Bichirs 101

[AquaApprentice]

Alright guys... so I have a Jack Dempsey in a 90 gallon, his tankmates, a Firemouth and an Oscar unfortunately passed away due to some unfortunate circumstances...I was going to turn the tank into a planted community tank with peaceful fish, but am not sure if I have the heart to get rid of the Jack. Since then I have been thinking of tankmates for the Jack for a sort of alternative community tank, and Bichirs became an idea.

Does anybody think this would work? I know very, very little about Bichirs...they are actually one of the fish I know the least about, though I do see them down here periodically. What species would be suitable? Do they work in four foot tanks?

Also, what are good tankmates for Bichirs?

 

[GarNiac]

the only tankmates that would work well with bichirs are other type of bichirs with similar size.

 

[angryinsect]

the only tankmates that would work well with bichirs are other type of bichirs with similar size.

i've had success keeping large bichirs with large cichlid, catfish, gars, and knifefish

 

[negative_tea]

i've had success keeping large bichirs with large cichlid, catfish, gars, and knifefish

I was going to say that a catfish would probably work okay.

 

[JamesF]

I've kept them with a wide variety of fish. Never had any issues except for bichirs eating anything too small. I can't ever remember having my bichirs with nothing but bichirs. There are always cichlids and catfish at least, and usually ctemopoma.

 

[NCStateFisher]

yeah i don't agree with ONLY keeping bichirs with bichirs, most fish just leave them alone honestly, the only fish i wouldn't recommend keeping them with are pleco's and certain syndontis cats

 

[tokyogasmask]

My fave = Arowana + Polypterus (large of course!).

 

[Divasen]

I have kept polys with a range of other fish,but not with pleco's as they suck the slime coat of the polys , syndontis cats also didnt work as they were aggressive towards my polys. If the fish are not small enough to fit in the mouth of the poly it shud be fine.

how many liters is you 4foot tank?Dims? Thereafter we will be able to help you with the type of polys you can keep.

 

[AquaApprentice]

I have kept polys with a range of other fish,but not with pleco's as they suck the slime coat of the polys , syndontis cats also didnt work as they were aggressive towards my polys. If the fish are not small enough to fit in the mouth of the poly it shud be fine.

how many liters is you 4foot tank?Dims? Thereafter we will be able to help you with the type of polys you can keep.

90 Gallons or 340 liters I believe

 

[Divasen]

90 Gallons or 340 liters I believe

You can get some senegalus,delhezi,plamas, i wud say that most of the lower jaw spieces will be ok in your tank, have a look at the sticky, ornate will get too for the tank in my opinion.