New to Bichir's. Need Advice.

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Liquid Armor

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2010
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Ohio
Hi,

I plan on getting one or two Armored Bichirs soon and was wondering how to make their tank. I have a 20 gallon long, which should be sufficient for a year or two. I plan to get these Bichir as close to infancy as possible.

Should I get two or one Bichir? If I get one will it become lonesome?

I know the shrimp may get eaten, but I am counting on their fast breeding rate and the climbable plant life to make it difficult for the Bichir to prey on them. Plus I intend on feeding my Bichir well, with mostly pellet and freeze dried food to keep them from becoming aggressive.

What do you think of my theoretical tank setup?

Substrate

Black Sand

Plant Life

Java Moss
Hornwort

Tank Inhabitants

Two Armored Bichirs
Multiple Cherry Shrimp

Diet

Bichir
Hikari Massivore
Hikari Freeze Dried Krill

Shrimp
Algae
 
Liquid Armor;4429462; said:
Hi,

I plan on getting one or two Armored Bichirs soon and was wondering how to make their tank. I have a 20 gallon long, which should be sufficient for a year or two. I plan to get these Bichir as close to infancy as possible.

Should I get two or one Bichir? If I get one will it become lonesome?

I know the shrimp may get eaten, but I am counting on their fast breeding rate and the climbable plant life to make it difficult for the Bichir to prey on them. Plus I intend on feeding my Bichir well, with mostly pellet and freeze dried food to keep them from becoming aggressive.

What do you think of my theoretical tank setup?

Substrate

Black Sand

Plant Life

Java Moss
Hornwort

Tank Inhabitants

Two Armored Bichirs
Multiple Cherry Shrimp

Diet

Bichir
Hikari Massivore
Hikari Freeze Dried Krill

Shrimp
Algae
Click to expand...

Two Armored Bichir(Polypterus delhezi) would only last about 3 months in a 20gal Long they'd most definately eat the Cherry Shrimp no matter what....For two Dels minimum recommendation is a 55gal Unfortuneatly there is no Bichir that will be okay in a 20gal Long for more than 6 months
 
So one Bichir or two Bichir in the tank? I will be moving them up to a bigger tank once they grow. Whats a good size to start moving them up?
 
Any votes for single bichir?

I am thinking of putting some Zebra Nerite snails instead of Cherry Shrimp in the tank to control algae with only plant life being Java Moss.

What do you think?
 
Not listening?
No bichir will be OK in a 20 long for very long at all!

Why not think about investing in a bigger tank, or smaller fish??
 
Liquid Armor;4429621; said:
So one Bichir or two Bichir in the tank? I will be moving them up to a bigger tank once they grow. Whats a good size to start moving them up?
Click to expand...

The stickie Polypterids an introduction and primer 3.0 says to keep young bichirs in a 10 gallon until they're 7"-8" and then move them to a 20 long for final growout. By that reasoning, the bichirs should be fine in the 20 long at least until the summer if you purchase them late this year/early next year.

tokyogasmask;4429932; said:
Not listening?
No bichir will be OK in a 20 long for very long at all!

Why not think about investing in a bigger tank, or smaller fish??
Click to expand...

The OP plans on moving them to a larger tank as need be; he just has a 20 long for the initial growout.
 
Wiggles92;4430270; said:
The stickie Polypterids an introduction and primer 3.0 says to keep young bichirs in a 10 gallon until they're 7"-8" and then move them to a 20 long for final growout. By that reasoning, the bichirs should be fine in the 20 long at least until the summer if you purchase them late this year/early next year.



The OP plans on moving them to a larger tank as need be; he just has a 20 long for the initial growout.
Click to expand...

I would say yes, that's fine so long as you HAVE in possesion a bigger, cycled tank ready for them to go into.

You never know what happens and your plans for a bigger tank fail for whatever reason.
But that's just my opinion on the matter.
 
I will most likely have a 55 gallon prepared by summer. I am moving locations come summer most likely so I am hesitant to start a 55 gallon cycling before I move.

How long should I cycle the 55 gallon before introducing the Bichir's? I plan on making the old 20 long into a Cherry Shrimp tank once the Bichirs have left.

If I get the Delhezi's in January I doubt they will hit 7-8 inches by June when I move, so I should have some leeway for getting the 55 ready.

Snails good companions? I need something to take care of algae, and preferably not another fish. I am going to try to get a good growth of Java Moss to take care of some of the bio-load. Will be doing water changes as well.
 
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