Can African Knifefish and Gulper Catfish Live Together?

African Knifefish is a moderately assertive species (5/10), while Gulper Catfish is moderately assertive (6/10). This modest difference means Gulper Catfish may occasionally assert dominance over African Knifefish.

African Knifefish and Gulper Catfish both frequent the Middle (Open Water) and Bottom (Substrate) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: African Knifefish is nocturnal and will be most active after lights-out, naturally reducing daytime encounters.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 24°C and 28°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 26.0°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6 and 7.5. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 2–15 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house African Knifefish and Gulper Catfish together, plan for an aquarium of at least 259 litres with a minimum length of 120 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Because this pairing requires extra vigilance, include plenty of hiding spots — caves, driftwood, and dense plant clusters — so the less dominant fish can retreat when needed.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Plants - Floating, Sand (Sifters). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Both species do well with low (still water) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.