How to get bichir to grow faster and thicker?

[Rayfishowner]

My WC Lapradei Bichir is eating hikari sinking pellets and he isn't skinny, but not as bulky and chunky as many of the other laps I see. I think this is because he doesn't eat a lot. 10-15 pellets every other day. Also he is by himself in the tank.

My question is what should I do to increase his apetite and overall growth:
1) More water changes?
2) Varied diet? (I've trained it to eat pellets since that is much easier for me to feed, but would ocassionally giving tilapia and shrimp help growth and apetite?)
3) Substrate and decor? My tank is bare bottom and has a cave and some live plants floating. Would adding sand and some driftwood/rocks make him more inclined to eat more?
4) reduce/ add more flow? I have a canistor filter, do bichir like flow or not?
5) getting dimmer lights? I find that my bichir eats when I turn on the lights every evening and not when its pitch dark. Is this normal and what can I do to make his apetite better?

Thanks guys! I know I've been recently posting alot, but just want the best situation for my fish!!

 

[Rayfishowner]

Also I'll attach pics of the bichir tom morning!

 

[tlindsey]

My WC Lapradei Bichir is eating hikari sinking pellets and he isn't skinny, but not as bulky and chunky as many of the other laps I see. I think this is because he doesn't eat a lot. 10-15 pellets every other day. Also he is by himself in the tank.

My question is what should I do to increase his apetite and overall growth:
1) More water changes?
2) Varied diet? (I've trained it to eat pellets since that is much easier for me to feed, but would ocassionally giving tilapia and shrimp help growth and apetite?)
3) Substrate and decor? My tank is bare bottom and has a cave and some live plants floating. Would adding sand and some driftwood/rocks make him more inclined to eat more?
4) reduce/ add more flow? I have a canistor filter, do bichir like flow or not?
5) getting dimmer lights? I find that my bichir eats when I turn on the lights every evening and not when its pitch dark. Is this normal and what can I do to make his apetite better?

Thanks guys! I know I've been recently posting alot, but just want the best situation for my fish!!

Optimum water conditions is a big help in growth along with the right foods. Polypterus in my experience grow in spurts.

 

[Matteus]

My WC Lapradei Bichir is eating hikari sinking pellets and he isn't skinny, but not as bulky and chunky as many of the other laps I see. I think this is because he doesn't eat a lot. 10-15 pellets every other day. Also he is by himself in the tank.

My question is what should I do to increase his apetite and overall growth:
1) More water changes?
2) Varied diet? (I've trained it to eat pellets since that is much easier for me to feed, but would ocassionally giving tilapia and shrimp help growth and apetite?)
3) Substrate and decor? My tank is bare bottom and has a cave and some live plants floating. Would adding sand and some driftwood/rocks make him more inclined to eat more?
4) reduce/ add more flow? I have a canistor filter, do bichir like flow or not?
5) getting dimmer lights? I find that my bichir eats when I turn on the lights every evening and not when its pitch dark. Is this normal and what can I do to make his apetite better?

Thanks guys! I know I've been recently posting alot, but just want the best situation for my fish!!

truth be told most polys don’t eat a whole lot in the wild. Often they will go for a long stretch without any food depending on seasons, so most of what you are describing seems normal behaviour. in fact sounds like you are feeding it just perfect. Most people only feed polys 2-3 times a week. You might be doing the right thing already. Some would argue that you can over feed polys if you feed daily. You might be trying to compete with a fat fish and you have one that is on a good diet?

I personally find that it takes fish a while to adapt to a bare bottom tank, even with painted or solid colour on the other side of glass. It can be reflective and often make the fish insecure or think there are more of them, could be good or bad depending on what type of fish in question. Popular demand is red sand to bring out poly colours and patterns.

As I am reading your other threads about this guy, if you want it to grow faster, a bigger tank can often help. Sounds like it is in a 70g? Correct me if I am wrong.

I had a flagtail in a 70 g for almost a year, when I put it in the 180 it has started to grow quite rapidly. Almost doubled its growth rate from 1 year to 3-4 months.

I’m not saying you need a 1000g tank for a 2’ fish but often if a fish is kept in smaller quarters it will slow its growth rate down.

Also to answer questions on other threads of yours about tank mates etc. (Assuming you are able to upgrade the tank) flagtail is colourful, friendly and clean up the tank, datnoid is cool and personable could be good room mates. Most polys love other polys. They often find security in poly piles, try adding other polys of similar sizes.

bass are fast growing and eat like pigs most likely need a 240g min with a big footprint and will eat you out of house and home and most likely outcompete the lap for food as they are slow on the draw to food. Bass will eat most of the food before it hits bottom whereas polys are super slow eaters, so not the best tank mates. It can be done but not ideal.

 

[Rayfishowner]

truth be told most polys don’t eat a whole lot in the wild. Often they will go for a long stretch without any food depending on seasons, so most of what you are describing seems normal behaviour. in fact sounds like you are feeding it just perfect. Most people only feed polys 2-3 times a week. You might be doing the right thing already. Some would argue that you can over feed polys if you feed daily. You might be trying to compete with a fat fish and you have one that is on a good diet?

I personally find that it takes fish a while to adapt to a bare bottom tank, even with painted or solid colour on the other side of glass. It can be reflective and often make the fish insecure or think there are more of them, could be good or bad depending on what type of fish in question. Popular demand is red sand to bring out poly colours and patterns.

As I am reading your other threads about this guy, if you want it to grow faster, a bigger tank can often help. Sounds like it is in a 70g? Correct me if I am wrong.

I had a flagtail in a 70 g for almost a year, when I put it in the 180 it has started to grow quite rapidly. Almost doubled its growth rate from 1 year to 3-4 months.

I’m not saying you need a 1000g tank for a 2’ fish but often if a fish is kept in smaller quarters it will slow its growth rate down.

Also to answer questions on other threads of yours about tank mates etc. (Assuming you are able to upgrade the tank) flagtail is colourful, friendly and clean up the tank, datnoid is cool and personable could be good room mates. Most polys love other polys. They often find security in poly piles, try adding other polys of similar sizes.

bass are fast growing and eat like pigs most likely need a 240g min with a big footprint and will eat you out of house and home and most likely outcompete the lap for food as they are slow on the draw to food. Bass will eat most of the food before it hits bottom whereas polys are super slow eaters, so not the best tank mates. It can be done but not ideal.

Thank you for taking your time to answer my questions! I am going to get a sand substrate, but where can I find red sand? Also I am probably going to hold off on the tankmates for now all things considered!

 

[Rayfishowner]

Optimum water conditions is a big help in growth along with the right foods. Polypterus in my experience grow in spurts.

Thanks! Do you think a cleaner water makes them more inclined to eat than dirtier water? Also if I alternae tilaia one day, pellets the next, will my poly be picky and stop eating pellets because it took me over a year to get him to readily take carnivore pellets

 

[tlindsey]

Thanks! Do you think a cleaner water makes them more inclined to eat than dirtier water? Also if I alternae tilaia one day, pellets the next, will my poly be picky and stop eating pellets because it took me over a year to get him to readily take carnivore pellets
[/QUOT Yes. Clean water and most importantly the water parameters Keep them stable. Check before each water change. Keep the Nitrate level low. Alternating the Tilapia and the Carnivore pellets shouldn't make poly picky.

 

[Rayfishowner]

So these are some photos after water change. As you can see he is skinny and the tank is quite bare

 

[kno4te]

Nice looking lapradei. Provide a varied diet and do a good amount of water changes. It’ll put on some size. Wild won’t eat like captive bread and won’t get as stocky. I wouldn’t rush it.

 

[Rayfishowner]

Nice looking lapradei. Provide a varied diet and do a good amount of water changes. It’ll put on some size. Wild won’t eat like captive bread and won’t get as stocky. I wouldn’t rush it.

Got it! Thanks! I got some dimmer lights and will do water changes more often. Also I think I’m going to get some pool sand or red garnet sand (even tho every local area around me doesn’t seem to have any). I want the bichir to feel at home and also have better colors since at the lfs before I got it, they had a reddish brown river rock substrate and it brought out a nice green and. Oe in the bare bottom he looks washed. You think sand would help make him feel more comfortable and eat more?