Anyone own Nigerian endlis? Please read.

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
K

Keeper of the Ropes

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 29, 2006
803
2
0
40
Texas
I have had HORRIBLE luck with Polypterus Endli Endli from Nigeria. All of them from Toyin. They never last more than a month or two, and die mysteriously. They are always horribly thin when I get them, even fresh off the shipment, and eat quite a bit of food when I first get them home. From there, their appetite lessens until they just can't survive any longer. I lost two previously, and I purchased another two. They were here MAYBE a month and a half, both in a 29 gallon. I have other small bichirs in there with them, and all of them are JUST FINE. This morning (last night everyone looked great... thin, not eating, but coloration was fine) the one I had two weeks longer than the other was on it's back, already gone. The other is ghastly pale and staying at the top of the water. It will probably not make it but I'm going to the store to get meds. I've never had these problems with any other species or with any other variant. And for this to come on so sudden... And not affect the other fish. Has anyone had any of these problems? Or has anyone bought a Nigerian and kept it alive for longer than two months? Do they have some other water parameter need that I just wasn't aware of? I really like their coloration, and if I'm missing something, please let me know.

Keeper

P.S. I am back for good this time. Reinstalled windows and the laptop is virus free :)

P.P.S. Yes I checked my water... readings are as follows.
Nitrate 30 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
GH 75 ppm
Chlorine 0 ppm
KH 80 ppm
pH 7.0 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
 
I keep my endlis in a pH well above 7.5 and add in rift lake salts per the Tanganyikan requirements.
The endlis I've gotten from Toyin have all been flourishing, as have all the other polys from Toyin, and some are well past the 18" mark since their arrival sizes of 10-12".

endli2.jpg

endli-broken saddle.jpg
 
Arrrgghhhh they're BEAUTIFUL! I've got some buffer I've never used from when i thought I was going with cichlids in my 55... Think I should use it?

~ Won't help me with my Nigerians in the future. My bf forbid to get anymore.
 
Mine all doing well so far! never had an endli die (fingers crossed) although i find the nigerian ones to be skinnier than others but i'm working on fattening them up!!

good to see your back, the poly forum's missed you!
 
I NEVER use pH buffering chemicals. Their substrate provides the proper balances needed. I use aragonite, crushed coral, coral sand, and block limestone to provide the high alkaline conditions these fish prefer.
 
I used to have crushed coral in my 55 and I loved how it looked... But I had a gargantuant buettekoferi eat some of it and it tore her insides to shreds. I got rid of it the same day. Do you put in enough sand so that they have a significantly smaller chance of eating the coral?
 
I would like to add that the last Nigerian is now back on the bottom of the tank and has darkened up a bit. Looks a bit better. I'd only feel comfortable putting 5$ on it to live now though. I'll check this thread when I get home - going to the store now.

Jessie*
 
Keeper of the Ropes;881358; said:
I used to have crushed coral in my 55 and I loved how it looked... But I had a gargantuant buettekoferi eat some of it and it tore her insides to shreds. I got rid of it the same day. Do you put in enough sand so that they have a significantly smaller chance of eating the coral?
Click to expand...

you could have put the cc in a media bag in your sump/hob so the polys cant eat it
 
How much would I need in a tank to raise the pH? I have endlis in a 29 and in a 55.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom