Hmmm, what to do, what to do.

[ZeroOne]

Ok, so I've read a lot about upper jaw vs. lower jaw and not mixing them. but I've also seen a lot of tanks with them mixed. My question is does it increase the chances of them getting along if they start out small together? Right now I have my sen 6", ornate 4" and my LFS finally got in some endli's ~4". They would be in a 50 with a foot print of 38"x18" (grow out till they can go in the 180g) Think this combo would work? I also have a BGK which when it's big enough I'd like to add eventually (should be fine, not adding for a year or so yet).

p.s. the endli I was looking at is a shortbody (don't know how that affect temperment and how big shortbodies usually grow, guessing between the sen and ornates size)

 

[Darth Scohin]

I'm not sure where you heard not to mix lowers and uppers together but that's a load of hubbub....As long as one is not big enough to eat the other all Polypteridae(that's right even ropefish) can be with eachother

 

[Jdmxluv]

yea just make sure the fishes you get doesnt have too much different in sizes. some bichirs are known to eat fishes that can fit in their mouth so. as long as you watch out for that it should be any problem.

 

[benzjamin13]

The only main reason I can think for not mixing lower and upper is because upper jaws tend to be smaller and/or slimmer compared to a lower jaw. Which the lower jaw and probably eat/maim the upper jaw. However, you're correct...people do mix them with success. Just be aware that there have been members who mixed them with the lower jaw eating the upper jaw. I think someone actually had their Lap eat a Plat Sen

 

[Jdmxluv]

ouch. looks like the lap had a very expensive feeder. lol

 

[tempest_brood1]

like the others said before, you just gotta make sure that the size difference wouldn't be enough to have the smaller bichir become the lunch (or midnight snack ) of the bigger guy... i used to dream about mixing different species but may tank makes that impossible. good luck on what u are about to do...

 

[ZeroOne]

well right now the smaller bichir would be the endli by about 2 inches. not massively different. i know he will catch up in no time size wise and as a shortbody he full grown shouldn't be too bad for sizing between the two. just a quickie though that crossed my mind. would the tank species balance still be ok if i moved my african brown knife in there? he's about 9 inches (guess more concerned how he'd fair with the endli and the BGK which is smaller than him) but i know after a while he'll be the little guy in the tank. same with the butterfly. think i'll probably leave the butterfly and the african brown in my other tank though, not sure yet.

 

[GarNiac]

there is no definite answer whether or not the mixing will success, however most would work just fine as long as there is enough footprints for all the species in the tank and there are enough supply of food. I mix mine in a 150g tank, and never had any problems so far.