Elephant-trunk Mormyrid

About

The elephant-trunk mormyrid (Campylomormyrus elephas) is one of those fish that stops people cold the first time they see it. That dramatically elongated, downward-curving snout, shaped something like a curved trunk, is not just for show. Like other mormyrids, this species generates weak electrical fields to navigate murky water and locate the invertebrates it hunts along the substrate. In the wild it's found in the Congo River basin, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, where it probes soft riverbeds for worms and other small prey. In the aquarium it behaves as a dedicated carnivore, and getting it to accept prepared or frozen foods consistently is part of the challenge this species presents. It can reach a respectable size, so tank space matters, and its temperament toward its own kind is another consideration. These fish tend to be intolerant of conspecifics, so keeping multiples usually ends badly. This is genuinely a species for experienced keepers who can provide a well-maintained, softly lit setup with plenty of cover and a clean, stable environment. Get those conditions right and you'll have a genuinely fascinating, long-lived fish unlike almost anything else in freshwater.