50 gallon bichir tank

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Bichir21

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 28, 2014
16
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Phillippines
Hello guys, this is my first time in this forum so forgive me if there is something wrong in my first thread:D. Anyway I am currently setting up my 50 gallon tank that will be a bichir tank. Can I use fine gravel instead of sand? I have heard that bichirs can die if they ingest gravel:(? Is this true? And I would like to know what food can I feed them and how many times do i have to feed them? And the most important is what species of bichir is suitable for my tank my tank measurements is 36x18x18. I know that upper jaw bichirs are more suitable for small tanks than lower jaws. This are the bichirs that caught my attention.
1 Polypterus Delhezi-Armoured Bichir
1 Polypterus Senegalus- Cuvier's Bichir
1 Polypterus Palmas Buettikoferi- Golddust bichir
According to my research a 50 gallon is suitable for this bichir? Is that true? Also according to aqadvisor these 3 will complete my tank stock.This tank will be there permanent home and I dont have enough space for a bigger tank. All help will be appreciated.;)
 
Welcome to the board. Those bichirs are ok for the tank. Will max around 12-14 inches. Likely will get cb fish so will be a bit smaller. Would like it to be a bit bigger but a good starter none the less. Fine gravel is ok but there's always a risk of stones getting stuck. Fine sand would be better but can always keep an eye out for swollen bellies. Diet, can give them a varied diet. Silversides, tilapia, shrimp, pellets, and even flakes.


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Nice choice of upperjaws, i also have an upperjaw tank. The only one missing in that collection i think, is a beut. They look much colorful than their lower jaw counterparts imho. Btw, i suggest you use red or black colored sand as your substrate. Red sand brings their markings out even more. Black sand intensifies their natural color
 
Oh thanks for your suggestions guys the tank has 5 zebra danios in it the will serve as feeders when I bought the bichirs. Is it alright if I buy a larger one instead of a smaller one? I saw an 8 inch senegal at my LFS along with other smaller ones 3 inchers maybe. I thought that with 3 inch bichirs my tank will look empty.
 
Bichir21 said:
Oh thanks for your suggestions guys the tank has 5 zebra danios in it the will serve as feeders when I bought the bichirs. Is it alright if I buy a larger one instead of a smaller one? I saw an 8 inch senegal at my LFS along with other smaller ones 3 inchers maybe. I thought that with 3 inch bichirs my tank will look empty.
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Personally, id like to grow these guys myself. But its up to you hehe. They grow fast anyway. I got my senegal last november 2013 as a 2 inch baby. He's now 10.5 inches. They grow pretty past. The delhezi, beut, and senegal that is. The slowest growers would have to be the moke, weeksii, depending on genes
 
Some of them at least. Good genes also help. From my experience, my senegal, delhezi, and palmas palmas grew fast in length and girth. Now the lower jaws...thats another story hehe i used to have an endli that grew to 10 inches in 4 months. It will depend greatly as well on their diet, and how often you do water changes
 
My Senegal doesn't grow. I had two, one grew fast, length and width (he unfortunately jumped out of the tank awhile back) the smaller I still have and still remains around 5" and skinny. So I guess it's luck of the draw. The fat one gorged himself every feeding tho.
 
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