Newbie to Poly species

[Setherson]

lol you saw that did you lol

to put your worries to rest upperjaws are generally less cannibalistic. The worst offender in upperjaws are ornates which are more likely to have a bad attitude which sucks since they are the best looking. The big thing is making sure their tankmates don't fit in their mouth. With saying that lowerjaws have bigger mouths and the most aggressive are endlis

I get that nearly every single fish will take the chance to eat another if they are hungry or feel like it and such, but I would rather avoid having them eat tankmates.

Think if the tank was just bichirs and they were all approx the same size, the chance of them taking a serious bite at each other would be low?

 

[thefredpit]

this should ease your mind in my tank I have 11 bichirs ranging from 4.5-13", a bunch of plecos ranging from 4-12" including a 5" whiptail, a 5" eel tail banjo catfish, 2 raphael catfish 3-5", 2 knifefish 6" & 10", 3x 5" elephant nose, 2 Butis Butis, 3 eels ranging from 10-16", and a bunch of mosquito fish. The only ones that have any aggression shown to them by a bichir are the mosquito fish. It really does depend on how thick their tank mates are and whether they are well fed

 

[Slayer2533]

I get that nearly every single fish will take the chance to eat another if they are hungry or feel like it and such, but I would rather avoid having them eat tankmates.

Think if the tank was just bichirs and they were all approx the same size, the chance of them taking a serious bite at each other would be low?

In my experience upper jaws will not eat other upper jaw bichirs UNLESS in extreme circumstances. Such as if they were really starved or there is a ridiculous size difference between them. It can be a different story for other non bichir tank mates though. If a non bichir tank mate CAN fit in a bichir's mouth it will end up there I am speaking from experience as this happened to me when I introduced a spiny eel into a tank that was a bit smaller than my senegal bichirs. I came back an hour later to find it halfway down my senegal bichir's throat. I keep upper and lower jaw bichirs and also breed sens. I can move the smaller sens into the lower jaw tank anytime as long as the lower jaws are well fed there is never an issue. They just seem to treat them like any other bichir even though my endlis, ornates or laps could easily make a meal out of the smaller upper jaw senegals if they wanted to. You will have no trouble if you buy similar sized bichir's and keep them well fed

 

[Setherson]

this should ease your mind in my tank I have 11 bichirs ranging from 4.5-13", a bunch of plecos ranging from 4-12" including a 5" whiptail, a 5" eel tail banjo catfish, 2 raphael catfish 3-5", 2 knifefish 6" & 10", 3x 5" elephant nose, 2 Butis Butis, 3 eels ranging from 10-16", and a bunch of mosquito fish. The only ones that have any aggression shown to them by a bichir are the mosquito fish. It really does depend on how thick their tank mates are and whether they are well fed

Sounds awesome, do you have any pics? And yes it does help make the decision of getting bichirs easier. I rather not spend time and money getting these cool fish if they will just end up eating each other after a couple months. They aren't exactly the cheapest.

In my experience upper jaws will not eat other upper jaw bichirs UNLESS in extreme circumstances. Such as if they were really starved or there is a ridiculous size difference between them. It can be a different story for other non bichir tank mates though. If a non bichir tank mate CAN fit in a bichir's mouth it will end up there I am speaking from experience as this happened to me when I introduced a spiny eel into a tank that was a bit smaller than my senegal bichirs. I came back an hour later to find it halfway down my senegal bichir's throat. I keep upper and lower jaw bichirs and also breed sens. I can move the smaller sens into the lower jaw tank anytime as long as the lower jaws are well fed there is never an issue. They just seem to treat them like any other bichir even though my endlis, ornates or laps could easily make a meal out of the smaller upper jaw senegals if they wanted to. You will have no trouble if you buy similar sized bichir's and keep them well fed

Thank you for the heads up. Guess If i ever do think of getting them tankmates, they will have to be a few sizes bigger than their mouth

 

[jaws7777]

CB Teugs are fine., Delhezi, Senegals, polli, Palmas,

Beutikofferi & Retropinnis (these 2 are hiders)


List above are great starters.

+1 on this i would also be fine with a cb ornate. I have one that was probably 3 close to 4 yrs old and was pushing between 16 and 17 inches. It would take a long time to outgrow your tank...if ever.

Just went through that poly bite thread... Do ujs eat each other or tankmates in general less frequently compared to ljs?

Meh all of it is overrated. Sure it can happen but your more likely to see aggression ot predation. Which is more aggressive uj or lj ? Its a toss up ive seen it on both sides and even then its not too common and ime its nothing like cichlids.

Cichlids can kill over night where polys will give you time to relocate someone. You see tattered fins and what not.

Like any fish tjey a have their own personalities. For the most part ornates can be jerks but some members have kept them with no issues.

 

[DMD123]

S Setherson , welcome to the forum!

Poly keeping is very addictive and you have a nice sized tank for keeping them. If its the standard 125 that is 18" wide and 6' long than you really can keep quite a few different ones.

There are always the possibilities of wild caught ploys getting to some extreme sizes so that is why you see a lot of recommendations that the same fish as a captive born would likely do just fine in that tank (example, ornate). I started the upper jaw route but eventually gave in and went lower. Something just so prehistoric and primitive compared to the upper jaw...

Keep us updated as you get the fish!

 

[thefredpit]

Sounds awesome, do you have any pics? And yes it does help make the decision of getting bichirs easier. I rather not spend time and money getting these cool fish if they will just end up eating each other after a couple months. They aren't exactly the cheapest.

you don't know what you asked for (Cackles evilly)

 

[thefredpit]

Sounds awesome, do you have any pics? And yes it does help make the decision of getting bichirs easier. I rather not spend time and money getting these cool fish if they will just end up eating each other after a couple months. They aren't exactly the cheapest.

you don't know what you asked for (Cackles evilly)

 

[Hendre]

Polys are awesome!

 

[Setherson]

The setup looks awesome thefredpit & Hendre. Once I get some space cleared up I am 100% going for bichirs(and 1 fire eel).

Mind if I ask what kind of equipment you got on your tanks?