Do You Think Bichirs are Dumb?

[tezr]

Do you guys think bichirs are one of the dumbest fish when it comes to interacting with humans? Do you think they're poor hunter compared to other fish? I think bichirs are one of the dumbest fish. They are so skittish and will crash into everything in the tank. They are a fish with brute force and like to crash into decors. When it's time to eat it irritates me to see them find food so slow. For example, a cichlids will strike at the food the minute it hits water.

Umm staying away from humans is probably a sign of intelligence.....

Turn off all the lights and then drop in the food I bet the Bichir will have the larger stomach in the morning....

Plus they are moving slowly towards the food because they would rather eat the fish that is eating the pellets.......

 

[gigas12]

Hi,after millions of years of evolution,no living creature should be called dumb except humans.

 

[King-eL]

Do you guys think bichirs are one of the dumbest fish when it comes to interacting with humans?
No, depend on how you take care of your bichirs. Some bichirs can be train to come to the surface and feed, while other can be train to be hand feed.

My endli, polli, sene would sometimes chill between my finger while feeding. Although they don't beg for food just like a gar, it's becuase they are inable to see and only rely on scent. So they wait for the food to hit the water and that's when they do the search. Some get familiar with my hand that they don't mind anymore.

Do you think they're poor hunter compared to other fish?
No. As Anne said they rely on scent and not by sight. Turn your lights off and you know how good of a hunter they become. In the wild, bichirs are nocturnal and at home aquaria, we usually turn the lights on so we can see them eat, which is not a natural thing for them to do. I think they are better hunters as they can even hunt even they are blind.

I think bichirs are one of the dumbest fish.
Bichirs develop a death roll similar to a crocodile when it's unable to swallow it's food whole. I think it's a smart way and compare to cichlid they can't even do that.

I have some feeders cichlids that are larger than the bochirs mouth and they just let the bichirs death roll them to death which I think is the dumbest for the cichlid to do.

Bichirs also rarely fights and not fatal. Again another smart thing to do. Prevent them from killing one another.

They are so skittish and will crash into everything in the tank. They are a fish with brute force and like to crash into decors.
Newly bought bichirs are usually skittish for the first 1-3 weeks, especially wild caughts. You may not be putting them in a right environment, that why they are still skittish. Example way to much bright light. They will crash into decor if being spook and bichirs are not the only fish that do that. Some other fiosh as well including cichlid, especially when the light where just turn on after a complete darkness.

When it's time to eat it irritates me to see them find food so slow. For example, a cichlids will strike at the food the minute it hits water.
Don't compare cichlids with bichirs, as cichlids are food for bichirs in the wild. If it irritates you, then don't keep bichirs at all. Bichirs are bottom dwellers and cichlids are swimming all around and they also hunt by sight. Who would you think gets the food first the blind one or the one with sight?

This tread is a very the dumb one.

 

[bizbomb]

If you think bichirs are boring at feeding time try fasting them for a few days and then throw in a piece of fish that is too large to be eaten by any one bichir (this will work better if you have a decent sized group of them). You will get to see some good action. As for being bad hunters them being scent hunters yes will make them a little slow. I have a tank with a tat and a couple barracudas which I am growing out to go in my poly tank. I also put a little teugelsi in there to grow out. Any time I threw in some feeders for the charcins one or two would make it to cover. They may have been safe from the barracudas but no where in the tank it safe from a bichir. I find my bichirs are only skittish when I first turn on my tank light. If you have a bare tank that your bichirs do not feel comfortable in maybe they will be more skittish. I can see how you might feel this way about bichirs but if you give it some time and really watch them I believe they will change your view of them.

 

[packer43064]

My senegal is skittish when I walk up to the tank, I mean I am 5'10'', of course it's going to be a bit skittish and hide at first. Once I get there though, he will come out and swim around the bottom, knowing food is coming soon. I think their pretty smart actually. My bichir will follow my finger if I put it up to the tank, literally just follow my finger around thinking it's food.

Like everyone else said, their scent hunter. That's why they don't just atack the food at first.

 

[DragonScales]

Thank you for all that have replied. Please do not get offended and my intend of this thread was not to be offensive. I just wanted to get a general feeling or honest opinion how bichir owners feel toward their bichir being skittish and slow hunters.

I was just frustrated cuz my bichirs were really skittish and crashed into the new decors I just set up. They made a really big mess and scratching my acrylic tank. Today I went to check on the decors and it seem they have really settled down. They have fully acclimated to their new environment and are enjoying the hiding spots the new decors provided.

 

[David R]

I was just frustrated cuz my bichirs were really skittish and crashed into the new decors I just set up. They made a really big mess and scratching my acrylic tank.

That sounds like a lack of intelligence from the owner, not the fish. They need space to swim, and any delicately balanced "decors" are probably going to get knocked over. Set the tank up with that in mind and you'll be fine.

 

[DragonScales]

That sounds like a lack of intelligence from the owner, not the fish. They need space to swim, and any delicately balanced "decors" are probably going to get knocked over. Set the tank up with that in mind and you'll be fine.

Another generalization!!!! This was a 10lbs driftwoods so it's not a delicate decor. Unfornately, 10lbs wood vs a 16" beefy bichir is no match.

 

[King-eL]

Another generalization!!!! This was a 10lbs driftwoods so it's not a delicate decor. Unfornately, 10lbs wood vs a 16" beefy bichir is no match.

Try adding some substrates to make the wood stable to the bottom. I have some 5-10lbs driftwood with some 50" lungfish and some 20" bichirs and the drifwood never get move around.

Use 3m color quartz as they are not sharp and will do fine with an acrylic tank. I have an acrylic tank as well and 3m color quartz are good for them. Use the S-Grade as the T-garde are larger and course. The bichirs will also become more settle down with the substrates.

 

[Burbotman]

Are Bichirs dumb? You made the comparison to Cichlids.

I equate Cichlids and bichirs like cats and dogs. My JD/Jag/Oscar have been like dogs, they see food coming and get excited at the top of the tank. Poly's are like cats, they do their thing on their timeline. Evolution has breed these traits into them and as previous posts have stated, they have been more than just a little successful.

From a fishkeeper perspective, it depends on what a person likes. I appreciate my JD following every move I make, but find my Poly's much more fasinating to watch.