bowfin questions

[screaminleeman]

They dont really jump from 3 or 4 inches to 2 feet ovenite, I caught mine at about 6 inches about a year ago, he eats all he wants, hides mostly, and has only seemed to grow maybe an inch or 2 since i caught him. Is in great health, and looks fabulous. So i wouldnt be afraid to start one in a 55 gal or so, it will be fine there for quite awhile, before it needs bigger accomodations.

Something is extremely strange here. Are you certain that you did not catch some sort of dwarf snakehead? I got six bowfin in mid June of 2010 around half the size of yours or less. I lost two to predation, one to jumping through the 1X1" mesh cover over my deck pond early. The fourth died a couple of months ago and mesured at 13". Both of the survivors are well over a foot long in under 6 months!

 

[Wild Man From Welland]

I got mine at around 7" in august.

hey tramonte did ya catch him or buy him?

 

[Racersk]

I have heard reoccurring info that as soon as you get your Bowfin you need to treat them for parasites. I have already done so and this has helped with his growth. I have yet to accurately measure this beasty, as soon as I break out the camera it speeds away.

2 other small footprint tankmates, but he's comphy in a 90 gallon for now.

 

[jmatthewvan]

I bought mine late last March at only 1/2" and he's now nearing 18" and only eats Cichlid Gold pellets(It's his only option though,he'll eat anything).I have him in a 200 and I'm starting my 540gallon plywood build for him and a few others tomorrow.

 

[Racersk]

Dont think its a dwarf snakehead i think its because he dont eat that much that i can tell, i put in market shrimp, and cichlid gold pellets before lights out, and all is gone by the morning, maybe its the parasite thing holdin him back, i never treat any of my fish automatically if they look healthy. How would you do that with a bowfin?? I just took another look today and he is about a foot or so now, and seems really healthy.

PM Lupin, he is the one that helped me with my barbs. They were iching so I added a medicine to the water- started with a 'P' ... I went further into research mode and also found that most early bowfin deaths were caused by parasites that take over and the host starves to death. ALL bowfin are wild caught and suffer from parasites.

There is also medicated food for this too, but I seriously doubt your bow would eat it...GL