Tankmates: Peaceful, calm midwater fish (larger tetras, Congo tetras, peaceful West African cichlids). Avoid aggressive, fast bottom feeders that steal food, such as large loaches and many catfish.
Feeding: Feeds by probing soft sand with its 'trunk'. Easily outcompeted; feed at dusk. Few individuals accept dry food; plan on frozen/live worms.
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The elephantnose fish (Gnathonemus petersii) is one of the strangest fish in the hobby. What looks like a trunk is actually an extended chin, packed with sensors that it uses to probe the sand for worms. It also gives off a weak electric field to find its way and "talk" to other elephantnose in murky African rivers.
It is a shy, intelligent, night-active fish that rewards a patient keeper with a carefully planned tank. FishyHub lists elephantnose from Malaysian aquarium shops and specialist sellers, with prices in RM.
| Care point | Elephantnose fish |
|---|---|
| Adult size | Usually about 20–25 cm in aquariums |
| Temperature | About 24–28°C. Malaysian rooms are often slightly warmer, so keep the tank shaded and well aerated. |
| Minimum tank | 4 kaki (120 × 45 × 50 cm, about 230–270 L) |
| Temperament | Peaceful with other species; can be quarrelsome with its own kind. |
| Diet | Live or frozen bloodworm, blackworm and other small worms; some learn sinking pellets. |
| Beginner-friendly? | No. Sensitive to water quality and slow to feed. |
Elephantnose feed slowly and mostly at night. Frozen or live cacing darah (bloodworm) is the most reliable food, followed by blackworms and small chopped worms. Drop food near its hiding spot after lights out so faster fish do not take it all. A thin elephantnose with a sunken belly is a warning sign, so watch body condition closely in the first few weeks.
Choose calm, mid-water fish that won't compete hard for food on the bottom, such as medium tetras, peaceful rainbowfish or gouramis. Avoid aggressive cichlids, greedy catfish and fast bottom feeders. If you want more than one elephantnose, keep either a single fish or a group of five or more in a big tank, so aggression is spread out.
The biggest local challenge is heat. Elephantnose need high oxygen, and warm water holds less of it, so add a pam udara (air pump) and keep the tank out of the sun. During heatwaves a kipas akuarium (cooling fan) helps hold temperature down.
Treat all tap water with anti klorin. Elephantnose are known to be sensitive to many medications, including copper-based ubat ikan and some white spot treatments. Read the label, ask the seller and use a separate hospital tank where possible.
Ask the seller what the fish is eating and how long it has been in their care. Look for a rounded body, clear eyes and an active, probing chin. Check whether the listing photo shows the actual fish, plus its current size, delivery or self-collect options and live-arrival policy. If you are in Sabah or Sarawak, discuss delivery with the seller first.
Ikan elephantnose suka makan cacing darah hidup atau beku, dan cacing kecil lain. Beri makan pada waktu malam berhampiran tempat ia bersembunyi.
Kurang sesuai. Ikan ini sensitif terhadap kualiti air dan ubat ikan, dan lambat makan. Lebih baik dipelihara oleh orang yang sudah ada pengalaman.
Yes, but only a very weak field that is harmless to you and other fish. It uses it to sense surroundings and find food.
That is normal. It is nocturnal and most active after dark. Provide caves and feed after lights out.
Browse elephantnose fish from Malaysian sellers, compare prices in RM, and get the setup right with fine aquarium sand, frozen bloodworm and a gentle filter. Peaceful tetras and gouramis make good tankmates.
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