Aba aba Knifefish (Gymnarchus niloticus)

Aba aba Knifefish (Gymnarchus niloticus) is a species of electric fish from northern Africa only one of the genus and family gymnarchidae gymnarchus. This fish has a beautiful appearance and unique because different types knifefish in general. Aba aba knifefish has a wide spread of strip ranging from swamps and vegetated banks of the Nile, Congo, Chad, Turkana, Senegal and Gambhia. In addition they are also found in Lake Rudolf Africa. These fish like slow-flowing river habitat and swamp filled with rerumpunan. Appropriate environmental temperature is 23-28 0C and pH 6.5 - 8.

Differences aba aba knifefish with other knifefish group is located at the location of fins. Generally, long fin knifefish lies in the chest that extends to the base of the tail sampau stomach, but in the long-fin fish lies on his back until the base of the tail. Aba aba knifefish is one big knifefish can reach a body length of 5.5 feet or about 167 cm with a weight of 18.5 kg. Her body was long and lean, with no pectoral, abdominal and anal.

TAXONOMY

Kingdom    : Animalia 

Phylum       : Chordata 

Class          : Actinopterygii 

Order         : Osteoglossiformes 

Family        : Gymnarchidae 

genus         : Gymnarchus 

Species      : Gymnarchus niloticus 

Aba aba knifefish are carnivorous and eat other fish habitat him and aquatic invertebrates. The process of hunting for food is usually done at night (nocturnal) and these fish have poor eyesight. To hunt prey, Aba aba knifefish rely electric field generated by the organ in his body especially. Unlike electric eels use electricity to shock prey, aba aba knifefish just use them to find prey by the electric field that is very weak. In addition to finding food, the electric field is also generated for the navigation tool, to identify other objects in the water and orient environment. Males will also use electrical communication 'stereotype' to relate to females. Mechanism aba aba knifefish find prey is to create an electric field around the body with a negative charge in the tail with a positive charge on the head. This makes the electric field that forms around the body is symmetrical. The existence of other objects or prey will change the electric field, the change will be felt directly by the skin of fish.
 

 Aba aba knifefish are very aggressive when chasing prey. Just like elephantfish, fish also have a large brain size and is thought to help translate existing electrical signals. This fish is not recommended for beginners penghobby, because in addition to its aggressively but also territorial. In addition, it also has a mulit filled with sharp teeth and a strong bite. They are often killed or permanently disabled another fish that was a tank with it. Aba aba knifefish is very tolerant fish, it is recommended to treat it separately and not mixed with other fish. The length of the fish is more than one foot to an attack against your fingers.

Distinction of male and female hard to do. In the wild, these fish will migrate into the fast-flowing current will be breeding in the wet season, and the breeding done in rerumpunan rich in microorganisms. During the process of breeding, the male will make a huge bubble nest to put eggs. The eggs hatch after five days and keep parent fish newly hatched chicks. Treatment in the aquarium requires a large enough tank with a size of 360cm x 120 cm x 120 cm with a volume of 8155 liters. Although puppies can be treated in a smaller tank but growth is faster when the correct feeding. Setting tank with plants, wood and winding roots large enough to make the fish more comfortable.