TankBud

Blunt-jawed elephantnose

Campylomormyrus tamandua

Also known as Worm-Jawed Mormyrid, Tamandua elephant nose

FreshwaterFish

Blunt-jawed elephantnose (Campylomormyrus tamandua)
Carl Hopkins · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
15.7 in
40 cm
Minimum tank
172 gal
650 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Mormyridae
Origin
West Africa

Overview

The blunt-jawed elephantnose is a shy, night-active mormyrid that probes soft sand with a long, downturned snout. Keeping one well takes experience and a very large tank.

Did you know

Elephantfishes such as the blunt-jawed elephantnose send a large share of their body's energy to the brain, more than almost any other fish. That energy powers the constant electric sensing they use to feel their way through dark, murky rivers.

Caring for the blunt-jawed elephantnose

Give a blunt-jawed elephantnose a spacious tank of at least 172 gal (650 L), since it grows large. Lay a deep bed of soft sand for it to search for food. Add lots of cover from driftwood and plants, and keep the lighting dim and the flow gentle.

Keep the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), slightly acidic to neutral, with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed live and frozen foods such as bloodworms and blackworms in the evening. Watch at feeding time to make sure it gets its share.

It is easily bullied and easily starved in a busy tank, so keep it with slow, gentle tank mates. Keep it either on its own or in a group of five or more. Small numbers lead to one fish dominating the rest. Breeding in aquaria is essentially unrecorded.

Good to know

The blunt-jawed elephantnose, also called the worm-jawed mormyrid or Tamandua elephant nose, belongs to Mormyridae, the African elephantfishes. Its trunk-like lower jaw roots through sediment for insect larvae. Like all mormyrids it is weakly electric, sending pulses from an organ in its tail to sense its surroundings and communicate. It also has an unusually large brain for its body size.

In the wild

The blunt-jawed elephantnose comes from the Congo River basin and other parts of West and Central Africa. It lives in turbid, slow-moving rivers and channels over muddy and sandy bottoms. These dim, tea-stained waters are why it relies on senses other than sight.

Common questions

What size tank does a blunt-jawed elephantnose need?

A blunt-jawed elephantnose needs at least 172 gal (650 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a blunt-jawed elephantnose need?

A blunt-jawed elephantnose is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a blunt-jawed elephantnose eat?

A blunt-jawed elephantnose eats live and frozen foods such as bloodworms and blackworms. Feed it in the evening and check that it gets its share.

How big does a blunt-jawed elephantnose get?

An adult blunt-jawed elephantnose reaches about 15.7 in (40 cm).

Related species