first pike

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Matt181

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 16, 2007
461
2
18
Hertford, UK
hi all, hope all are dandy!

i really want to get myself a pike cichlid. i have had no previous experiance with them and was wondering if there was any basic info people could give me? i plan to put one in 50g, what pike should i get? i also plan to put it in with a bichir, and a snakehead would they get along? what other CA/SA cichlids could go with him in a 50g? where do pikes spend most of their time, e.g bottom, middle, upper?

thanks sorry for all the questions!!
Matt
 
First off that tank is not nearly big enough for the fish you have listed. It might be large enough for a smaller species of Saxatilis, single or pair, but that would be it and some dithers. You could house some dwarf pikes. As for as general info go to the following link. It should answer most questions about pike setup and maintenance. It was written by Peanut Power, one of the pike gurus that reside here.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=102224
 
that tanks too small for a pike, bicher, and snakehead.
the snakehead will eventually kill the pike and bichir when it gets bigger, depending on what type of snakehead.
 
thanks for the replys

i didnt mean all of them, i forgot to put either in lol. if i put a rainbow snakehead and a pike in would that be a good mix?

thanks for the replys, sorry about the confusion!!
Matt
 
The link you gave has about 8 different species of pikes so which one are you talking about.
As for as Lenticulata they get to around 16 inches long, thick and usually aggro towards other pikes. But they are very attractive though. They would be to large for a 50 gallon tank, even a single specimen.
Some pikes hang out on bottom in hiding spots. Others are very active swimming around. But for the most part they are usually cruising around on the bottom third of the tank.
 
what are the dimensions of the 50 gallon tank?

Snakeheads are illegal in the states so hard to say regarding compatability. The bicher should be alright with a smaller pike as long as it stays the same size or larger then the pike, not to much larger though where the pike would be considered food. A saxatillis type pike may work in your set up. They are very aggressive towards conspecifics which they would view as competition and most likely fight until someone dies in the long run, but with the snakehead looking kinda like a pike, the pike may loose out due to the snakeheads dentition.
 
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