new bichir addict. ?? or two

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IKeepPacu

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2008
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up until monday, bichirs never interested me much for some reason. then out of everything, a little 2-3" senegal decides to come front and center in the tank and start hamming it up while at the LFS. i cant stop watching this thing now. slithers and swims around quite often, extremely active and cool looking. just when i thought i was going thru hobby burn out :headbang2:headbang2 havent been this happy over buying a new fish since my rays. i havent started doing much research yet however on much other than a senegal, as im not sure what i want/can be mixed.

will i have to worry about any problems mixing different bichirs? if not, what ones would do best in a 250g with say 1 or 2 calmer cichlids?? was going to get another one in the tank of a different species, but it looked like his gills had feathers oming out of them, which ive now read is normal for juvi's?? and finally, sand is an acceptable substrate for these guys, correct???
 
Sand is perfect for them.
Any bichirs would be fine in that tank (as long as they aren't small enough to get eaten by your cichlids)
I've found my senengal and ornate to be the most active of the ones I've kept.
 
Read thru the primer in the stickies theres lists of possible tankmates -Anne
Q.will i have to worry about any problems mixing different bichirs?
A.Generally you shouldn't have a problem but stick with smaller upper jaw species
P. palmas palmas ('palmas' bichir)- 13"
(subspecies)P. palmas polli ('marbled bichir)- 14"
(subspecies) P. palmas buettikoferi ('buettikoferi' bichir)- 13"
P. delhezi ('armoured' or 'delhez's' bichir)- 14"
P. senegalus senegalus ('Senegal' or 'Cuiver's' bichir)- 12"
(possible subspecies)P. senegalus meridionalis- 12"+
There is, Also the possibility of a third member of the Polypterus senegalus
group that is found in the Nile River
P. retropinnis ('retropinnis' bichir)- 14"
E. calabaricus ('Ropefish')- 15"-30" (Closer to 15''-20'' in captivity)
Q.it looked like his gills had feathers oming out of them, which ive now read is normal for juvi's??
A. When bichirs hatch they have external gills(pinnate) so its not abnormal for them to have them when you buy them.
Q.sand is an acceptable substrate for these guys, correct???
A.Yes bichirs are suction feeders and search for food much of the time sand will pass thru easier
than gravel if ingested-Anne
 
beblondie;1771118; said:
Read thru the primer in the stickies theres lists of possible tankmates -Anne
Q.will i have to worry about any problems mixing different bichirs?
A.Generally you shouldn't have a problem but stick with smaller upper jaw species
P. palmas palmas ('palmas' bichir)- 13"
(subspecies)P. palmas polli ('marbled bichir)- 14"
(subspecies) P. palmas buettikoferi ('buettikoferi' bichir)- 13"
P. delhezi ('armoured' or 'delhez's' bichir)- 14"
P. senegalus senegalus ('Senegal' or 'Cuiver's' bichir)- 12"
(possible subspecies)P. senegalus meridionalis- 12"+
There is, Also the possibility of a third member of the Polypterus senegalus
group that is found in the Nile River
P. retropinnis ('retropinnis' bichir)- 14"
E. calabaricus ('Ropefish')- 15"-30" (Closer to 15''-20'' in captivity)
Q.it looked like his gills had feathers oming out of them, which ive now read is normal for juvi's??
A. When bichirs hatch they have external gills(pinnate) so its not abnormal for them to have them when you buy them.
Q.sand is an acceptable substrate for these guys, correct???
A.Yes bichirs are suction feeders and search for food much of the time sand will pass thru easier
than gravel if ingested-Anne
Click to expand...



im in love with anne:D
 
I have my moments lol
 
damn fish addiction!!!

went back today and got the other bichir the LFS had. was 2 in a tank of others labeled "polypterus sulreg" but their most definatly senegals. the guy said this new one is a delhezi and sold to me for $10, but im not exactly going to bank on it.

so i know own 2 bichirs, of which i have no clue 100% what species they are, and i got no digi cam:eek::eek:
 
Juvinile delhezis and a camera hog senegal lol

general 058.jpg
 
my delhezi has same type of markings as what you posted, just a little darker body color. photo proves thats what i got then hopefully. wasent sure since googling them produced a few different pics, but mine most def look like what you posted.

the del is definatly young still, as he has the "feathery" gills. are they extrmely fragile at this stage and need special care?? or will regular WC and good food be fine?

hopefully doing good otherwise. actively hunting ghost shrimp a few hours after being put in the tank, and the other cichlids arent bothering him none :headbang2
 
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