As you know elephants have giant trunks and they weigh a lot, but did you ever think that one of the smallest animals could also have a trunk? Well there is one fish, Gnathonemus petersii, also known as elephant nosed fish and they have a trunk. I bet you didn’t know that one of the largest animals and one of the smallest animals have something in common? Well, nether did I! On top of there trunk sits their mouth. This fish comes in many different colors such as purple, blue, brown and many others! As you know elephants are HUGE but as an elephant nose fish, the largest this fish can get is 35cm, but the average is 23-25cm. they make a type of sound that sounds kind of like a metal detector when it finds metal.

 

If you look at this fish, you can tell it’s an elephant nose fish from its nose and shape, and this animal looks innocent. This fish lives from 6 to 10 years. The elephant nosed fish is usually found in fresh water and sometimes muddy water. They are mostly found in central Africa, Niger River, the Ogun River and the upper Charl River.

 

There climate temperatures range from 22 to 28 degrees Celsius. They love to hide so there are mostly found in waters with rocks and logs. There are about 4-5 fishes for 300 liters of water. There population is high with a minimum population doubling time less than 15 months. So they are not an endangered fish. There population is not shrinking but growing to the extremes, but there not a common house fish. To keep this fish as a pet you probably should get a UV cleaner that helps protect the fish from diseases.

 

Not all diseases can be treated so if it’s your first time getting a fish you should probably get a goldfish because as soon as you get the elephant nosed fish for the first time it will probably die quickly. The elephant nose fish in captivity consumes mostly live foods like: insect larva, bloodworm, daphnia, and tubifex. Only occasionally will they eat catfish pellets. Smaller elephant nosed fishes tend to experiment with foods.

 

They are omnivorous, or feed on both plants and animals. Even as an adult fish in certain battles over food the elephant nose fish can show no defense to Cichlids. Try to only have one elephant nose fish per tank (unless family) because being the smaller weaker fish he/she will not get to eat. Some interesting facts about my animal would be that. This fish was used to test drinking water quality because of its high brain and body weight ratio! Also that the sound they make sounds like a metal detector….detecting metal.

 

Author: Kaweah S

Published: 02/2009

 

Sources:

http://diszhal-info.extra.hu/english/other/en_Gnathonemus_petersii.php http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=5222 http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=2085 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnathonemus_petersii http://aquaworld.netfirms.com/other/Gnathonemus_petersii http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/profiles/354.htm http://www.theaquaiumwiki.com/Gnathonemus_petersii http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/peters’elephantnose-fish

 

Photo Credit: “Nemos great uncle” Http://diszhal-info.extra.hu/english/other/enGnathonemus_petersii