Can bichirs hunt down guppies?

[heatherbeast]

My 70 gallon tropical community tank became a 70 gallon aggressive tank when my beau brought home three small 'rescued' Senegal Bichirs. I eventually had to remove my surviving cories and hatchetfish to a refugee tank so they could grow back the chunks of missing tails; one of the bichirs learned how to skim the surface of the tank to enjoy live prey (read: my stock!), despite the very generous diet of shrimp pellets, cooked chicken, beef heart, tubifex worm cubes those little turds (said affectionately!) were given. :>

 

[heatherbeast]

Oh, and a quick addendum: Polypterus magic happens at night.

 

[ProblEmZ]

Oh, and a quick addendum: Polypterus magic happens at night.

Oh? What does that entail? heh Seriously i have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[heatherbeast]

They're most effective at night when it comes to hunting From what I've seen so far of bichir stalking tactics nighttime removes the visual advantage their prey have over them.

 

[davcheng]

Yep. I threw some guppies into my bichir tank, and once their tanklights went out (but the room light was on so I could see), two of my senegals went right up to the top to hunt the guppies. All you could hear was a loud POP as they tried to eat the guppies. It was awesome.

 

[ProblEmZ]

They're most effective at night when it comes to hunting From what I've seen so far of bichir stalking tactics nighttime removes the visual advantage their prey have over them.

D'oh! lol should have figured that out.

Too true, lights go out and it's hunting season. Added my Senegal to my 29g with 9 guppies. The next day they were down to 7, my sen ate 2 the first night. But i've been noticing guppy fry in the tank as well heh But of the adult guppies as of last night i had 6. Sad thing is he ate all the male guppies the first night. Go go female guppies and keeping sperm lol

 

[Red tail catking]

Yep a 8" Bichir can easily facerape a little guppy. The general rule is if it can fit in it's mouth its going to end up there.

 

[King-eL]

Here is a pic my 17" endli catching a 4" midas cichlid. A guppy would have no chance of escaping. It only took him less than 5 minutes to swallow the midas cichlid

Here is another pic of my 19" endli swallowing a 5" midas cichlid.

 

[StripeGirl]

Poly's will eat just about any thing,My last choice would be feeders.Much more nutrition found in other foods.

 

[Ryzz]

can i feed my 3.9"-4" bichir a dropsy betta