Are you wondering about bringing an unusual sea animal into your freshwater aquarium? Then, Elephant nose fish could be a great choice. Peter’s Elephantnose fish is a unique featured fish that is not common among aquarium keepers.
Once you hear “Elephant nose,” you immediately have an iconic picturization of Peter’s elephant nose fish. But if you are a beginner at keeping aquariums, then you will wonder if the fish can be huge with a trunk like an elephant. Unlikely, tiny fish with trunk-like long lips contribute to naming them.
As you look at the fish, you will be clear and know how they are unique and unusual, but what may not be clear is about taking care of them in captivity.
Here I will give you detailed information about the fish, how to take care of them, and many more.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Gnathonemus petersii |
| Common Name | Elephant nose Fish, Long-Nose Elephant Fish, Ubangi Mormyrid, Peter’s Elephantnose Fish, elephant fish |
| Origins | West and Central Africa region, middle in the Orgun River, lower Niger River, basins and upper Chari River |
| Type | Freshwater |
| Color | Dark brown, black |
| Nature | Shy, Timid, and territorial |
| Diet | Carnivorous |
| Life Span | 7- 10 Years |
| Size | 15- 25 cm |
| Price Range | $35-$40 |
Appearance
At first glimpse only, you will know that the elephant nose fish is not large. In the natural habitat, the fish can grow about 25 cm, whereas you would not find fish longer or bigger than the size of 15 cm in captivity.
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Although Peter Elephantnose lacks ventral fins, it has pectoral fins located almost near its head. The dorsal and anal fins are other fins that adorn the fish and are almost at the tail.
As the fish is mostly found in muddy water, it has an almost black or dark complexion and is also found in brown color. You would be mesmerized to see its velvety look as the fish has no scale on its flattened lateral trunk.
The elephant nose fish uses the unique feature of emitting electrical pulses from its lower body organ. The impulse helps the fish to detect food and object under the water, search for a partner, and also to survive underwater.
Learn about how to feed aquarium fish from here.
Tank Setup For Elephantnose Fish
Make sure you have a good plan for your fish before you welcome them to your aquarium. It would be wise of you to get ready and be aware of all the factors to make your fish comfortable. So to be prepared for the setup for your fish, continue reading the article.
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Tank Ambiance
If you want to pet Peter’s Elephantnose fish in your aquarium, then you should take care of their captivity area. Arranging a favorable condition for your fish to live in will help it thrive well. Since Elephant nose fish are inhabitants of a river, they would enjoy much more like a natural habitat which you should keep in mind.
You may have confused about how to take care of or set up their inhabitable condition. Yes, it may be difficult in the beginning, but after going through the following, you will get ready for your fish.
Get more information on The 8 Simple Step Process On How To Set Up a Fish Tank For Beginners.
Water Parameter And Tank Size
You can use 200 liters or 50 gallon of tank size for your Elephantnose fish to make it comfortable. As they prefer slow flow levels of water, so always make sure that the movement of water is not stressing your fish.
SeaClear 50 gal Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set, 36 by 15 by 20 inches in Black, would be a standard aquarium for your Peter’s Elephant nose.
You can arrange slightly acidic water or neutral water to let it thrive in captivity.
You should be very conscious about the water condition as these fish are very sensitive to any change in water conditions. However, it does not mean that beginners should not welcome them.
If you manage to maintain the following water parameters, then no matter whether you are a beginner, you can make a favorable environment for your new member.
Some articles about the aquarium water parameters you may like:
- Maintain Aquarium Water Hardness – Freshwater Aquarium Guide
- How To Stop Water Evaporation In My Aquarium? : Causes And Remedies
| Factor | Minimum | Maximum |
| pH Level | 6.5 | 7.2 |
| Temperature | 73F | 82F |
| Hardness | 4dGH | 18dGH |
| Ammonia | 0 ppm | |
| Nitrite | 0 ppm | |
| Nitrate | <30 ppm | |
| Water flow | Slow | |
Lighting
As you have come to know by far that they are shy and timid, and they prefer low-lighting environments. So, you should use dim or subdued light in the aquarium to make your fish feel comfortable.
The nocturnal way of living of this fish demands you not to use high beam light to make your aquarium look beautiful. Instead, why not go with the preference of your fish to live in limited lighting?
You can have adjustable light and maintain it by red-only lighting for the day as they cannot see red light. And you can use bright lighting at night for plants. Therefore, your fish would feel good about its environment.
Also, keep in mind that these fish are not disadvantaged by the limited light when kept with other fish. You can adjust the lighting as per requirement when there is a fish mate in the aquarium. As per some hobbyists, Peter’s Elephantnose fish also adjust in a well-lit aquarium when kept with comfortable mates.
Substrate Type
Peter’s Elephantnose fish love to be at the bottom of the aquarium. So it would be best if you started with the very bottom of the aquarium to make them feel comfortable by considering their sensitivity to hard objects.
Soft sand would be a great option for your sensitive Peter’s Elephantnose fish. As they would not only be comfortable but also you can prevent the injury that hard substrate could cause.
Therefore never go for hard gravel. Instead, you can get polished gravel with peat crumbs for soil mechanism or river sand to give your fish a natural vibe in your aquarium. You would see Elephantnose fish peaking on the sand while they are hunting for food as they love doing it.
Carib Sea SuperNaturals Peace River (20LB) will be a good substrate if you want one.
Decorations
As you welcome your fish at your home so you would want your fish in a beautiful aquarium. Make sure you have well planned for setting up the aquarium in the right place where it adorns your room.
Use soft gravel and soil to place at the bottom to make it easy for bottom swimmer fish to survive.
Elephant nose fish produce a sound when they emit electrical pulses. You can install a sound amplifier rod inside the aquarium that will allow you to enjoy the sound louder.
You can get detailed information in our other article, ‘Aquarium Decorations: What To and What Not To Add – Beginners Guide’.
Natural Plants
The Elephantnose fish love to be in more dense natural vegetation with well-grown plants. Therefore, you can arrange various types of plants inside the aquarium.
Salvinia and Water Wisteria is a fast-growing plant that you can install in your tank. These plants contribute to taking control of the level of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Therefore these plants would help in maintaining good water conditions.
What is Ammonia Poisoning in Fish Tanks, And How to Get Rid of It? Check it out!
Java Moss is another plant that grows slowly and does not require much care. Your fish can have a place to hide as they are so dense that it gives your fish a dark place to chill.
But if you are unwilling to keep real plants, you can use an artificial plant. Make sure you have enough decor plants and install pipes and hollow logs to provide a hiding spot to reduce stress.
Learn more about 9 Best Low Light Aquarium Plants | Benefits of Aquarium Plants.
Tank Mates
Calm and peace-loving Peter’s Elephantnose fish can easily cope with 4 to 7 species in school. But you must remember that these fish need enough space to deal with their timid behavior.
In their natural habitat, these fish can easily live with their kind, but when it comes to tanks or aquariums, they prefer to have space. Keeping them together with their kind would lead to inevitable aggression among them. Due to their territorial nature, you would have to ensure that you manage enough room for them and other fish.
You can also look at some of the easiest fish to breed.
Are you thinking of what kind of fish can be grouped and confused about what to do? Here I will list fishes that are compatible and incompatible with Elephantnose fish.
Compatible With
Here is the list of fish that can be easily compatible with Peter’s Elephantnose fish
- African Butterfly Fish
- Congo fish
- Angelfish
- Gourami
- Discus fish
- Small Bichirs
- Synodotis Catfish
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- Synodotis Veiled
- Geophagus
- Satanoperca
- Black ghost knife fish
- Cory Catfish
Incompatible With
Most importantly, do not let group your fish with fish they are not compatible with. Here is the list of fishes that are not compatible with Peter’s Elephantnose Fish.
- Other Elephantnose Fish
- Mormyridae Family Fish
When you think of schooling them with other fish, then always choose a less aggressive, slow, and less competitive fish mate.
Things To Consider In Care for Your Elephantnose Fish
Are you wondering what are things to be considered to be taken care of? Always make sure you check upon feeding and health status(disease). Besides that, do not forget about the filtration of water in the tank.
Feeding
The Elephantnose fish, bottom swimmers, mostly feed on mosquito larvae and insects by hunting in the sand. Therefore, you can hide food under the sand to volunteer for hunting. For detecting and flicking its food, it uses its trunk like an elephant. The only difference is that the fish’s mouth is above its trunk.
If you are wondering what you could feed your Peter’s Elephantnose fish, then look out at the list below. They are more carnivorous, so meaty feeding would be your first choice to feed.
Some of the foods that you can feed in the aquarium are:
- Tubifex: San Francisco Bay Brand/Sally’s Freeze-Dried Bacteria Free Tubifex – 4 oz.
- Bloodworms: SAN FRANCISCO BAY Brand Freeze Dried Bloodworms 1.75oz
- Aquatic invertebrates
- Black fly: Josh’s Frogs Melanogaster Fruit Fly Culture Kit (Makes 10 Cultures)
- Frozen Daphnia: 1000+ Live Daphnia Magna
- Mosquito larvae: Exotic Nutrition Bulk Dried Black Soldier Fly Larvae (10 lbs.) – High-Calcium Insect Treat
- Frozen Mysis shrimp: San Francisco Bay Brand Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp 3.35oz
- Frozen krill: Tetra JumboKrill Freeze-Dried Jumbo Shrimp 14 Ounces, Natural Shrimp Treat For aquarium Fish, red (16200)
- Brine shrimp: Omega One Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp, 1.28 oz
- Beef heart: Ancestral Supplements Grass Fed Beef Heart (Desiccated) — Natural CoQ10 (180 Cap)
- Frozen copepod: Cobalt Aquatics25142Ultra Guppy Nano Bits Floating .6mm 6 oz, Natural
- Frozen dried Blackworms: Aquatic Foods Inc. Blackworms, Loose Freeze Dried California Blackworm 10gram
Things To Care For While Feeding
Feeding Peter’s Elephantnose Fish could be easy for you if you remember the following points to take care of their feeding.
- Although the fish might not dislike you feeding frozen food, you can feed them live food for better health.
- If you want not to distress your fish while feeding, then always dim your light before feeding your nocturnal fish. They can locate the food easily in subdued lighting due to their uniquely functioning eyes.
- Be patient with your Peter’s Elephantnose fish, as they are slow eaters, allowing them to take their time while eating.
- Also, make sure that your other fish in the aquarium are fed as well because the fish will not be able to compete to grab food. You can use tweezers to feed your fish particularly.
- Do not starve them from hunger. Always feed them 2 to 3 times a day.
Disease
If you want to keep your fish safe in your aquarium, then always be aware of what could cause them to be uneasy. Besides getting harmed on their trunks due to the hard substrate, they also might get various infections and diseases. I have listed out the causes and symptoms that will surely help to protect your fish before it’s too late.
| Disease with Remedy | Symptoms | Causes |
| Bacterial Infection |
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| Fungal Infections Treatment and Home Remedy for Fin Rot Disease in Aquarium Fish |
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| Skin and Gills Flukes |
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| Tapeworm |
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Filtration (Aquarium Maintenance)
Setting up your aquarium is not only enough to make captivity adjustable for your fish. Besides that, you must also take care of the aquarium time and again by filtration. The water condition must be checked and maintained as per the preferred water parameter for Peter’s Elephantnose fish.
As Elephant nose fish’s big brain requires more oxygen. Its brain uses about 60% of the oxygen the fish intake, which they absorb from the water in the tank.
This leaves you with the only choice: filter the water at least once a week as all impurities water stays down where most of the time your fish like to stay or swim.
So to maintain the water in good and favorable condition, you can install a canister filter or sump filter. Do not use a filter that makes louder noise and leads to maximum water movement in the aquarium.
I recommend Penn Plax Cascade CCF3UL Canister Filter For Large Aquariums and Fish Tanks – Up To 100 Gallons, Filters 265 GPH. Similarly, OEM Delonghi Sump, Filter, and Handle Assembly Shipped With EC685W, EC685M, EC685BK, and EC680 can be a great sump filter.
Furthermore, you can also use water care and meds such as de-chlorinator, API general cure, Maracyn-two, and Ich-x. But changing your aquarium water more frequently would be great.
Is Too Much Water Change Harmful To Your Fish: How To Do It Safely. Find out here!
Most importantly, you should prevent your fish from jumping and leading it to death by making sure about the tight lid on the tank or captivity.
Amazing Facts Of Peter’s Elephantsnose Fish
The elephant nose fish is not only popular for amazing-looking creatures among most hobbyists. Most hobbyists are fond of their unique qualities that you would also be amazed to know. Here are some of the amazing facts that would interest you to bring to your home.
- It has a trunk like an elephant which is its lower lips, the reason behind its name, “Peter’s Elephantnose Fish.”
- This fish is popularly known for producing electricity, but it would not harm anyone. They use it for communicating and detecting food, prey, and nearby object.
- You can hear a unique sound when they produce electrical energy; make sure you have a sound amplifier to hear it louder.
- You would be surprised to know that the fish has a bigger brain when compared to the size of other fish.
- Peter’s Elephantnose fish uses about 60 percent of oxygen of intake to function its brain. Therefore, this breaks the human record as we humans use 20 percent of oxygen intake for the brain.
- Before the research done by scientists, it was believed that Peter’s Elephantnose fish had poor eyesight. But a recent study shows that the elephant nose fish has excellent eyesight that allows it to see in muddy water very well.
- All vertebrates have a system of rods and cones in their eyes that help function. The Elephantnose fish has more rods that allow it to see during nighttime more efficiently to detect its prey and predator. The cones are also unusually structured in their eyes.
- Most importantly, a recent study shows that elephant nose fish has better or equivalent eyesight to the goldfish (which is considered to have good vision among the fish community)
- Rods and cones in the eye function simultaneously in the elephant nose’s eyes, unlike the human eye function. Therefore, this feature of the Elephantnose’s eyes makes it a more unique vertebrates.
- The Elephantnose fish are great jumpers, so make sure you have your aquarium with a fine lid. Otherwise, your cat will have a good meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Elephantnose Fish Hard To Keep?
Honestly speaking, Elephantnose is not hard to keep, but you have to pay more attention to their habitat. So you would not have to worry much about what to feed them as they eat meaty food which can be easily available in the market.
You would feel overwhelmed by their drum and clicking sound and the electrical sound produced by their lower body’s organs. So you will want to hear it more often.
Are Peter’s Elephantnose Intelligent Fish?
Yes, elephant nose fish are very intelligent among the fish species. You can witness that even in muddy water, they can spot their prey, and food. Besides that, they can easily detect the object and mate with their unique ability to emit electricity with electrical stimuli and process the distance in their big brain.
Does Peter’s Elephantnose Harmful Produce Electricity?
No, the electrical energy produced by Peter’s elephant nose does not harm any organism unless it is smaller than the fish. The intensity of the electrical power is so weak that its main function is to detect the food, predators, and objects nearby.
Can You Breed Elephantnose Fish At Your Home?
It is very difficult or almost impossible to breed Peter’s Elephantnose fish in captivity at your home. Even scientists find it hard to breed them because identifying their sex organs is a great puzzle. You can get other elephant nose fish from their origin rather than investing time in breeding them.
Conclusion
You are wondering about welcoming a unique fish into your aquarium. Then, you would have understood that nocturnal Peter’s Elephantnose fish would be a great choice by now. You would want to bring them once you see their velvety look having no scales on their body. It is pretty to look at!
The trunk-like structure is unique, and you would be amazed to know that they use it for hunting in the sand. Besides that, it is very sensitive.
Moreover, the ability to produce electricity is one of the unique abilities they are capable of that they use for the detection of food mates and predators. Their lower body organ has the capacity for electrical energy.
Peter’s Elephantnose fish are not difficult to pet as their caring requirements are easily available to make you feel easy to pet. It would be great to prepare yourself so that it will be easy for you to be compatible and comfortable.
The tank ambiance you can decorate as per their habitual condition will distract you most of the time from your work. Because they produce unique sounds, you want them to suggest that your friend also pet them. Your time would easily pass without getting bored due to their unique ability.
Therefore, you should keep in mind that your fish will require certain attention for their habitual condition to make them feel comfortable.
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