I know they have pretty poor sight but does this vary from species to species or is it just an individual thing? I've noticed my retro seems to be totally blind! The sens seem to have some sight as they swim around obstacles easily, weaving behind this and that. The "lazy" retro is the worst hunter and he bumps into stuff all the time.
How blind are bichirs?
- Thread starter ironmunki
- Start date
I'm not sure about their sight. My endli. endli. just sits on the bottom like a stick all day. I rarely see him swim, except when I put live food in. I don't think he sees that well, but I rarely see him miss a strike when he goes for a fish.
mine has trouble finding feeders. the only way he gets them is if they swim in front of him. then hes quike to bite it. but my pimedela cat is usualy quike to get them firstOnion01;1308213; said:
Hello,
I've viewed my Delhezis hunting fishes in the way my snakeheads do ... hunting them through the whole tank to the point they get them! It seems that they hold visible contact to their prey.
It's possible that they continue along olfactory traces - but at that speed? Snakeheads are known for their rapid movement, but bichirs? This behaviour i could only monitor doing the Delhezis, all others (lapradei, senegalus, polli, weeksi) seem to be more olfactory-orientated.
I've viewed my Delhezis hunting fishes in the way my snakeheads do ... hunting them through the whole tank to the point they get them! It seems that they hold visible contact to their prey.
It's possible that they continue along olfactory traces - but at that speed? Snakeheads are known for their rapid movement, but bichirs? This behaviour i could only monitor doing the Delhezis, all others (lapradei, senegalus, polli, weeksi) seem to be more olfactory-orientated.
Well about 15 minutes after reading this thread I came to a conclusion.. Polypterus have some sort of extra predating function.
I have been struggling to get this new ornate bichir to eat prepared foods, as he's always been a feeder fish eater. So I decided to try some red wigglers, dropped them right in front of him.. he ignores them.
The red wigglers burrowed into the substrate, I was a bit peeved to say the least as I knew they would die in the substrate.
About 5 minutes LATER, my albino P. Senegal came along, and for the first time I had ever seen, he burrowed through the gravel (right under the ornate) and came up with a worm in his mouth!
So I am curious if Polypterus, just like Elasmobranches, have some sort of sensory pore to detect live prey?
I have been struggling to get this new ornate bichir to eat prepared foods, as he's always been a feeder fish eater. So I decided to try some red wigglers, dropped them right in front of him.. he ignores them.
The red wigglers burrowed into the substrate, I was a bit peeved to say the least as I knew they would die in the substrate.
About 5 minutes LATER, my albino P. Senegal came along, and for the first time I had ever seen, he burrowed through the gravel (right under the ornate) and came up with a worm in his mouth!
So I am curious if Polypterus, just like Elasmobranches, have some sort of sensory pore to detect live prey?
uwe;1308264; said:
I know my retro chases nothing. If its not directly in front of him he doesn't even move at it. My sens chase but can be easily lost by a fast swimmer. Seems like they are going more for smell. Haven't observed my Del's hunting pattern yet. He is too small to go in with the other bichirs (he's about 4 inches and some of them are almost 8) and the only thing i've been able to get him to eat is blackworms.
uwe;1308687; said:
Welcome to MFK!
I think (hope
) you meant to say "sensory organ".
Interesting little tid-bit of info.