First Polypterus: need advice!

[Polyaddict86]

Instead of reducing the flow try and redirect it

+1, you can also add a airstone.

 

[elbereth]

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll tinker with the filtration.
For now, I'm more worried about the fact that he's not eating. He doesn't seem to have touched the tilapia even though I put it right beside him. He barely moves around the tank and mostly just sits on the bottom. (I tested the water. Ammonia was under 0.25ppm but I did a partial water change just in case.)
I'm hoping he eats something when I turn the lights off tonight!

 

[Polyaddict86]

What are his tank mates? and can you take a picture of the tank?

 

[elbereth]

Looks like he ate one piece of the tilapia fillet I gave him. It was about the size of his tiny head. Is that enough for a 7-8 cm juvenile?

I can't take a photo of the tank at the moment, but it's a 10 gallon and he's the only occupant. I transferred him from the 20 because I thought he'd be better able to find food in a smaller tank. But when I tested the water this morning, ammonia was at 0.25, nitrite at 0.25 and nitrate at 5.0 ppm! Looks like my fishless cycling was insufficient to handle even such a small bichir. So I did a big water change right away and I'll be moving him back to the larger tank once I change out the gravel for sand.

 

[Polyaddict86]

Looks like he ate one piece of the tilapia fillet I gave him. It was about the size of his tiny head. Is that enough for a 7-8 cm juvenile?

I can't take a photo of the tank at the moment, but it's a 10 gallon and he's the only occupant. I transferred him from the 20 because I thought he'd be better able to find food in a smaller tank. But when I tested the water this morning, ammonia was at 0.25, nitrite at 0.25 and nitrate at 5.0 ppm! Looks like my fishless cycling was insufficient to handle even such a small bichir. So I did a big water change right away and I'll be moving him back to the larger tank once I change out the gravel for sand.

That should be enough food for him, it will get used to eating tilapia, atleast now it know that its food.

 

[elbereth]

Thanks.
I've read that its recommended to feed twice or thrice a day but he seems to eat only at night. Is that ok?

 

[Polyaddict86]

Thanks.
I've read that its recommended to feed twice or thrice a day but he seems to eat only at night. Is that ok?

It really depends on the owner, they only problem with feeding twice a day is sometime the fish will bloat, i always recommend once a day and give gor three days straight the no feeding on the fourth day, once they past 5”-6” mark then you can do every other day feeding but still once a day. Especially when you are feeding raw fish like tilapia, they need time to digest the food, pellets gets digested faster than raw fish.

 

[elbereth]

Good to know! Thanks for all your help.

 

[magpie]

Yeah, your tank isn't cycled as you noted so that might be part of the problem. Is the 20 cycled? Fish can go weeks without eating. If he's eaten anything that's good. Focus on the water quality first.

Definitely only feed once per day - esp. if there are any water issues. Agree in that you should skip days here and there, and then when they're 5-6" and larger most people feed every other day.

 

[elbereth]

I transferred the filter and some of the substrate from the 20 gallon to the 10 gallon so the larger tank wouldn't be cycled either. But at least I wouldn't have to do water changes as often. Looks like the cycle is catching up though. And I'll have the 20 gallon ready soon. (I decided to reseal it before I realized what a problem the 10 gallon would prove. Talk about great timing!)

On a different note, I read that delhezi is supposed to be a little more active than some other polypterus species. Any chances mine will stop hiding all the time once he becomes a little more used to his new surroundings?