Do Polypterus enjoy eating guppies?

[reziztor]

Hello, I have been fishkeeping for many many years. But I have only recently become interested in Polypterus. I am going to clear space in my 90 gallon to exclusivly hold a young polypterus. Next to this tank is one of my big breeding tanks (50 gal), for breeding fancy guppies. I have way too many guppy babies and I am hoping to be able to "thin the heard" by tossing the uglier young guppies into my Polypterus tank... But it might be that they are too small for my Polypterus (I am unsure of the Polypterus size yet, just that its young). Would he be interested in them? Is this a good idea at all?

Thanx

 

[Loubard]

Hey Reziztor,

first off all, welcome to MFK!

About the polypterus eating guppy's I have heard different story's. Mine (lapradei's) did not eat them, not even the big females. But with others the guppy's don't last a single night. It depends on the bichir personality. But I think they eventually will eat them if they don't get that much else to eat. When the guppy's aren't the right "bite" size you can just leave them in, the will get bigger eating all kinds of leftovers from the polypterus.

What species of Polypterus are you thinking about? And why only one young one?

Cheers

 

[cougar579]

I would stay away from the live foods. Stick with raw shrimp and sinking pellets. If youmust feed live, use some crayfish as a treat.

 

[Bigairmxman]

I put some in there just to see what mine would do . he is about 4 in. long and at first seemed as though he didnt know how to hunt them down, he just creeps up on them real slow, mainly the ones near the bottom and then he just attacks.. he ate about 40 or so in like 3 days...so i enjoying watching him.,...

 

[Jason_S]

I would stay away from the live foods. Stick with raw shrimp and sinking pellets. If youmust feed live, use some crayfish as a treat.

live crayfish to a bichir has anyone else every tried this cause I am trying but can't imagine a bichir being able to eat a crayfish.

as for the guppies, I think it will come down to how good a hunter the individual bichir you get is. they're not very quick and can be somewhat slow to get to food if it's not dropped right in front of them so they may or may not be able to catch the guppies. if they can I have no doubt that they would snack on guppies as much as possible. I'd definitely make sure their diet is varied and the guppies are only an occasional treat. also I'd be sure to pump up the guppies on quality foods so they have some nutritional value....you are what you eat ya know.

 

[cmersits]

yeah they should be able to eat guppies no problem

 

[rasdbo]

if they can catcj it they will eat it, my ornate caught my 3" syn.eruptus " spotted catfish" and gobbled him up. also seen them other smaller fish, never seen the live crawfish yet but guess it would have to be a small one because bichirs do not have teeth and the crawfish claws if big enough should be able to do damage to them. but give it a try anyway experimintation is the best learner anyway!

 

[beblondie]

''bichirs do not have teeth''Oh but they do and they have a bunch of them too-Anne

 

[golcondorus]

you might try ghost shrimps instead of crayfish, they cant really do any damage to the birchir and you can get them for like $.80

 

[mcblack]

its fine to feed them guppies be sure your stock is clean, its also good exercise and you might also enjoy watching them hunt