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kido
06-07-2005, 12:01 AM
i'm having problems with my endlicheri.. most of my other bichirs (ornate & congicus) are pretty active but this guys is very shy and always hidding.. he also does not eat much and i can bring out his red colors.. he's always tan colored..

you guys might have some advise on how to get this guy to come out more and eat more as well :) ..
Vitaliy
06-07-2005, 12:02 AM
How long you have him for?
Kenta
06-07-2005, 12:37 AM
Lucky you have an active ornate. They're known to be professional logs.

Anyways, if this fish is a new addition it will take time for it to get comfortable and once it is its pattern will darken.

If it isn't, have you checked your water parameters or done anything out of the ordinary?

And one more thing, you might not be able to change its color because it may just be tan naturally. There are a lot of different variants in color. If you want to darken it try black or red gravel or sand

My endlicheri is similar to this one from Ghana

http://www.geocities.jp/xmfrg478/nsgarna11.jpg

And this wild one from lake chad may be the color you want, but not what you're going to get if you have a different variant.

http://www.geocities.jp/xmfrg478/deracyad131.jpg

or check this captive bred one from indonesia

http://www.geocities.jp/xmfrg478/new014911.jpg
kido
06-07-2005, 7:50 AM
i've actually had it for 2 years now.. but i just transfer him to a new tank.. he's been there for about 2 weeks now.. his appetite has been this way all this time.. i've only manage to see him eat once every 2 weeks.. he only eats at night so i'm not so sure how much he gets to eat but i'm guessing not much cuz he's not getting all that fat like my other bichirs.. my water parameters are fine.. and his color was a little red when he was housed in a white colored (due to bare tank and styrofoam at the bottom) but now that he's in a wood panel colored bottom tank he's colored tan now.. here's a pic when he was in other tank.
CDM
06-07-2005, 8:34 AM
That color is not too bad at all in a bare tank with white substrate under the tank. Since it has 6 stripes, I believe it's the long/thin type of endy instead of the middle short/high body type. Also, since it's been eating the way for 2 yrs. Guess you don't need to worry about its feeding. Just keep feeding it at night with lights off.
beblondie
06-07-2005, 11:04 AM
It could simply be its just more nocturnal than the others, it looks healthy to me -Anne
kido
06-07-2005, 11:33 PM
thanks CDM, right now though i transfered it to a new setup with wood panel colored bottom and unfortunately his color turned tan.. if i could only get it to eat shrimp i'm thinking i might get its red body color back..
kido
06-07-2005, 11:38 PM
It could simply be its just more nocturnal than the others, it looks healthy to me -Anne

thanks anne, i gues it is more nocturnal.. was just hoping someone here had the same experience and managed to get their bichir be more active and come out a bit more.. :)
freeform
06-08-2005, 12:57 AM
well my endy only moves at nite when the lights are off. that was when i was feeding him prawns. switched to bull frogs abt 6 months ago & e whacks it everytime i throw in. eats abt 2 to 3 bull frogs a day.

try nite feeding for your endy. tried frogs before??
kido
06-08-2005, 2:07 AM
well my endy only moves at nite when the lights are off. that was when i was feeding him prawns. switched to bull frogs abt 6 months ago & e whacks it everytime i throw in. eats abt 2 to 3 bull frogs a day.

try nite feeding for your endy. tried frogs before??

i feed all my fish at night.. we really don't have a constant supply of feeder frogs here at manila but i tried it once and unfortunatley the endlicheri didn't even move.. the frog was still there come morning :shakehead
Koji
06-08-2005, 5:26 AM
they'll only be active during feeding time. Most of the time, they'll just laze around under something so some will just goes around scavenging for food.:p
kido
06-08-2005, 5:58 AM
they'll only be active during feeding time. Most of the time, they'll just laze around under something so some will just goes around scavenging for food.:p

thanks koji, actually its ok for me if he just lounges around when not in feeding.. i'm just hoping that he doesn't settle himself at the back of some of my tank decor :redface: .. but i guess it the luck of the draw on what his personality would be.. thanks goodness my ornate and congicus can always be seen out and not hidden :)