Elephantnose Fish
Gnathonemus petersii
Mormyridae
FishDifficulty: ●●●●○Data: verified
About
A weakly electric oddball from the Niger and Congo river basins of Africa. The velvety dark-brown body carries two pale bands near the forked tail, and the famous 'trunk' is really a flexible, touch-sensitive chin appendage used to probe soft sand for worms after dark. Nocturnal and shy, it navigates, hunts and even communicates through weak electric pulses, and its brain-to-body ratio is among the largest of any fish.
Care
Needs a 250 L, 120 cm-long tank with soft sand, dim light and plenty of caves and driftwood. Extremely sensitive to copper, medications, salt and rising nitrate — only mature, pristine water. Keep one per tank and pair it with calm, non-boisterous tankmates.
Diet
Feed live or frozen bloodworm, blackworm, daphnia and mosquito larvae after lights-out; it is a slow, specialist feeder that is easily outcompeted and often ignores dry food.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (41)
African Butterfly CichlidAgassiz's CoryBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBlack Ruby BarbBleeding Heart TetraBloodfin TetraBolivian RamBristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasChocolate CichlidClown PlecoCongo TetraDiamond TetraDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Neon RainbowfishEmerald CoryEmperor TetraGolden Dwarf CichlidGolden PencilfishHoney GouramiKeyhole CichlidKribensisMoonlight GouramiPearl GouramiPenguin TetraPictus CatfishRed Whiptail CatfishScissortail RasboraSiamese Algae EaterSkunk CorySterbai CorydorasStriped KribensisStriped Raphael CatfishSveni EartheaterThick-lipped GouramiUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpVenezuelan Cory
Possible with care (144)
African ButterflyfishAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAltum AngelfishAmano ShrimpAngelfishAssassin SnailBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBladder SnailBlood Parrot CichlidBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBoesemani RainbowfishBorneo SuckerBrichard's TeleogrammaBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee GobyButterfly Hillstream LoachCardinal TetraCelebes RainbowfishCelestial Pearl DanioCheckerboard CichlidCheckered BarbCherry BarbCherry ShrimpChili RasboraChinese Algae EaterChocolate GouramiClown KillifishCochu's Blue TetraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailCongo Dwarf CichlidConvict CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpDenison BarbDiscusDoctor FishDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Orange CrayfishDwarf Pea PufferDwarf RasboraEllioti CichlidEmber TetraEndler's LivebearerFeatherfin SqueakerFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 PufferFiremouth CichlidFlame TetraForktail RainbowfishFreshwater ClamGerman Blue RamGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGlowlight DanioGlowlight TetraGold BarbGolden TetraGolden Wonder KillifishGreen DiscusGreen Neon TetraGreen TerrorGuppyHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraJack DempseyJapanese Trapdoor SnailJewel CichlidJulii CoryKissing GouramiKuhli LoachLambchop RasboraLeast KillifishLemon TetraLeopard DanioLittle CorydorasMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMalaysian Trumpet SnailMarble HatchetfishMedaka RicefishMystery SnailNeon TetraNerite SnailOdessa BarbOtocinclusPanda CorydorasParadise FishParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPearl DanioPeppered CorydorasPlatyPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPurple Emperor TetraPygmy CorydorasRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRamshorn SnailRed DevilRed RainbowfishRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbRosy TetraRubber Lip PlecoRummynose TetraSalt and Pepper CorySalvini CichlidScarlet BadisSerpae TetraSeverumSilver Tip TetraSparkling GouramiSpotted HoploStrawberry RasboraSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSwordtailT-Bar CichlidTexas CichlidThai Micro CrabThreadfin AcaraThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbTurquoise RainbowfishUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf CichlidWhite Cloud Mountain MinnowWrestling HalfbeakX-ray TetraYoyo LoachZebra DanioZebra Pleco
Avoid (86)
Acei CichlidAdonis PlecoAuratus CichlidBala SharkBlack Moor GoldfishBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Brevis Shell DwellerBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bumblebee CichlidCalvus CichlidClown LoachCobalt Blue ZebraComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCuckoo CatfishCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDemon EartheaterDogtooth CichlidDuboisi TropheusDwarf Petricola CatfishElectric Blue AhliElectric Yellow LabElongate MbunaEndlicheri BichirEven-spotted SynodontisFantail GoldfishFive-bar CichlidFrontosaGoby CichlidGolden JulieGreen Spotted PufferfishHeckel DiscusHongi CichlidIridescent SharkJaguar CichlidJohanni CichlidKenyi CichlidKoiLemon CichlidLivingstoniMaingano CichlidMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMarlieri CichlidMasked JulieMollyMultifasciatus Shell DwellerOcellatus Shell DwellerOranda GoldfishOrnate BichirOscarPeacock BassPeacock CichlidPike CichlidPowder Blue CichlidRanchu GoldfishRed EmpressRed TerrorRed Zebra CichlidRegan's JulieReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRosy Red MinnowRoyal PlecoRusty CichlidRyukin GoldfishSailfin MollySailfin PlecoSand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidShubunkin GoldfishSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySimilis Shell DwellerStar SapphireTaiwan Reef CichlidTelescope GoldfishThreadfin PetrochromisTropheusVenustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf CichlidZebra Mbuna
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
There is no reliable way to sex this species by eye. That is the honest answer, not a gap in our data.
All the methods, with diagramsAlso in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Elephantnose Fish need?
- A Elephantnose Fish needs an aquarium of at least 250 litres (66 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Elephantnose Fish need?
- Elephantnose Fish does best at 22–28 °C (71.6–82.4 °F), pH 6–7.5 and a general hardness of 5–15 °dGH.
- Is the Elephantnose Fish suitable for beginners?
- Elephantnose Fish is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature22–28°C
Optimal temp.24–27°C
pH6–7.5
Hardness (GH)5–15°d
Carbonate (KH)1–8°d
Adult size25 cm
Min. volume≥ 250 L
Min. tank length≥ 120 cm
Group size≥ 1
Swimming zoneBottom
TemperamentTimid
Water typeFreshwater
FlowLow
Lifespan~10 yrs
Try in the calculator