Help needed. Ornate bichir.

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R

Ranlexus

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 2, 2011
10
0
0
Florida
Hello I have an ornate bichir I recently had him for a month .

Got him or her from my lfs I actually work there and got it at a good price.

He or she is eating good. My main concern is after I took this one home we got another one in the store and this one doesn't have the horns or I'm not sure what to call them where his mouth is. The second did have it and came in a darker color.

Is something wrong with it?

Does this determine sex?

It is eating blood worms , guppies , ghost shrimp , earth worms & also beef heart.

Any information would help.

He is only about 4 inches. & he is also in a 120g tank.

I would appreciate any info that would help.

Thanks .

Btw I'm on threw my phone so if you would like pictures I could email them to you without no problem so if you want pics give me an email address to send them to.

Thanks.
 
I think they're called Babels, they do grow back in time. Sex is determined by their anal fin size, a large fin is a male and a small fin is a female. You should also try to get him some Carnivore Pellets too.
 
I think there is a point to where they can grow back. Ive heard of them growing back fine, and not growing back at all. I don't think it is life threatning to the bichir either way.
 
Well I hope they do grow back .

Also about the pellets I don't think he will take to them.

My other fish would probably grab them first lol.

My two 5 inch electric blue jack Dempsey are kinda on the greedy side .

They all eat enough tho. I know nobody in my tank doesn't eat enough .
 
I'm assuming the "horns" are the external gills. Polys have them when they are young and they disappear as they mature. Some lose it faster than others. There has been times where they come back, but they don't stay.
 
If he's talking about the nostril tubes, it's a 50/50 chance. Depending on the extent of the damage, it may grow back, it may not. I've had an Ornate that lost both nostril tubes and they never grew back. I have a Delhezi that has lost it's nostril tubes a couple of times and it grew back.
 
Yeah its the nostril tubes I'm talking about.

He actually did have them now that I notice it because I was looking at the pics i took of him when I first got it they were there.

He is housed with
2 4.5-5inch electric blue jack dempsy's
3 little peacock bass (mono) about 3 inches (which I only plan on keeping one the rest are sold)
one 2.5 inch tiger shovelnose catfish.
Two 3 inch clown loaches.
And I just recently added one 2.5 albino tiger long fin Oscar
That's all that's in there & two blue crayfish but I think it was one of them
Cause nobody messes with my ornate. But I'm looking for another home for those two guys.
Cause eventually they will be food lol for all fish.

&& if your thinking my tank is over stocked.
Keep in mind I am only keeping the two loaches
The tiger & electric blues n my ornate n one bass.

I should have my 220g soon if not that I'm just upgrading to a 450g :)

Thanks again. MFK
 
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