Anything to look for when buying bichirs?

[dbcb314]

If all goes as planned, I should be going to the lfs to get 2 (albino and reg sen) at the latest Tuesday.

Is there anything in particular you need to look for when buying bichirs? Like should they be behaving a certain way or anything?

The few times I have seen them at petstores, some are at the top, some are chillin on the bottom, some come up to the glass, some hang out in back, some are all over the place, ect.

so... any tips to buying bichirs

 

[Cohazard]

I prefer the really active ones, so that's one thing to look for.

Also look at their eyes. If it's cloudy, they probably have some sort of fungul infection that you'll have to treat for in quarantine.

Also look closely at their skin. If they have small white threads hanging off of their body, it's an external parasite that's easily treated with jungle labs parasite clear.

Try to pick the chunky ones so that you know they're eating already.

HTH


Are these going to be your first bichirs?

 

[dbcb314]

Are these going to be your first bichirs?

yep

better not let me down! I am passing on my trusty cichlids to try something different...

 

[beblondie]

Purchasing Bichirs
There are basicly three ways to purchase bichirs
1.Wait around hoping your favorite store gets some in
2.Ask if they can order them from their suppliers most good stores can be very accomodating this way
3. Online there are number of suppliers.The drawback to this and the above is someones picking
your fish or you.
This said lets say you found a store with a number of bichirs of the same species what do you look for
1.clear eyes,
2.all fins present,(pectoral,pelvic,anal.and dorsal finlets)
3.no noticable fungal or parasitic problems
4.look for one thats more active than the others,
5.make sure it mouth is fine and nostrils (2) are present
6.Color or pattern
And ask a couple questions how long have they been in the store?This can be very important.Most
Bichirs are wild-collected, many by native plant poisons,others thru trapping and often starved before
shipping in crowded,questionable conditions.Some won't make it sorry to say.Most that are not going to
will die within a week or two.The best way to insure your fish will is to wait that 2 weeks either place it on hold
or make sure it been there that two week period.Other questions are they eating? and what are they being fed?
and ask to see it eat.-Anne

 

[Cohazard]

yep

better not let me down! I am passing on my trusty cichlids to try something different...

Cool, congrats! I keep SA and CA cichlids with mine.

I don't think you'll be disappointed, especially at feeding time

 

[CichlidsGoneWild]

Another thing to add is look for the stripes pattern that you like. What you see is what you get. Don't expect the stripes to come out if the fish does not have any stripes to begin with.

 

[Nabbig2]

Purchasing Bichirs
There are basicly three ways to purchase bichirs
1.Wait around hoping your favorite store gets some in
2.Ask if they can order them from their suppliers most good stores can be very accomodating this way
3. Online there are number of suppliers.The drawback to this and the above is someones picking
your fish or you.
This said lets say you found a store with a number of bichirs of the same species what do you look for
1.clear eyes,
2.all fins present,(pectoral,pelvic,anal.and dorsal finlets)
3.no noticable fungal or parasitic problems
4.look for one thats more active than the others,
5.make sure it mouth is fine and nostrils (2) are present
6.Color or pattern
And ask a couple questions how long have they been in the store?This can be very important.Most
Bichirs are wild-collected, many by native plant poisons,others thru trapping and often starved before
shipping in crowded,questionable conditions.Some won't make it sorry to say.Most that are not going to
will die within a week or two.The best way to insure your fish will is to wait that 2 weeks either place it on hold
or make sure it been there that two week period.Other questions are they eating? and what are they being fed?
and ask to see it eat.-Anne

Lol yeah that's it. Be keen on the nose thing, sometimes their nostrils are bitten off or something.