Black Ghost

Question
Hello Chris!
  I have a 44 gal long tank with 6 medium tetras,one big pool comet and a pleco. I just got a Black Ghost. I did not want it but my girlfriend did. What I would like to know what type of alternative foods can the Black ghost
eat that the other fish will leave alone. I feed
my plecos squash. The others dont go near it. What else will the Ghost eat? Meat perhaps? The
tank has been set up for 10 months. pH is 6.8. The temp is 78 degrees. I also need to know about water changes. The first Black Ghost we got died. It was a real small one. It died after a water change of 7 gallons. I have had this Ghost for three days now. How do I take care of this fish? Those frozed bloodworms make a mess in the water. I am using Formula One right now
but the ghost does not seem to be eating it. I cleaned the filter yesterday and I am afraid to replace the water the filter used because the fish might die. I never wanted this fish because of the trouble in keeping them but I am stuck with it. What do I do?

                         Thanks for your help,
                                Don


Answer
Hi Don;

Black Ghosts can be very difficult to feed. They are nocturnal so they often will only eat at night. You should find out what he ate at the fish store and go from there. Many will only eat live tubifex worms or baby guppies. It depends on what they were raised on. You can then introduce other foods later once he is comfortable in his new home. The other fish will eat the foods too, but maybe not at night since they can't see. The ghost can't see either, but he has electrical "feelers" in his sides to help him navigate the tank and find food. That's why you can give him a glass hurricane lamp cover on it's side to hide in and he thinks no one can see him. His electrical impulses tell him there is a solid hiding place there so he feels safe.

Black Ghost require very clean water conditions too. I really think the death of the last one was just a coinicidence. A water change should not have bothered him as long as the water temperature was the same and conditioner was used. Make 25% water changes at least every week. Make certain that you use a water conditioner and that the new water is the same temperature as the old water too.  

Here is more info on them;

http://www.allthingsknife.net/index.php?showtopic=37
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile66.html
http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Apteronotus_albifrons.html

The goldfish is not a good fish for a tropical tank. The temperature is too high for him. They are also incredibly messy and gobble up most of the food.

I hope things go okay for everyone in the long run.....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins