Cichlids vs. Bichir

[dmarinko]

If anyone is wondering, cichlids (both African and South American) are fine with bichirs as long as they are the same length.

 

[Infblue]

glad it worked out. but i think its hard to generalize this. im sure it also has a lot to do with the cichlid species and whether they are breeding.

 

[beblondie]

And how long have you kept this combination together?

 

[Fruitbat]

Personally I don't keep large, aggressive SA/CA cichlids with any of my bichirs. In my experience, cichlids have a tendency to get territorial (especially when it is time to start preparing a nursery) and bichirs don't seem to have much concept of another fish having a territory so they simply wander wherever they feel like going and occasionally get beaten up by the cichlids. In general, the same goes for most of the Rift Lake cichlids as well (and even the larger African riverine species).

-Joe

 

[danepatrick]

imo i don't think it will always work. fortunately, in my tank also, i keep an albino senegal with african cichlids. it almost didn't work out. when i first put it in, they would swim full speed and attack it. now, three weeks later, they are just starting to ignore it. luckily when they attacked it, they were always warnings. on the other hand, my friend has had 2 bichirs with his ca/sa cichlids, and woke up to find his albino senegal ripped into pieces. imo, it's not something that can be guarenteed. it's more or less a trial and error situation.

 

[Vince]

I would bet that a breeding pair of dovii would kill any bichir in the same tank. use your discretion when mixing other fish with cichlids.

 

[dmarinko]

1 month

 

[messiner]

one whole month..........WOW
so its OK to keep my senegul with my 18in jag then right?!?

dont post misleading information. you have never seen or even heard of every type of cichlid, let alone kept all the different types of polys with each individual cichlid.

a better thin to say would be i kept my blankity cichlid with my blankity bichir and so far so good. my .02

 

[beblondie]

Lemme know how it works ater a year.1 month really isn't long enough for a qualified statement as fish mature they can become agressive&territorial especially in close quarters-Anne

 

[sour_girl]

Cichlids come in all different sizes and temperments.. what works with one may not with another....