Delhezi size compatibility question

[magpie]

I'd get the 10" del. I doubt it would be the cause of to much issue they are pretty mellow. But if it will easily fit in its mouth then its possibly going to become a meal. I don't think any of your fish are in the danger zone. If you get a 4" one you more possibly run the risk of the del being eaten by your Os. I've got three dels and while they at least 2 of them have eaten other fish the third hasn't ever at least that's what I was told. My dels have been in with smaller fish and it seems the threshold is anything bigger then 3" in length and 1" tall is probably going to be safe, Unless extremely slow or dumb. Like said by others polys are predatory fish and as such when opportunity presents itself it may take the option. Not saying it will, just may.

+1
The fish u have do have some good depth in size and it should be fine. Just don’t feed live food. Don’t want the delhezi to think anything moving is also food b

What they said. My WC Delhezi is the one that twenty is mentioning. She's never eaten any fish, unless it was a kuhli loach (I had a couple that I couldn't remove before adding the bichirs... but I've also seen her sit next to a kuhli several times as well. She's weird. That should be a bichir snack for sure.) A lot of it depends on the individual's temperament. She never took the Congo tetras I had that were 2-3".

I don't typically hear of the upper jaws taking hunks out of fish here. Not that it couldn't happen... anything can happen when you introduce predatory fish, but it's more the smaller fish.

Would he have to worry about the Del as the Oscar got larger?

 

[BenPen]

It's important to understand that bichirs are predators. If you look at a fish and think that he could potentially kill it, there's a chance he will. A well fed delhezi admittedly has a low chance of death rolling the head off of one of your cichlids like some of the more temperamental species do, but these are very individual fish.

Depending on that fish's individual personality, he could be more or less predatory/aggressive.

I don't think there is a 'safe size' when it comes to keeping fish like this. Also, length is a bad measure for bichirs. I would not trust my 10" senegal with an 8", slender fish. However, my 9" paratilapia (who is about 6" tall), is easily safe from predatory behaviour (from my bichirs, none of which exceed 14").

There is also the risk that while your bichir may not intentionally kill/damage your fish, these animals have very poor eye sight. If he is going for food, and you have a smaller cichlid going after that food, the cichlid could accidentally be bitten.

The risks of a delhezi bothering any of the fish you listed at adult sizes is slim to none, however. Getting a 4" del shouldn't be a problem, but your Oscars will outpace him and may eat him like a tasty worm.

I also do not think that BGKs and bichirs go well together, but I have relatively little experience here - you should do more research.

Ultimately, I would get the 10" delhezi, put him in the tank with the BGK/Geophagus, and move the Oscar/Severum to something else for a few months to let them get some bulk. I know Oscars grow ridiculously quickly, so doubling their size in 3 months shouldn't be a problem at all with clean water and good food.

That's the safe approach. There's also the chance you buy the bichir, toss everyone together, and it works out fine. That's the chance when it comes to this sort of animal. There's no one on this forum, or in the world, who can tell you what is going to happen. Buy the fish you want (responsibly and with due research), quarantine, and then observe them cohabiting the same space. Don't add the fish before you go to work. Ideally when you have a few days to watch them all together so you can get an idea of the dynamic.

Thanks for the info. Do you think the 10" Del would be "safe" from the Oscars down the road?

Also, I've posted before about keeping BGK with Polys and people said they've done it successfully you just have to get compatible sizes which is what I'm trying to figure out. Unfortunately, I don't have the room or funds to be setting up another large tank to try to grow anyone out. I have my 29g QT but I doubt that's large enough for any of these fish to do any real growing. When you mention separating the fish where would you lump the Chocolate Cichlid at 2-3"?
And I agree 1000%, I only ever introduce fish right at the start of my weekend.

I'd get the 10" del. I doubt it would be the cause of to much issue they are pretty mellow. But if it will easily fit in its mouth then its possibly going to become a meal. I don't think any of your fish are in the danger zone. If you get a 4" one you more possibly run the risk of the del being eaten by your Os. I've got three dels and while they at least 2 of them have eaten other fish the third hasn't ever at least that's what I was told. My dels have been in with smaller fish and it seems the threshold is anything bigger then 3" in length and 1" tall is probably going to be safe, Unless extremely slow or dumb. Like said by others polys are predatory fish and as such when opportunity presents itself it may take the option. Not saying it will, just may.

Thanks for the info, that being said, do you think a BGK would be okay given his size? He's a little dopey and kinda pokes around the other fish as he finds his way around. Maybe he won't do it as much when they're in a larger set up.

+1
The fish u have do have some good depth in size and it should be fine. Just don’t feed live food. Don’t want the delhezi to think anything moving is also food b

Dang. I planned to get a handful of some sort of schooling fish, was thinking Congo tetra, so they'd focus on chasing them around and distract them all from each other. So, I'm guessing long term that would backfire on me?

Why not divide up the 300g tote, to separate the delhezi and grow out the oscars? Oscars grow so freakin fast even when on a pellet diet.

Would that cause more territory issues down the road? And of the fish I listed the Severum and Chocolate cichlid are a bit smaller or about the same size as the Os, do you think those would be fine or would they need a grow out period as well as far as keeping them with the Del is concerned?

 

[Rocksor]

If your plan is to move them, a new cichlid hierarchy may develop in the new tank anyway.

Sevs and chocolates grow much slower than an O so you could separate them until you get your new tank. The del could have it's own space in your 300g tote. What are the dimensions of the tote?

 

[kno4te]

If the Congo tetra are large then it may still work.

 

[BenPen]

If the Congo tetra are large then it may still work.

Congos could survive a full grown Oscar? Or do you mean short term? I know they're less likely to eat tall bodied fish, but I figured Congos were just small enough to still be considered a buffet item. Although it would be cool if they did make it. I would assume they'd all have to be males though, so I wonder how well a school of nothing but males would fare in the long term even if they were safe from the big boys.

 

[twentyleagues]

I don't think congos will ever be safe with Os. That's an opinion not any type of fact.
Your current fish will be fine with del, as long as the del isn't some sorta fish murdering monster now. I don't think your Os will mess with the del get tgem together asap and as they grow it should be fine. I've had Os with gars, pike and a couple other similar shaped fish no issues. Other Os and some other cichlids yes. Just watch for aggression from the Os but I think you'll be good.

 

[twentyleagues]

Congos could survive a full grown Oscar? Or do you mean short term? I know they're less likely to eat tall bodied fish, but I figured Congos were just small enough to still be considered a buffet item. Although it would be cool if they did make it. I would assume they'd all have to be males though, so I wonder how well a school of nothing but males would fare in the long term even if they were safe from the big boys.

All male congos are fine together. I worry the Os will pick on them though esp while younger.

 

[BenPen]

If your plan is to move them, a new cichlid hierarchy may develop in the new tank anyway.

Sevs and chocolates grow much slower than an O so you could separate them until you get your new tank. The del could have it's own space in your 300g tote. What are the dimensions of the tote?

It'll be awhile before they are moved to their permanent home since I have to save up for an actual tank. The tote is just to get my current fish out of their MASSIVELY overstocked tank of 55g (I know, it was originally just the BGK and my friends who meant well but aren't in the hobby bought me the other fish) before any permanent damage is done.
The inside dimension of the temporary tote: 94.5 x 37.5 x 24" (LxWxH)

Link to the tote: https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/...ks/3x2x8-round-end-300-gallon-poly-stock-tank

 

[BenPen]

All male congos are fine together. I worry the Os will pick on them though esp while younger.

Of course, now the apparently masochistic side of me wonders if I were to dole out a ton of money on a school of full grown males if they would survive having introduced them while everyone is still decently small.
But my original thought was to use them as sort of a dither fish to keep them from picking on each other especially while newly added. So I would be going into it knowing I'd probably lose some, although if introducing fish that would be seen as feeders would cause an issue, as per Kno4te's wisdom, with my actual stock I wouldn't want to do it.

 

[twentyleagues]

Of course, now the apparently masochistic side of me wonders if I were to dole out a ton of money on a school of full grown males if they would survive having introduced them while everyone is still decently small.
But my original thought was to use them as sort of a dither fish to keep them from picking on each other especially while newly added. So I would be going into it knowing I'd probably lose some, although if introducing fish that would be seen as feeders would cause an issue, as per Kno4te's wisdom, with my actual stock I wouldn't want to do it.

That last part is the safest route. I think it wouldnt work with the Os but again its an opinion based on very little as I've never tried it. I have 16 congos growing out to go in my 180 as dithers now. Some of the females are still kinda small I worry they'll end up lunch for someone. I only have a few males as I got them at a small size and had almost no idea of gender. But they've grown fairly quick.