My bichirs are growing really slow

[Steve_C]

Try feeding them a bit of meat as well. While I feed shrimp pellets daily I also give mine shrimp or krill once per week too. Just have to chop it up to bite size pieces for them while they are still small guys. I usually give them about 3-4 small chopped up pieces each. Well, I try to give it to each, but one of them is a food hog and grabs more than his share lol

 

[BichirChick]

I can do that. Will they eat live food? that would be kinda fun to watch

 

[Hendre]

What pellets do you use? There’s pretty much no nitrates, the water parameters are goo, it’s just the hard AZ water and then with that I am not sure it is an issue. It isn’t a new tank either, been around a bit and fish have come and gone. I mean the Senegal is growing, after months of seeming to not grow, just at a slower rate than what other people on here seem to be noticing with their own bichirs. The gold one is a little pansy and likes to hide and probs doesn’t eat because of that. I don’t get that either because at one point he was the biggest thing in there. The other fish in there are community fish- no aggression.

I have ocean Nutrition, then a no name brine shrimp pellet a professor here imports.

With 50% weekly nitrate shouldn't be much of an issue...

I can do that. Will they eat live food? that would be kinda fun to watch

They will happily, mine scoff daphnia. But it can be a risk. So please be careful!

 

[tlindsey]

What pellets do you use? There’s pretty much no nitrates, the water parameters are goo, it’s just the hard AZ water and then with that I am not sure it is an issue. It isn’t a new tank either, been around a bit and fish have come and gone. I mean the Senegal is growing, after months of seeming to not grow, just at a slower rate than what other people on here seem to be noticing with their own bichirs. The gold one is a little pansy and likes to hide and probs doesn’t eat because of that. I don’t get that either because at one point he was the biggest thing in there. The other fish in there are community fish- no aggression.

I think the problem may be the other fish are actually eating more than the Bichir due to their speed. I actually have to feed a bit more since adding a Male African Peacock which tries to gobble every pellet that's dropped in lol. Maybe drop a couple of pellet's after lights out. Most members growout Polys with Hikari Massivore pellet. Also small peices of fish is good for them such as Tilapia.

 

[BichirChick]

I have ocean Nutrition, then a no name brine shrimp pellet a professor here imports.

With 50% weekly nitrate shouldn't be much of an issue...


They will happily, mine scoff daphnia. But it can be a risk. So please be careful!

A risk of them getting stuck in their mouth/throat? Or because of pathogens?

I think the problem may be the other fish are actually eating more than the Bichir due to their speed. I actually have to feed a bit more since adding a Male African Peacock which tries to gobble every pellet that's dropped in lol. Maybe drop a couple of pellet's after lights out. Most members growout Polys with Hikari Massivore pellet. Also small peices of fish is good for them such as Tilapia.

I have a bag of massivore pellets, but the pellets are bigger than my little guy’s mouths right now. The only thing in the tank that eats pellets and bloodworms besides the bichirs is the dwarf frog, the other two fish are mid and top swimmers and they eat flake. I will get some more “meaty” type food-shrimp and some better small pellets. Thanks everyone for the help

 

[Hendre]

risk of them getting stuck in their mouth/throat? Or because of pathogens

Mostly B. Bichirs are predatory but diseases can be a bit of an issue, if you breed your own healthy feeders then why not. I just give pellets and frozen, they have had daphnia before and quite liked it

 

[tlindsey]

A risk of them getting stuck in their mouth/throat? Or because of pathogens?


I have a bag of massivore pellets, but the pellets are bigger than my little guy’s mouths right now. The only thing in the tank that eats pellets and bloodworms besides the bichirs is the dwarf frog, the other two fish are mid and top swimmers and they eat flake. I will get some more “meaty” type food-shrimp and some better small pellets. Thanks everyone for the help

Break up pellet into small peices and the Bichir should be able to swallow whole.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

A risk of them getting stuck in their mouth/throat? Or because of pathogens?


I have a bag of massivore pellets, but the pellets are bigger than my little guy’s mouths right now. The only thing in the tank that eats pellets and bloodworms besides the bichirs is the dwarf frog, the other two fish are mid and top swimmers and they eat flake. I will get some more “meaty” type food-shrimp and some better small pellets. Thanks everyone for the help

Good to see another Arizonan here.
Regarding foods: bits of fish fillet really stimulate growth in fish,use species such as tilapia,salmon,bluegill. Etc

 

[etkelly22]

I rescued 3 senegals from a friend about 6-8 months ago and they were maybe 3". I kept them in a 20 long and fed omega one pellets, blood worms, tilapia, and beefheart. They're now 6-8" in a custom tank eating massivore pellets. Keep up on the water changes and make sure they're getting fed 2-3 times a day. The diet should be about 80% pellet, 20% frozen. Beefheart puts on size fast but should only be fed once a week at most.