View Full Version : Final decision
I think i'm gonna go with a species of bichir and a channel cat for my 75gal. does any body think this is a bad idea? I've had channels before but never a bichir. Just wanna make sure the Bichir will be a good tankmate with the channel.
Caveman
08-09-2005, 1:12 PM
Channel cat grow way faster then Bichir and are a predatory species so the bichirs may end up as a snack.
cenecker
08-09-2005, 1:30 PM
The channel cat will also outgrow that tank really quickly.
zhuangsw
08-09-2005, 9:51 PM
you can try them out for the time being, but if one starts to outgrow the other way much, then its time to seperate them..
guppy
08-10-2005, 12:39 AM
Be ready to trade out the channel fairly soon. Why not try a bullhead, browns have a nice speckling.
Fruitbat
08-10-2005, 1:53 AM
A 75 gallon would make a great home for a few bichirs as long as you stick with the 'smaller' species like Polypterus senegalus,Polypterus delhezi, Polypterus retropinnis or any subspecies of Polypterus palmas. All of these stay at 16 inches long or less.
As far as a Channel Cat is concerned...I'm afraid that what's already been mentioned is true. If there is any kind of size disparity between the catfish and the bichirs then the bichirs will be lunch. A bullhead would be a better choice as would almost any of the Synodontis cats, some of which get large enough to look very good in a 75.
-Joe
rayman45
08-10-2005, 8:25 AM
WELL PUT JOE.
get a bullhead.
thanks everyone. think ill go down to the river and net myself a bullhead.
zhuangsw
08-10-2005, 10:05 AM
any1 can post a picture of a channel cat? dont know how it looks like. thanks.
SKYLINE_WJ
08-12-2005, 2:12 AM
mee too...dont koe wat is tat.
Tainted Glory
08-12-2005, 2:55 AM
mee too...dont koe wat is tat.
I'm willing to bet you've seen one in a pet shop. The albino version is common.
http://www.bloomington.in.us/~niceguy/albino1.jpg
I'll never forget how I ended up with one. I was in a pet shop and the guy told me these guys would be an awesome addition to my 29g at the time. Sure, it certainly looked cool. Fast forward a year later and this thing is a monster, pushing 18". It ate all my fish in the tank. I had it in an outdoor pond for another year until it became victim to what I believe was a raccoon. What a site that would have been-a raccon wrestling with a 24" channel cat.
For a good shot of a nearly full grown channel cat go to the POND forum, POND PICS thread, post # 12.