I recently bought a baby bichir and baby aro. Today marks the third day they are in my 210 fish tank, I tried feeding both fishes frozen bloodworms but only my aro is eating. The bichir isn’t eating the sinking bloodworms, he just swims by them and doesn’t even attempt to eat the bloodworms. He’s been very active in my tank and doesn’t really seem stress. Could it be that the tank is too big and he needs a smaller grow out tank? The are both about 3 inches.
JUVENILE ORNATE BICHIR
- Thread starter AAVPredatory
- Start date
Could be just getting settled into the tank. A big 210g would be difficult to make sure it eats. Can just wait it out and try some broken up pellets or cut up tilapia.
Other option is to move to a smaller tank and try to make sure it’s eating.
Other option is to move to a smaller tank and try to make sure it’s eating.
I have a 20 Gallon but that would take a while for it to cycle. I’m kind of stuck with leaving him in the 210.
could just use filter media from the 210 in the filter on the 20 and not have to cycle the long way, if the 210 is well established. How big are they?
I would defiantly seed a filter with some media from the 220 and get the Ornate into the 20g to grow out a bit. That way you can "power grow" him as well to speed up his growth rate. I bought a pair of 3" Senegal's a month ago and am growing them out in a 10g right now before I put them into the 120g with the 11" Delhezi's. I keep the temp in the grow out 10g at 82f, feed them twice a day, and do 85% WC every other day and by doing that they have grown a full 1" from 3" to over 4" in exactly a month.
Get a divider and split the 210 into two sections. That way you can keep them confined to a smaller area and don't have to set up other tanks and move them etc etc, as well as maintaining great water quality. And you can change how big it is whenever you need to just by moving the divider. 
Actually as a side note, its not a bad idea having a divider on hand full stop, they can be lifesavers in certain situations.
Actually as a side note, its not a bad idea having a divider on hand full stop, they can be lifesavers in certain situations.
Are polypterus night eaters? And did you mean put the tilapia where the aro can’t eat it? Or can eat? It really seems like he just swims pst the food at the bottom of the tank. Even picks it up and drops it like he’s not hungry or something.
Hikari Carnivore vs massivore?? I’m going to try to get the aro on Hikari food sticks. I’m assuming it doesn’t matter which type exactly but I would rather have him on food sticks. Then some thaw food and occasionally live feeders.