bichir tank

[zix]

Hello i am new ,setting a 250 L tank for bichir´s
watt tank mates ? a pleco and 2 banjos be safe .
in my lfs they have some bichir with africanlungfish, albino claria and some chicla,the size is about 12cm for the bichir and claria ,the lung about 18cm to 22cm,they are 3 lung .a very croude place.if i buy i lung with the bichir is this to mucth for my aqua
sory for my words.

 

[Fruitbat]

zix....

A good answer to your question depends on what species of bichir they're selling. A 250 liter tank (about 66 gallons) would be large enough for the 'small' to 'medium' bichirs like Polypterus senegalus, Polypterus delhezi, Polypterus retropinnis, Polypterus weeksii and subspecies of the Polypterus palmas complex. The larger bichirs like Polypterus ornatipinnis, the subspecies of Polypterus bichir and the subspecies of Polypterus endlicheri will eventually find a tank of that size a bit crowded....though it might take a few years.

Personally I avoid putting 'pleco'-type catfish in with my bichirs because there have been a number of reports that those catfish will occasionally rasp on the slime coat of a bichir's scales and this can lead to skin ailments that in some cases can prove fatal to the fish.

Virtually all of the commonly-available African Lungfish will easily outgrow your aquarium and they're generally bad-tempered to boot. The major problem with that is that the Lungfish have the dental equipment to inflict fatal damage even to a tough fish like a bichir. Some people keep them together without any problems but I've always been unwilling to risk it with my Polypterus species.

-Joe

 

[magic]

For tank mates i would recommend fish that tend to stay near the surface. The pleco and banjos will pretty much stay on the bottom and from what ive seen the bichirs probably will too. So u might not want only fish that spend their time on the bottom of your tank.

 

[Freshy]

hi,

any top/surface level fish to recommend for bichir tank?

50 gallon tank

with 2 polli, senegal, ropeful, rubber eel, raphael cat.

 

[Fruitbat]

My best suggestion for a surface dweller is the African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi. My favorite mid-level fish are the Bush Fish (Ctenopoma and Microctenopoma. Of course, I have this nasty habit of sticking with fish from at least the same continent as my bichirs (and generally only from West Africa).

-Joe

 

[shekes]

My best suggestion for a surface dweller is the African Butterfly Fish (Pantodon buchholzi. My favorite mid-level fish are the Bush Fish (Ctenopoma and Microctenopoma.

Aren't Pantodon buchholzi and Ctenopoma a bit small to live with a bichir?
What are Ctenopomas like anyway? - I was thinking of putting one with my discus.

 

[Freshy]

thanks bro Fruitbat..

but i think butterfly fish a little too small.. might end up eaten..

also..what's bush fish? perch?

pls advise..

thanks!

 

[beblondie]

Depends on the species of bichir and its temperment
Tankmates
Below is a partial list of possible tankmates for the small to midsized bichirs species.Parameters I used are based on size, temperment and availabilty . And i believe is a good starting point for you to do further research before purchasing -Anne
CATFISH
Dusky Pimelodid-Pimelodus blochii
Giraffe Catfish-Auchenoglanis occidentalis
Dwarf giraffe Catfish-Parauchenoglanis macrostoma
Giant Whiptail Catfish-Sturisoma aureum
Synodontis alberti
Synodontis angelicus
Synodontis pleurops
Synodontis decorus
Synodontis eupterus
Synodontis notatus
Synodontis brichardi
Synodontis nigrita
Synodontis flavitaeniata
Synodontis soloni
Liver Catfish-Heteropneustes fossilis
Black Lancer-Bagrichthys hypselopterus
PLECOS
Bristlenose-Ancistrus dolichopterus
CHARACINS
Silver dollar-Metynnis argenteus
Distichodus notospilus-Distichodus notospilus
Congo tetra-Phenacogrammus interruptus
Black-Barred Myleus-Myleus schomburgki
Filament tetra-Bryconaethiop microstoma
EELS
Peacock Eel- Macrognathus aculeatus
CICHLIDS *(see note)
Dicus-Symphysodon discus
Angelfish-Pterophyllum ssp.
Two-Spot Cichlid-Cichlasoma bimaculatum
Tilapia joka-Tilapia joka
Oscar-Astronotus ocellatus
Severum-Cichlasoma severum
Kribensis- Pelvicachromis pulcher
Sparkling Earth Eater-Satanoperca acuticeps
Blue acara-Aequidens pulchrus
Balzani's Earth Eater-Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Blood Parrot Cichlid-Hybrid no scientifc name
Blue-Eye Cichlid-Cichlasoma spilurum
Festivum-Mesonauta festivus
African Peacock Cichlid-Aulonocara nyassae
Balzani's Earth Eater-Gymnogeophagus balzanii
Bandit Cichlid-Aequidens geayi
Blockhead Cichlid-Steatocranus casuarius
Callolepis Cichlid-Cichlasoma callolepis
Freiberg's Peacock Cichlid-Aulonocara jacobfreibergi
Keyhole Cichlid-Cleithracara maronii
Port Acara-Aequidens portalegrensis
Uaru- Uaru amphicanthiodes
LABYRINTH FISHES
Ctenopoma .acutirostre-Ctenopoma acutirostre
Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus-Ctenopoma oxyrhynchus
Ctenopoma kingsleyae-Ctenopoma kingsleyae
CYPRINIDS
Variegated Shark-Labeo variegatus
Bala Shark-Balantiocheilos melanopterus
Red-Finned Cigar Shark-Leptobarbus hoevenii
Red-linned torpedo barb-Puntius denisonii
Tinfoil Barb-Barbodes schwanefeldii
Chinese Algae Eater-Gyrinocheilus aymonieri
Clown Loach-Botia macracantha
MISC.
African mudfish-Phractolaemus ansorgei
Black Ghost Knifefish -Apteronotus albifrons
Elephantnose-Gnathonemus petersii
African butterfly-Pantondon bucholzi
African Knifefish-Xenomystus nigri
(*note :to avoid agression do not have breeding pairs )

 

[zix]

thanksfor the reply,is beter to bare or sand and plants ? they can grow because i have another tank 150g that is my comunity tank ,angels ,neons ,8 L fish`s , botias,cory`s but is a plant tank whit co2 and lots of plants.
this gona be my first monster tank ,in Portugal is not very comom to have this fish

 

[beblondie]

With bichirs I find floating plants work best as bichirs tend to go thru plants uprooting them but it could be just me.If you want a planted tank set the plants
and let them develop a good root system before adding bihirs-Anne

Sand or bare is really your personal choice I use fine ground gravel its a little bigger than sand.Avoid aquarium gravel I have heard of bichirs getting it stuck in their throats