a question

[GarNiac]

I dont want this to sound like a double tread, but do you think your wild caught bichirs can grow bigger then the captive breed bichirs in your tank?
I say my endlis could probably grow up to around 50 cm in my tank, but of course I expect them to grow bigger than that.
I believe those that I've bought so far are captive breed bichirs, why?cause bichirs are no where from Asia, and I do live in Asia. Some people sometimes ago may have imported the bichirs from overseas, and breed them locally, then they sell them. Besides importing bichirs to my country would be very expensive, and only some fish collectors would probably do that.
Alot of bichirs are available here in a cheaper price compare to what you guys hv to pay in your country. Those that are available most of time here are sens, albinos, ornates, longfinned, congi, and laps. Therefor its hard to find those that are wild caught and I would never be able to find them. Most bichirs that I saw in the lfs are in small size.
Those that I mentioned above, are some thoughts for the question,
pls drop some thoughts,
cheers

 

[King-eL]

All my wild caught lower jaw are now at 20"+ except for the ansorgii bought all of them at around 9",12",13",14",15" and 16". All my captive breed lower jaw only stop growing at 18"+. Bought all of them at 3",12",15" and 16".

As we all said it before, captive breed bichirs that are being breed today have bad genes and that's why you see them getting smaller and smaller or deformed. Even some bichirs stop growing about a quarter of their max wild size these days. Also the owner plays a big part of the bichirs growth rate. Regular water change and diet for the bichirs and how much it eat also plays a rule in their growth.

 

[GarNiac]

thanks,
I've thought about this, then as you mentioned, one of the options to boost their growth in a home tank, would be giving them an appropriate variety of diets.
Apart from this the environment also have impact on the growth of the fish, then I wonder if ... and only if, I move my bichirs into a big pond with proper filtration would increase their growth, compare with keeping them in the tank, that way of course I wont be able to see them.