Nile bottlenose mormyrid

Care at a glance

Overview

A very large, gentle, electrically sensitive fish that belongs in pond-scale systems or public aquariums. Keep it singly, since it does not tolerate its own kind, and select tankmates with caution: large, placid fish that will not harass it or steal its food. Provide a wide footprint of soft sand for its snout to plough, wood for cover, dim light, and rock-steady water. Feed meaty sinking foods such as earthworm, prawn, and mussel after dark. At around 90 cm this is a fish for tanks of 700 liters and well beyond.

In the wild

Mormyrus kannume works the river and lake floors of the Nile basin and the great lakes of East Africa, including Lake Victoria, ploughing soft bottoms with its down-swept snout. Recreate that with a deep sand bed, gentle current, subdued light, and generous space. Keep the water warm at 24-28 C and neutral to slightly alkaline, around pH 6.5-8, and very stable. Clean, well-filtered water is essential for this sensitive giant.

Good to know

This member of the family Mormyridae reaches around 90 cm and carries the classic bottlenose snout of the genus Mormyrus. Like all elephantfishes it has an outsized brain, dominated by a huge cerebellum tied to its electric sense. It generates a weak electric field to navigate murky water and find buried food. It is an important food fish in the Nile. Aquarium breeding is not documented.

Did you know

In ancient Egypt a Nile mormyrid of this kind was said to have eaten part of the dismembered god Osiris; the fish was taboo across most of the country, yet venerated and even mummified at the town of Oxyrhynchus.

Common questions

Related species

• West African bottlenose mormyrid

  Mormyrus rume

  Freshwater

  31.5 in (80 cm)185 gal (700 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Eastern bottlenose mormyrid

  Mormyrus longirostris

  Freshwater

  29.5 in (75 cm)185 gal (700 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Bebe mormyrid

  Hyperopisus bebe

  Freshwater

  20.1 in (51 cm)264 gal (1,000 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Elephant trunk mormyrid

  Campylomormyrus elephas

  Freshwater

  15.7 in (40 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Painted mormyrid

  Hippopotamyrus pictus

  Freshwater

  11.8 in (30 cm)159 gal (600 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
• Eel mormyrid

  Isichthys henryi

  Freshwater

  11.4 in (29 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)