I was at LFS in the southern part of my state today, and they had what I think was (2) 12" Congo or Nile Bichir labeled for sale as a "Dragon Fish" for $40 (seemed like a steal to me), however one had committed suicide by being stuck in a filter intake with no screen. I know it wasn't a Senegal or Ornate Bichir (these I am quite familar with). I left the LFS owner aware of incidence, and thought for sure I would buy the other one.
However, I was to skeptical to make the purchase as its back half kept lying flaccid and flipped left as if it was partially paralyzed. When it was swimming it seemed to straighten up some, but every time if it sat at the bottom the tank the back half of its body appeared in the same condition. Is this a common ailment for bichirs, nothing out of the ordinary, or is it from being poisoned by ammonia or nitrite? Is this easily fixed? Needless to say, I guessed the latter and deemed it to risky to purchase even if is a rarer bichir, did I do right here?
However, I was to skeptical to make the purchase as its back half kept lying flaccid and flipped left as if it was partially paralyzed. When it was swimming it seemed to straighten up some, but every time if it sat at the bottom the tank the back half of its body appeared in the same condition. Is this a common ailment for bichirs, nothing out of the ordinary, or is it from being poisoned by ammonia or nitrite? Is this easily fixed? Needless to say, I guessed the latter and deemed it to risky to purchase even if is a rarer bichir, did I do right here?
