quality pellets and your set as far as that goes and as far as feeding it does help to target feed especially if there are fast feeding tankmates
New poly need a bit of advice
- Thread starter Spence
- Start date
All Polypterus have very strong sense of smell so even in a dim aquarium can locate food but agree tankmates may make it difficult so target feed. I personally feed sinking pellet's and cut up peices of Tilapia to my larger Polys.
My Senegal Polys will swim to the surface and eat small floating pellet and freeze dried baby shrimp. Sinking pellet as well.
My Senegal Polys will swim to the surface and eat small floating pellet and freeze dried baby shrimp. Sinking pellet as well.
They can and will normally only eat fish that can fit in their mouths. A full grown GT and Severum should be fine. Ornate Bicher from my experience can be territorial but the other fish learned to stay away.
Some ornate are picky eaters, for small ornate i usually train them with tilapia and market shrimp first, once they start putting some size ill start to drop pellets one every feeding time, just wait to see if he gets intrested with pellets. If it dont work ill only drop a couple of tilapia and ill try feeding again in two days with same routine.
Also try to feed after lights are off, bichirs are noctural, like
tlindsey
mentioned, they use sense off smell.
Also try to feed after lights are off, bichirs are noctural, like
tlindsey
mentioned, they use sense off smell.
Best thing ive used to get them to eat is carnivore pellets. They seem to love those even the ones that are finicky eaters. At that size you will have to break each pellet into 3 probably but its pretty easy to do. Polys, really most fish seem to grow pretty quick on those too.
Also I didnt see it mentioned yet (sorry if someone said it already), make sure you have a lid or some other cover on the tanks you put polys in. They are great jumpers and powerful fish.
As for life in your 120 with the other fish just make sure the cichlids arent beating him up once he goes in there. They are capable of hurting other fish larger then themselves but seldom do. Polys dont really try and fight back to often, and usually end up hurt in "fights" with things like cichlids.
Also I didnt see it mentioned yet (sorry if someone said it already), make sure you have a lid or some other cover on the tanks you put polys in. They are great jumpers and powerful fish.
As for life in your 120 with the other fish just make sure the cichlids arent beating him up once he goes in there. They are capable of hurting other fish larger then themselves but seldom do. Polys dont really try and fight back to often, and usually end up hurt in "fights" with things like cichlids.
Everyone has pretty much nailed the care part but i just want more picture of the little guy!!!
Ha! I'll get some pics up soon, but I have to clean up the tank before posting anymore. I try to keep water spots and algae to a minimum.
So I've read that light colored sand can wash their colors out. What's the consensus on substrate and background color? Big impact or not much of an impact? I'm probably going either all black sand or maybe a salt and pepper look (heavier on the black). But would love opinions
Sand and substrate impact the fish look not its health. Some ppl dont mind having a washed out fish but for some they like to show off the patterns and true color of the fish, black substrate will make a poly really dark and white will make them pale.
