Let's here about peoples experience with some of the "rarer" species. It seems like people are always picking up palmas sp, endli, congicus, and ornates. I'm curious about the mokelmebembes, retropinnis, tuegulsi, and weeksii polys. Would love to see some pics of each too. (I know that some aren't "rare" but in my neck of the woods they are ALL "rare")
Experience with rarer polypterus
- Thread starter jdryden
- Start date
Hello,
from your point of view i'm keeping two "rare" species: Polypterus weeksi and Polypterus teugelsi.
Indeed - P.weeksi isn't that rare species as teugelsi is ... but it's also a fact of where you are living. I think Arkansas isn't a "Poly-paradise" ... the same situation as in Germany. Here P.weeksi IS a rare fish!
My weeksi is about 6'' long and still has his well-developed external gills. Although he comes to the surface to breathe. Weeksi has the ability to feed fish which are half as long as he is ...
Weeksi has a remarkable head; i think adult individuals are real predators in the style of adult P.ornatipinnis.
The coloration is different from individual to individual - there are almost uni-coloured fishes as there are rich coloured fishes, these are looking superficially a bit like delhezi.
Weeksi is not that wonder of growing-up like ornatipinnis, and he is definitely no action-hero.
On the other side P.teugelsi ... action-hero extravaganza! He's my most active Polypterus - and my most aggressive. He snaps after all other tankmates but didn't hurt them. I don't know if this behaviour is territorial (i think so) or caused by an enormous appetite (he has an enormous appetite but i don't think he is seeing his tankmates as prey).
P.teugelsi came the first time to Germany last year imported by Andreas Lorenz, www.tropicfish.de - Aquarium Glaser, who is also dealing in the USA and Japan, affirmed this first-time-import, but i'm sure he was second ...
Ralf Britz, who described P.teugelsi the first time, didn't know that teugelsi is one ofe the longest Polypterus species ... mine is about 18'' long but i have seen a pic (my dealer had sent it to me) of a teugelsi about 25'' long! Remember: Men have not seen many teugelsi until this time ... remember the "fact", that P.ansorgii is one of the smallest bichirs (brave statement when knowing only 3 individuals in alcohol!).
I could write many more about P.teugelsi and P.weeksi ... but there are so many facts, so many observations ... it's better to ask me.
The pictures: I will make some pics the next days.
from your point of view i'm keeping two "rare" species: Polypterus weeksi and Polypterus teugelsi.
Indeed - P.weeksi isn't that rare species as teugelsi is ... but it's also a fact of where you are living. I think Arkansas isn't a "Poly-paradise" ... the same situation as in Germany. Here P.weeksi IS a rare fish!
My weeksi is about 6'' long and still has his well-developed external gills. Although he comes to the surface to breathe. Weeksi has the ability to feed fish which are half as long as he is ...
Weeksi has a remarkable head; i think adult individuals are real predators in the style of adult P.ornatipinnis.
The coloration is different from individual to individual - there are almost uni-coloured fishes as there are rich coloured fishes, these are looking superficially a bit like delhezi.
Weeksi is not that wonder of growing-up like ornatipinnis, and he is definitely no action-hero.
On the other side P.teugelsi ... action-hero extravaganza! He's my most active Polypterus - and my most aggressive. He snaps after all other tankmates but didn't hurt them. I don't know if this behaviour is territorial (i think so) or caused by an enormous appetite (he has an enormous appetite but i don't think he is seeing his tankmates as prey).
P.teugelsi came the first time to Germany last year imported by Andreas Lorenz, www.tropicfish.de - Aquarium Glaser, who is also dealing in the USA and Japan, affirmed this first-time-import, but i'm sure he was second ...
Ralf Britz, who described P.teugelsi the first time, didn't know that teugelsi is one ofe the longest Polypterus species ... mine is about 18'' long but i have seen a pic (my dealer had sent it to me) of a teugelsi about 25'' long! Remember: Men have not seen many teugelsi until this time ... remember the "fact", that P.ansorgii is one of the smallest bichirs (brave statement when knowing only 3 individuals in alcohol!).
I could write many more about P.teugelsi and P.weeksi ... but there are so many facts, so many observations ... it's better to ask me.
The pictures: I will make some pics the next days.
You have that right. Arkansas is not a poly paradise. I just talked the LFS into ordering some in for me. The polli's cost me $40 and the delhezi cost me $47. About the same at the other LFS. (Ornate for $47 and Delhezi for $50.) They both DID actually order in a lower jaw each. I guess they thought I would buy it too. Shame they are too big for my current tank. They want $120 for a 8 inch Endlicheri and the same at the other for a Lapredei. I hope to find some retropinnis and mokelembebe soon. But at this point, they can't seem to get me what I ordered. They said they were ordering a retro, buetikofferi and delhezi, but got Polli, Delhezi, and a Lap. I could keep ranting....but I'll stop now....
I have a retropinnis and two weeksii.
One of the biggest things I've noticed with them is that they took longer to adjust to tank life than other species.
Once they were finally settled in, the weeksii are fairly placid preferring to hid if possible like ornatipinnis, but the retro is fairly active, but there are times where it just wants to relax under the shade of DW.
One of the biggest things I've noticed with them is that they took longer to adjust to tank life than other species.
Once they were finally settled in, the weeksii are fairly placid preferring to hid if possible like ornatipinnis, but the retro is fairly active, but there are times where it just wants to relax under the shade of DW.
I have a retro and i must agree with how Cohazard described it. It was very very shy at first, for about a month. I would only really be able to see its tail as it tried to cramp itself into tiny places. At first i was bummed about its shyness until It slowly began coming out at night and being very active. Now its rather chill and will sometimes swim along side the senegals especially during feeding. Its longer than my senegals, about 13" but not as thick. Oh and ive never seen any sort of aggression towards tankmates.
i can't really think of anything particular about them right now. they act like what you would normally expect from a bichir. i agree weeksii can swallow surprisingly big fish relative to its body size. None of mine are what i would consider active (like how palmas polli or senegalus are active). They would do a couple rounds here and there, but also like to just chill and enjoy their hiding spots. Mine aren't territorial or aggressive, they are actually very mellow. They interact with other bichirs much like any bichir would.
here are some pics and a lot of links to pics i've posted in the past. i've also included palmas palmas since its still a lot rarer than retropinnis or weeksii (only recently does it become more available). also included a couple you didn't ask for. sorry if i'm being a pic whore
teugelsi
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91005
retropinnis and mokelembembe
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83533
ansorgii
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49904
sp. Koliba
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84808
some palmas palmas
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43258
closeup of mokelembembe/palmas palmas
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34084
top view of retropinnis/mokelembembe/palmas palmas/palmas buettikoferi etc.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37492
and some more pics of my green mokelembembe, another palmas palmas, and weeksii
here are some pics and a lot of links to pics i've posted in the past. i've also included palmas palmas since its still a lot rarer than retropinnis or weeksii (only recently does it become more available). also included a couple you didn't ask for. sorry if i'm being a pic whore
teugelsi
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91005
retropinnis and mokelembembe
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83533
ansorgii
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49904
sp. Koliba
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84808
some palmas palmas
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=43258
closeup of mokelembembe/palmas palmas
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34084
top view of retropinnis/mokelembembe/palmas palmas/palmas buettikoferi etc.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37492
and some more pics of my green mokelembembe, another palmas palmas, and weeksii
Thats a beautiful palmas palmas. I am planning on ordering some from Rehobothaquatics. Probably gonna have to wait until after the holidays at this point. I can't wait to get mine fattened up and some length on them. They are all about 4-5 right now except my 1st senegal which is up to 6.5-7. Are there any sources besides Rehoboth for bichirs thats reliable...ie you get what you order? I'd hate to wind up with a bunch that were the same as what I already have.
thanks everyone 
if you wanna get what you order, especially when it comes to the less common to rare species, go with rehoboth, either directly or through your lfs.
most places would usually get the most common species correct. But lets just say there are still mislabeling. of course if you know your bichirs, that could work to your advantage. On top of that, i'm not aware of other sources for the uncommon to rare bichirs in the US, like the palmas palmas or mokelembembe.
if you wanna get what you order, especially when it comes to the less common to rare species, go with rehoboth, either directly or through your lfs.
most places would usually get the most common species correct. But lets just say there are still mislabeling. of course if you know your bichirs, that could work to your advantage. On top of that, i'm not aware of other sources for the uncommon to rare bichirs in the US, like the palmas palmas or mokelembembe.