o.k., then BEBLONDIE, can you check my post "1,500gallon and 125gallon"
on the general aquaria discussion page?
i need some answers
on the general aquaria discussion page?
i need some answers
75 Bichir Tank
- Thread starter that drumin guy
- Start date
Hi Joe! Nice to see you visiting out hereFruitbat said:
It is your pictures that I started out with bichirs. And I always read Anne's articles on the fossil fish. I have right now in my 100 gallon tank, a 14" Endlicheri, 12" palmas pollis, 6": albino senegal, and a 10" congius that I got from Wes as a P. Lapradei???. I posted the picture in his forum. I've just recently bought these fish. Bichirs are not like arowanas that swims all the time, and always cruising about the tank. With the exception of the senegalus, and now also the ornate bichirs ( I remember when they were caught wild, and very very shy), They do not require alot of space, definitely enought to turn around. What I've learned about bichirs, I learned at "Bichirs" on AP.
Anne even knows what type of plants to use with bichirsthat drumin guy said:
She's a plethora of data in regards to Polypteridae. I think she has more info than fishbase, if I'm not mistaken. Of course you have also seen CDM's tank shots. He has a "million" bichirs just chillin right over the top of each other. Funny now though is that my male 14" Ornate thinks my 10" Butterkoefferi is very sexy! I think these adoloscent bichirs are just loaded with "teen" hormones. My god, they just embrace each other all the time!!! I filmed them, but couldn't get the video to work. If it was my 75 gallon tank, I would put about 7 bichirs in there. Two albino senegals, one ornate, one delhizi, two polli, and one more delhizi. I love my bichirs. We should have an emoticon bichirs just lke the aro and the peema.
Well.....let's see....I got my first bichir (Polypterus senegalus) back in 1971 when nobody in any of the local fish stores had ever seen one before....and I've been keeping them pretty regularly ever since. Currently I have over 20 bichirs (11 described species/subspecies and one 'undescribed' species - the 'Zaire Green') scattered among a number of African Biotope tanks ranging in size from 10 gallons to 100 gallons. I guess you could say that I have a little experience in keeping them successfully.
A typical 75 gallon (not a 75 'long') has the dimensions of 48" X 18" X 20" (or 48.5" X 18" X 21" if you buy an Oceanic brand). This is certainly adequate to house any species of the 'smaller' bichirs though I wouldn't try to put a fully-grown Polypterus endlicheri congicus in it for life. There is a faulty assumption quite commonly held that the interlocking ganoid scales of Polypterids makes them significantly less flexible than their snakey appearance would suggest. While it is true that bichirs aren't as supple as, say, a Mastacembelid 'eel', they certainly don't lack turning ability. So....the old adage about making sure that the tank is wider than the bichir is long really has no basis in fact. Even a large (24") Polypterus ornatipinnis would have no real difficulty turning around in an 18 inch wide tank and those in the 12 inch to 16 inch category would fare even better.
Intra- and interspecific conflict usually isn't a problem with bichirs. In general, I've found them to be relatively peaceful fish (with the proviso that there is always the particularly 'grumpy' individual out there that won't seem to get along with any other bichir). As long as there are adequate hiding places available I wouldn't expect there to be any difficulties between the fish themselves.
Water quality is, of course, key to keeping any fish alive and healthy. As hardy and adaptable as bichir are, there is no sense in testing their tolerances for poor water quality. Effective filtration is essential and I highly recommend regular weekly water changes in the neighborhood of 25%. With good husbandry techniques there is no reason that four (or even a few more) adult Polypterids of the smaller species couldn't be kept in a 75 gallon tank.
-Joe
A typical 75 gallon (not a 75 'long') has the dimensions of 48" X 18" X 20" (or 48.5" X 18" X 21" if you buy an Oceanic brand). This is certainly adequate to house any species of the 'smaller' bichirs though I wouldn't try to put a fully-grown Polypterus endlicheri congicus in it for life. There is a faulty assumption quite commonly held that the interlocking ganoid scales of Polypterids makes them significantly less flexible than their snakey appearance would suggest. While it is true that bichirs aren't as supple as, say, a Mastacembelid 'eel', they certainly don't lack turning ability. So....the old adage about making sure that the tank is wider than the bichir is long really has no basis in fact. Even a large (24") Polypterus ornatipinnis would have no real difficulty turning around in an 18 inch wide tank and those in the 12 inch to 16 inch category would fare even better.
Intra- and interspecific conflict usually isn't a problem with bichirs. In general, I've found them to be relatively peaceful fish (with the proviso that there is always the particularly 'grumpy' individual out there that won't seem to get along with any other bichir). As long as there are adequate hiding places available I wouldn't expect there to be any difficulties between the fish themselves.
Water quality is, of course, key to keeping any fish alive and healthy. As hardy and adaptable as bichir are, there is no sense in testing their tolerances for poor water quality. Effective filtration is essential and I highly recommend regular weekly water changes in the neighborhood of 25%. With good husbandry techniques there is no reason that four (or even a few more) adult Polypterids of the smaller species couldn't be kept in a 75 gallon tank.
-Joe
so THAT DRUMMIN GUY; wat r u doin?
dA bichir mix(which i wouldn't put 7)
or dA carnivore mix?
you could put more species if it's the carnivore mix.
and the bichir mix for a 75gallon, is probably only like 3small bichirs.
dA bichir mix(which i wouldn't put 7)
or dA carnivore mix?
you could put more species if it's the carnivore mix.
and the bichir mix for a 75gallon, is probably only like 3small bichirs.
:Wow, awesome guys, I really appreciate all this. It's nice to know we have so many people here who know what they are talking about! I think I will go with 4 and maybe something to fill the upper portion. Now the last question (sorry for all the questions) would it be better to have a lot of decorations and hiding spots or none at all? I was originally going to go with just sand so I will be able to see them, and keep it cleaner, but whatever is best I will do. And finally, I will be ordering from rehobothaquatics, and is it better to get them the smallest sizes I can or does it really matter what size I get them at?
decorrating is really up to you you cam alawys add or remove decorations.As for size I personaly like them small and watch them grow, just try to get them approx. the same size or as close as possible.One you will definately want from rehobothaquatics is a P.retropinnis
-Anne
-Anne
