Bichir collection question

[Champagne Papi]

Okay I know I've been asking a lot of questions, but I really am determined to have a Bichir collection. I'm getting a 8inch palmas today. Ordering a 5inch retropinnis(WC) and 3 inch ornate(CB) Tuesday (Plan on putting the ornate in a grow out tank with this other seg I currently have growing out). What things should I know about caring for a Bichir community (I've started down this path and ain't no turning back now >=))I've researched a lot about polypterus but can I get some advice from you experienced Bichir lovers what things TO DO , NOT DO, THINGS I NEED TO KEEP IN MIND, and BENEFICIAL INFORMATION. I'll post some pics up later too

 

[DMD123]

What size tank are you starting with? The footprint is important, you want more ground area than height. Since you will be feeding raw foods like shrimp, tilapia, etc. you will want good filtration and a good water change routine.

From the looks of what you have going on you are doing an upper jaw collection?

 

[Champagne Papi]

What size tank are you starting with? The footprint is important, you want more ground area than height. Since you will be feeding raw foods like shrimp, tilapia, etc. you will want good filtration and a good water change routine. I have 3 60 gallon filters on it with 3 air bubblers.

From the looks of what you have going on you are doing an upper jaw collection?

I have a 125 gallon. It's 6ft in length and 2 1/2 feet wide. With the water changes I often do 30% water changes every week. I'm shooting for upper jaw but I don't mind a small captive bred lower jaw as long as I can make sure it doesn't make a meal of my upper jaw

 

[DMD123]

30" wide? Not standard 18"? A 30" wide tank would be a totally awesome poly tank!

 

[kno4te]

The beauty of polys is there is no specific water params needed. They will eat a variety of foods. Just make sure ur tank is covered tight and increase ur water changes to 50% weekly and that will help. Do typical tank cleaning. Ur tank foot print is great.

 

[DMD123]

I am currently working with a 210g (72 x 24 footprint) and am doing upper jaws because I like the look of them better in general, except for some laps like the koliba that I recently lost. I currently have a weeksii 13", Delhezi 10", palmas palmas 8", buettikoferi 8", and a 8" teugelsi is supposed to arrive today. These will all get moved into a 300g (96x24 footprint) as soon as it arrives. I had the whole debate as to whether a lower jaw would be an issue and in my case I will have two big boy uppers so i need to treat them the same a LJ's. You will have a big ornate so treat it like a LJ also.

 

[Champagne Papi]

30" wide? Not standard 18"? A 30" wide tank would be a totally awesome poly tank!

Lol it's one with old wood trim I'll post pictures later. My fat seg Nessi is 12 inches and she doesn't even take up half the width ^___^. I have 3 segs in there and a delhezi and the tank looks empty

 

[DMD123]

That explains it. hard to come by a tank that size now.

 

[DMD123]

My weeksii is named Nessie too! My delhezi is Darwin because it totally reminded me of the 'missing link' fish you see pictured, lol

 

[Dr.B]

One thing I would suggest is don't try and force a bichir collection. Try and only buy the best looking polys. One of the worst things you can do with a growing collection is impulse buy. It'll happen, but try and keep them to a minimum, because if you impulse buy too much you don't have any space for the rarities. And the worst feeling is seeing something really rare and not being able to buy it because you don't have enough space.