Does anyone know if its normal for 3 to 4 inch Bowfin to hang out on top?

noelsfishland

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 2, 2013
422
1
33
In My Aquarium
I have a small bowfin that I got about a week ago He is in 150 gallon tank with Tetras and a bunch sixteen 4 to five inch clown loaches,I thing my blue garamie might be the reason,but he does not chase to the point were a actually does any damage the bow fin can swim to the bottom when he wants and eats every time I feed he, is about three and a half inches long and I do not think that he has any kind of bloat, so do any of you experience that behaver
 

noelsfishland

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 2, 2013
422
1
33
In My Aquarium
bad News my Bowfin was dead when I got home from work. I Am not a happy camper,I really liked it and was looking forward to raising him into a Monster. I think the next time they are available I would not get one smaller then 12 inches. I thought they were a really hardy fish, that would not have a problem with tank mates like Tetras,Neons,Barbs and clown loaches but I guess I was wrong because at 3 and a half inches it just did not cut it. I would not have been able to give him his own place to hide because the clown loaches would have taken its spot. well I hope I have better luck the next time,thanks for your advice Noel
 

fwprawn

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jul 29, 2011
3,441
7
38
New England
Just because a fish is hardy doesn't mean you don't give it what it needs.

The biggest, toughest, meanest, anything, always starts out as a small, delicate baby, and it's your responsibility to give it what it needs, which you didn't.

Sorry for the loss. But, if you want better luck - you need to ACTUALLY take our advice and give the fish what it NEEDS.
 

screaminleeman

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Nov 27, 2009
1,445
10
38
Westminster, MD
You are absolutely correct about buying Bowfin much larger than 3.5 inches.

This was an extremely juvenile Bowfin. Like other said, they become far "hardier" in the 6' - 7" range.

In well over 18 Bowfins that I have raised to over 16" I have only lost one single specimen that was not a result of co-specific aggression (or my dumb early attempt using 1" x 1" netting over the pond and jump outs).

With that said, the one baby bowfin that I lost (Again early in my Bowfin keeping) was due to internal parasites. In fact, I have never encountered a single baby bowfin specimen that was not laden with intestine worms.

What I did find though that it is repetitively simple to resolve the issue without the use of any medication, although some might suggests Prazi-pro treatment over the method that I prefer.

If you do decide to give the Bowfin babies another try, keep in mind that their internal parasites are extremely common throughout the Bowfin's life. They are rarely lethal after 6" - 7" though. The intestinal worms as well as many other internal parasites seem to closely follow the Vampire legend and are drastically affected by any type of Garlic!

You can buy garlic NLS, but it is often very difficult to get Bowfins to readily accept pellets. Garlic extract or even pure garlic powder (Be careful of the powder brand not containing any other ingredients!) can be used to treat aquatic meat that they do readily accept. Fresh garlic and a press can also be used. I have yet to have this method fail after my first and only baby Bowfin loss outside of the jumpers or killed by other bowfin tragedies.

If you still have assess to the body, you can dissect the intestines and determine if the course of death was indeed an internal parasite infection.
 

noelsfishland

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jun 2, 2013
422
1
33
In My Aquarium
Thanks for advice about the parasites I did not know that they carried them you would not think that babies would not carry them,maybe that is what contributed to it dieing plus stress.when I first put it in the tank he really did not seem to be chased or bullied by any of the fish. I already have the Kent garlic Extract used it to get my gator gar off feeder goldfish,he gotten huge since I have.it was almost 24 inches when I got it now he about 26 inches and four times as fat. I think I will look In the Asian Market and see if they have any Bowfin by the pound,and I can feed it the garlic Extract as a precaution for parasites
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store