New the the forum; New to polyps

stalefish83

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 26, 2015
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Eugene, OR
Hi all,

I'm a lurker turned member. I completely re-did my 75 gallon CA cichlid tank, got rid of all my fish in that tank, and got my first bichir; a senegal. He is about four inches, and is awesome!

The tank is 48" x 18" with three fully cycled canister filters (2 aquatop cf 300s and a fluval xp3). Pool filter sand substrate, bogwood, live plants and large smooth river rock. I also have a large angelfish (about 5 inches) and 3 discus ranging from 2 inches to about 3 1/2 inches (I will be driving to Portland in the next couple weeks to get 3 more from the Wet Spot to finish my stock).

These guys are all new within the last 2 weeks. So far everyone gets along, but none (except maybe the angel) are mature yet, so fingers crossed it stays that way! I finally have my dream stock, and I'd hate to wake up to chunks missing from my fish as the bichir swims around gleefully with a mouthful of discus.

I feed them frozen beefheart, brine shrimp and krill. They also get frozen daphnia and omega one veggie flakes. I do >10% daily water changes. Tank at 84 degrees, pH at 7 and nitrates stay below 10

I'll try to post some pics soon but my work blocks flickr and photobucket (I guess they want me to keep busy) so I can either try to figure it out on my phone or post a link to my google drive... unless someone knows how to post a pic (instead of a link) using google drive?

Conventional wisdom, as discovered by my dutiful googling, states that a senegal bichir shouldn't bother anything half it's length or larger. Does anyone have any experience or additional wisdom I could benefit from?

Thanks for reading, I look forward to hanging out with ya'll!

Cheers
 
Last edited:

predatorkeeper87

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2014
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pennsylvania
welcome!
most UJ (upper jaw) bichirs, especially senegals are passive when it comes to tankmates. I have 2 senegals, a koliba, and a delhezi in with smallish clown loaches and no fatalities yet. I wouldn't be inclined to try that with LJ (lower jaw) bichirs for the most part. You will be fine with that stock!
 
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stalefish83

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 26, 2015
94
17
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Eugene, OR
Thanks predatorkeeper87! That puts my mind at ease.

The discus get pretty "familiar" with the bichir, to the point to where I think they sort of annoy him. Not terribly, but it seems like they're using the bichir to show them where the food is, then they slowly meander their way to where he's eating and sort of "butt in"...

And hey, while I've got ya: how to you pronounce "bichir" ... I say "biker," cuz it sounds cool. But I've heard it pronounced "bee-shur" and "bic(like the lighter)-ear"
 

jaws7777

Probation Member
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Mar 1, 2014
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Hi've read that beef heart isnt to good. The fisb have a hard time digesting the meat.

I feed my dehelzi nls and frozen krill
 

stalefish83

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 26, 2015
94
17
8
40
Eugene, OR
Beef heart was one of the most consistently recommended food for both bichers, and juvie discus (for growing them, anyway)... but then I had also read that it's hard to digest, just like your saying. After handling it while pre-soaking it for feeding, I can certainly understand how it would be! I feed daphnia to help with the digestion but that may not be enough. I may just nix the beef heart
 

framcosco

Peacock Bass
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Nov 15, 2010
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Welcome to MFK..... I am still getting used to the new format...... try feeding tilapia....get more bichirs...... best of luck!!
 

Anders247

Exodon
MFK Member
Apr 9, 2015
106
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Maw Installation
Welcome to MFK!
Fancy seeing you here.
 

stalefish83

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 26, 2015
94
17
8
40
Eugene, OR
Welcome to MFK..... I am still getting used to the new format...... try feeding tilapia....get more bichirs...... best of luck!!
I actually think I have some tilapia in the back of my freezer! And not sure I've got room for more bichirs :rolleyes:

Welcome to MFK!
Fancy seeing you here.
Haha, I'm everywhere!! .... just spreadin the love

...anyone want to chime in on how they pronounce "bichir"?
 

framcosco

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Nov 15, 2010
1,541
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los angeles, ca
NOT MINE.......BEBLONDIE......STICKIES

WHY BICHIR?

When Europeans (French) discovered the genus Polypterus in 1809 it had already been known along the Nile since the time of the pharoahs. The local peoples referred to them as bichirs (unknown pronunciation and spelling). While unable to come up with an exact meaning for the word it was most likely a descriptive term (''whip'' has been suggested) for this type of fish.

The French most likely pronounced it as phonetically as possible to the orginal native word and came up with bee-sheer as a pronunciation and spelled 'bichir'. Since this would be the name of these fish for
several years until they were scientifically described and put into the proper family it became an accepted common name.

However the correct English pronunciation is up for grabs. Several dictionaries all have their own pronunciation including the below:
bee cher
beech er
bikir
biker
bercheer
bi cher
bir chir is common in England
Also known by the common name lobed fin pike,dinosaur eel.
The name Polypterus : poly=many + pterus=fins and is pronounced po-lyp'-terus.

PRONUNCIATION(from fruitbat/Joe)
In general, a single 'i' at the end of a species name should be pronounced as a long 'i' ('eye'). For example, endlicheri would be pronounced 'end-lick-er-eye' or 'end-lich-er-eye'.
A species name that ends with two 'i's (like weeksii) would be pronounced with the first 'i' sounding like a long 'e' and the second 'i' as a long 'i'....hence - 'weeks-ee-eye'.
The correct pronunciation for Polypterus is 'po lip ter us' with many people putting the accent on the 'lip'.
Putting it all together, Polypterus ansorgii would then be pronounced: 'Po-lip-ter-us an-sorg-ee-eye'. Polypterus delhezi would be pronounced: 'Po-lip-ter-us del-hez-eye'.

Polypterus bichir bichir :bike-er bike-er

Polypterus bichir lapradei :la-prade-e-i

Polypterus delhezi :del-hez-i

Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri :end-lick-er-i end-lick-er-i

Polypterus endlicheri congicus :end-lick-er-i con-ji-cuss

Polypterus mokelembembe :moe-kay-la-em-bem-bay(mokèlé-mbèmbé)

Polypterus palmas buettikofferi : palm-us but-i-coff-er-eye

Polypterus palmas palmas : palm-us palm-us

Polypterus palmas polli : palm-us poll-i

Polypterus retropinnis : retro-pin-nis

Polypterus senegalus :sen-eh-gal-us

Polypterus teugelsi :too-gulls-i

Polypterus weeksii : weeks-ee-i

Polypterus ansorgii :an-sorg-ee-i

Polypterus ornatipinnis :eek:r-nate-eh-pin-nis

Erpethoichthys calabaricus (Reed or Rope Fish) : Er-pet-oh-ick-these cal-a-bear-ih-cuss

#3 beblondie, Apr 18, 2007
 
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