Best Community Polypterus?

[Dan F]

I didn't say he WOULD, could. Have you ever kept goldfish with smaller fish? There are many reasons you don't mix goldfish with other fish, one being they can be surprisingly aggressive. I used to manage petstores, and people always wanted goldfish, even with their community tanks. Some worked, but then some people come back and say they wish they'd taken my advice on not keeping gf with their tetras. Know why? Cause they ATE THEM. I wasn't singling out the goldfish as the only bad idea, just agreeing with what I thought someone else was saying. Maybe that's what they meant, maybe not. The goldfish will be minimuim 2x the diameter of the sens BODY, let alone it's mouth. But either way it's not a good mix for a bichir.

ps. I didn't even see the niger cat! Wow, that makes the WHOLE combo bad......

Yes it does at first seem like a bunch of fish that should NOT be in the same tank, but I really do know what I'm doing, maybe not WHY I'm doing it... I kept a 65 gallon hex with Angel Fish and Fancy Goldfish for 10 years, when my last goldfish died I decided to do something different in my 125 (It used to be a reef tank) Anyways, I just like weird mixes!

The niger will probably have to go in a year or so. I raised two of them for a few years, they were 22" and 25" when a power failure in August killed them The big one weighed 8 1/2 lbs. For now, he and the Hillstream Loach are buddies - They share the same cave during the day

Sounds like I should put the polys on hold until I can get my 180 going and then get some as company for the Niger cat.

 

[darthbravo]

If you got a senegal, it would definately eat the neons. The first senegal i bought ate a school of six Ghost Catfish and 3 Black neons overnight. The senegal was about 3 inches when i bought him. Ofcourse this was like 5 yrs ago when i was first startin out in the hobby, way unexperienced.

 

[pdbrady]

Yes it does at first seem like a bunch of fish that should NOT be in the same tank, but I really do know what I'm doing, maybe not WHY I'm doing it... I kept a 65 gallon hex with Angel Fish and Fancy Goldfish for 10 years, when my last goldfish died I decided to do something different in my 125 (It used to be a reef tank) Anyways, I just like weird mixes!

The niger will probably have to go in a year or so. I raised two of them for a few years, they were 22" and 25" when a power failure in August killed them The big one weighed 8 1/2 lbs. For now, he and the Hillstream Loach are buddies - They share the same cave during the day

Sounds like I should put the polys on hold until I can get my 180 going and then get some as company for the Niger cat.

Oh, no, don't take that as me doubting you, not by any means! Sorry to hear about the losses, that sucks. I would get the 180 going, keep the cat, and do something big.

 

[Dan F]

I didn't take it too seriously - When you throw some Fancy Goldfish in a tropical tank along with a monster like the niger cat, people are liable to wonder...

 

[tezr]

For now, he and the Hillstream Loach are buddies - They share the same cave during the day

Do you have a strong current in your tank? I have read that these guys love to be in fast moving water and it seems to really improve their overall health and growth rate. Might be the increased O2 intake from the fast moving water over the gills. Just a little tidbit I read when I was looking at setting up a fast moving river tank.

 

[goose_uk]

thought Id add my 5 pennies worth.... best community poly imo would be an albino senegal....not only a good temperament but they do not grow too big.....

just going on what i have experienced so far....

 

[krzr3000]

I've kept senegals with female bettas and tetras with no problems. I have even thrown some appropriately sized feeders in the sen tank at work and they aren't interested. Keep it well fed and i dont see a problem.

 

[channarox]

maybe cause its not big enough yet?
my albino senegal at 3 inches has taken down feeders 1.5 inches long.
only to have it snatched away by the lap.

 

[beblondie]

Best Community Polypterus?
large predatory fish= large communtiy fish to go ith it -Anne

 

[Canyoncarver]

The hillstream loach is a cold water fish.