Bichirs eating bichirs

Cosmic_surfer

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Oct 9, 2014
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Lincoln, NE
In my experience the Senegal bichir is pretty passive... just a mindless swimmer. Ornate are definitely more nasty, but this is not necessarily true as the male I have seems quite a bit nicer than the female I have. If you can get them on pellets that would be best, and bichir don't tend to be picky eaters (will even readily accept algae wafers).
 

JurassicFrank

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 19, 2016
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I have two ornates, and i've not seen them eat any fish who was'nt small enough to fill in their mouth. I've also indroduce a mbuna really smaller than the biscir, but the others defend it, so i don't really know if without the others the polypterus would eat it. Beside that, if it's not a problem i suggest to grow a bit more the smaller ones before insert them in the tank. Also because they'll eat better without the other fish stressing them and grow faster.
 

Polyaddict86

Alligator Gar
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May 1, 2016
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Yey bay bay
Good example of bichir eating a bichir. 12" dabola endlicheri eating my 6" senegal.In this video the senegal manage to get away cause i tap the glass, but after i turn off the light and went to bed, next morning same senegal was gone.
Its sad to see but a good sample not to mix a smaller bichir to bigger bichir, even they are well feed.
 

Vettech716

Candiru
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Apr 20, 2016
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I put 2 smaller Sens in my 55 once and my hybrid ate them both. Haven't done that again. I have 4 polys growing out in a tank, the Endli and Lap I'm pretty sure are big enough to go into my larger tank but I'm afraid they'll get eaten so I haven't yet. Not to mention I haven't been home enough to monitor for the day.
 

Polyaddict86

Alligator Gar
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May 1, 2016
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I put 2 smaller Sens in my 55 once and my hybrid ate them both. Haven't done that again. I have 4 polys growing out in a tank, the Endli and Lap I'm pretty sure are big enough to go into my larger tank but I'm afraid they'll get eaten so I haven't yet. Not to mention I haven't been home enough to monitor for the day.
Sorry to hear that, carnivore will always be a carnivore.
 

clm08k

Potamotrygon
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Oct 31, 2016
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Hey all! I kind of have the opposite scenario:

I'm thinking of getting an 3" albino senegal and/or a delhezi to put in my 55 gal tank with my 5" ornate. This is the only size the LFS has them. I've read somewhere about ornates being semi-agressive towards other bichirs. Has anyone experienced this?

Do ornates do better if they are introduced to others when they are younger? Or would it be better to introduce more bichirs once I get my larger tank? This might take a year or so though. Any help would be appreciated.
 

Polyaddict86

Alligator Gar
MFK Member
May 1, 2016
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Hey all! I kind of have the opposite scenario:

I'm thinking of getting an 3" albino senegal and/or a delhezi to put in my 55 gal tank with my 5" ornate. This is the only size the LFS has them. I've read somewhere about ornates being semi-agressive towards other bichirs. Has anyone experienced this?

Do ornates do better if they are introduced to others when they are younger? Or would it be better to introduce more bichirs once I get my larger tank? This might take a year or so though. Any help would be appreciated.
For ornate it dont really matter if you introduce one at a time or all at once, once the ornate put some size and length it will dominate and become territorial, less hiding spot so it wont claim a territory. Thats all i can say to an ornate:)
 

JurassicFrank

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 19, 2016
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I don't know, really. My ornates aren't very territorial fishes(well for a cichlid's breeder standards). But I have to say, that the biggest ornate don't even need to desplay an aggressive behaviour. All other fishes (big oreochromis included) at the sight of the polypetrus immediatly stop to eat and "give" it to her. My tank was full of Roots and woods, but when che choosed a spot, she also accept the male in it. Obviously he has one for his own.
 
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