

• At least 400 liters and 150 cm in length for a single individual.
• Pipes and roots; dark corners where it can hide.
• Sand substrate, a sturdy lid.
• A powerful filter and 30% water changes every week.

Carnivorous and greedy. Fish fillet, shrimp, worms and sinking pellets; fed in the evening and at night.

A nocturnal, aggressive predator. It eats fish that fit in its mouth and may also bite large fish; it cannot be kept with its own kind.

Good companions: the safest option is to keep it alone; in a very large tank it can be tried carefully with large species that are too big to fit in its mouth and can defend themselves.

Avoid: small and medium-sized fish, shrimp, other knifefish.